Water polo: CdM rallies to beat Irvine in injury-scare match (video)
October 7th, 2010, 5:32 pm · · posted by DAN ALBANO, ocvarsity.com
IRVINE – Corona del Mar lost its best player before the match started.
Irvine lost arguably its best player for most of the third period because of a scary injury.
And if that wasn’t enough drama, both teams went on seven-goal runs during the Pacific Coast League boys water polo showdown at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine on Thursday.
The fourth-ranked Sea Kings made their run starting in the middle of the third period and rallied from a four-goal deficit to post an 11-8 victory against the host No. 8 Vaqueros.
Irvine (13-2, 1-1) led, 7-3, with 6:05 left in the third period when defender Zack Kamai appeared to suffer a throat injury. Luke Mooney had just scored from the perimeter when Kamai was seen holding his neck and floating on his back in front of the Corona del Mar goal.
The senior looked as if he was having trouble breathing as the teams were supposed to be lining up at mid-pool. As Kamai was assisted to the edge, his father jumped into the pool.
Marold Kamai said his son’s windpipe was displaced but the father was able to put it back in place. Kamai also was treated by paramedics but returned to start the fourth period.
Corona del Mar (5-4, 2-0) scored five goals in the third period to take an 8-7 lead. Corona del Mar junior Ben Zepfel scored the tying and go-ahead goals in the third. Zepfel and Emery Molnar each finished with four goals for Corona del Mar.
The Sea Kings played without standout center Chase Watson because of a one-game suspension for a flagrant foul against Northwood in the Sea Kings’ previous game.
Corona del Mar’s Ari Marks and Zepfel scored the first two goals of the fourth period as the Sea Kings opened a 10-7 lead.
Kamai alleged afterward that he was choked underwater by a Corona del Mar player.
“They (the paramedics) said the trachea might have moved over to the right or left,” said Kamai, who pointed to a scratch on his neck. “I had the will to go back in (the match). My team needs me. It was a close game.”
Corona del Mar coach Barry O’Dea said he didn’t see what happened to Kamai.
“I didn’t see the play, so I don’t really know what happened to him,” O’Dea said. “If that (a choke) is the case, I don’t teach that. I don’t coach that. That’s not our style.
“I’m pretty sure if you ask my guys questions, they can tell you all kinds of things that are going on underway. It’s water polo. Again, I don’t know if that happened or not. … It was a great game.”
Corona del Mar athletic director Don Grable said his school would look into the incident.
The Sea Kings opened a 3-0 lead with 3:49 left in the first period.
Irvine answered with a 7-0 run to take the 7-3 lead early in the third. Travis Pham scored four goals in the second for the Vaqueros. Irvine goalie Garret Speed made six of his 12 saves in the third.
Corona del Mar went 2 for 6 on the power play; Irvine 2 for 2.
The teams play again at Corona del Mar on Oct. 26.
Irvine returns to action Friday in the S & R Sport Water Polo Cup. Kamai had ice on his throat after the match Thursday but expected to play Friday morning when the Vaqueros open against Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton at 10 a.m.
“He’s fine,” Marold Kamai said of his son. “His throat will be sore.”
FIRST POST
Corona del Mar’s boys water polo team rallied from a four-goal deficit in the second half to defeat host Irvine, 11-8, this afternoon in a wild and intense Pacific Coast League match.
Irvine standout defender Zack Kamai suffered a throat injury with the Vaqueros leading, 7-3, with 6:05 left in the third. He missed the rest of the third period – during which time he was being treated by paramedics – and returned to start the fourth period.
CdM played without Chase Watson, who had a one-game suspension for a brutality.
PCL plays a double round, so the league title is still up for grabs.
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What’s with all of the brutalities lately? Was Kamai’s injury the result of a brutality? Hope not.
should have been a brutality. Their comeback was a result of the injury and it was obvious it was on purpose
lol “comeback was a result of the injury” not likely, Irvine is horrible
Horrible? Uh, what were they ranked last week? and what was the score before the assault?
All. I have the video from the game and will present it to the CDM – AD.
Thankfully, Zack is doing well; he will play tomorrow, and Irvine put notice on CDM that they are not just a good team, but a “GREAT” team.
What sucks the most, is my shirt got wet on the save! But now I can say that I was in a High School water polo game and we were winning at the time.
Relax everyone, it is water polo, it can get aggressive – the administration for CDM and CIF will make the right call.
We appreciate all the well wishes and thoughts for Zack.
ps. Special thanks to the CDM player #13 Evan Ramsey for helping hold Zack up in the water during a difficult situation.
After witnessing the appalling brutality displayed by the CDM team this afternoon it was refreshing to witness an example of true sportsmanship. Zach Kamai started the fourth quarter despite sustaining a life threatening injury (when you pass out in water, your father has to jump in to save you and you have to be treated by the paramedics on the deck it is a life threatening injury), despite being in pain and despite experiencing breathing problems, Zach played in an attempt to reassure and bolster the spirits of his shocked and stunned teammates. Zach displayed leadership, courage and integrity. Glad to hear you are doing fine.
I am a paramedic. I can assure you with 100% confidence that the injured player did not sustain a life threatening injury. If his injuries were serious at all he would have been transported to the closest hospital.
I am a paramedic. I can assure you with 100% confidence the player did not suffer a life threatening injury or even close to it. He would have been transported to a hospital if the injury had been serious at all. By the way, is the dad an MD???
Thank God your son is Ok. as a parent of a WP player and a WP player myself I can only imagine the grief that moment caused.
I have been hit on the throat and I passed out too. crazy Injury,.,,, Glad he is OK
Zacks dad is a hero, good job recognizing that your son was in need. Hope he gets well and moves forward.
Have you ever played Water Polo?? Its always been this way. I got injured more playing Water Polo than I ever did playing football.
To Dan Albano,
I have read all the comments and find them rather disturbing as most of you don’t know Coach O’Dea or his coaching ethics. It is amusing that so many of you criticize the coach over the actions of a player, without the knowledge of how the the players are coached by Coach O’Dea. I challenge any former or current player to confirm that Coach O’Dea ever condoned the intentional injury of an opponent’s player.
I have known Coach O’Dea for over 20 years. In fact , I was his high school coach and he also was my assistant coach for many years.
I know him and his coaching style better than any one of you anonymous posters. He has never advocated or instructed his players how to injure their opponent.
It is unethical to challenge Coach O’Dea when one of his players is involved in an altercation and when other players of Coach Stoll, Coach Corso, or Coach Brumm and many others are held in the highest regard for their esteem coaching abilities even after their players are implicated in abusive play.
Water Polo has changed over the years and the interpretation of the rules have been revised to have a more physical game. The powers that be have decided that the United States style of play is soft and does not compare with the European style of play. The referees have been instructed to allow a more physical style of game so that we can better compete at the international level.
We teach our players from our Youth National Team, Junior National Team and Olympic National Team to play a very physical style of water polo so that they can compete at the international level. But then we complain when their style of play is not tolerated at the high school level.
As a result, we need to recognize that these are 16 and 17 year old players that are mandated to play a physical game which will result in injuries. They are frustated by the physical play and the acceptance of the officials to allow the players to foul aggressively to the point that players will be injured.
Coach O’Dea and other coaches and players should not be blamed for the style of play which will result in injuries, because the blame resides with USA Water Polo and their directives to the officials and coaches on how the game should be played.
It is unfortunate that a player from Irvine was injured but let’s place the blame on the responsible party which is not Coach O’ Dea or the 17 year old player from CDM but how the rules are interpreted and enforced by the officials and representatives of USA Water Polo and the CIF Southern Section.
I hope that CIF and the Referees assocaiation will eventually understand that there is a difference between the competion level, rules and expectation between the International Water Polo and the level that our high school athletes are expected to achieve. Until that time, unfortunately there will be more injuries in high school Water Polo, and let’s not blame the coaches or teenagers that strive to be the best under the current rules.
Sean Harren
Coach O’Dea is a great coach but he has a problem with that kid. This isn’t the first time he has caused some grief
Emotions are running very high on this. I watched the tape and saw the Irvine being held down. What I couldn’t see was what, (if anything )precipated that event. Did the players have any history, any other issues. etc. Someone mentioned the CDM player has a history. Is he a set defender or center? Those are usually the two most physical players.
Was is truly a deliberate attack to the throat? Or a by product of a tussle?
It is amazing to sit in the stands and listen to parents-”(S)he is holding my player!”, -when they don’t see what their player just did. Or, “Where did (s)he go?!” (as their player is underwater. They don’t know that their player is actually pulling and fighting as well, they just happen to be on the bottom of the skirmish.
If it was a life threatening event-he should not have have been allowed to go into the water, period.
Quote of Sean :”Water Polo has changed over the years and the interpretation of the rules have been revised to have a more physical game. The powers that be have decided that the United States style of play is soft and does not compare with the European style of play. The referees have been instructed to allow a more physical style of game so that we can better compete at the international level.”
One thing to be more physical (pushing, trying to hold a player down, trying to block a player, trying to keep a player in the right spot,) I get it, that does not mean….physically chock a player.
Depends if you consider grabbing the kid by the throat a brutality… Ref didn’t see it so nothing was called.
Yes grabbing by the throat is a brutality. . . what team are you on that you wouldn’t think so ? Gee love to grab you by the throat sometime . . . just a friendly gesture.
Easy there chief… I was being sarcastic, of course it was a brutality.
The fact remains that it happened away from the actual play where the goal was being scored by Mooney, so the Ref didn’t see it.
Dan Albano has a wonderful video clip of it in his main story here on OC Varsity. Check out the video around the 1:30 mark just after the score by Travis Pham. He’s even zoomed in on the actual incident while it’s happening.
Make that the 1:20 mark… You’ll miss it if you ff to 1:30…
Wonder if the CDM coach and AD have seen it…..
Kamai’s windpipe was dislocated, he clearly had no way to breathe(he actually passed out) eventually his wind pipe was put back into place after his father dived in to rescue him. Kamai now has a scar, it is clearly over brutality.
You people amaze me. His windpipe was not dislocated and it was not put back in place by his dad. Look up “dislocated trachea” sometime.
I heard a CDM player grabbed #3′s throat and ripped. We played Irvine earlier this week, and based on that experience, I suspect CDM decided to enforce the rules about what should go on underwater
There is footage of a CdM player grabbing Kamai by the throat and holding him under water throughout the duration of the choke as well as pictures taken after the game showing the marks left on his neck. It was a dirty move by the player to close their 4 point deficit and the game should be thrown out in regards to league records
If there is footage, please take it to the AD at CDM as well as CIF. This is out of hand. CIF needs to up the sanctions to a five game suspension on the first offense; out for the season after the second.
Even if this wasn’t a called brutality I would encourage the Irvine parents to look into criminal charges.
Opinions like this are the reason why we can’t compete with the Europeans.
I wish the young man a speedy recovery.
Oh please.
I’ll be Terry Schroeder has a different take on why we can’t compete with the Europeans and it has nothing to do with fistfights in the water.
glenn– you have no idea what you are talking about. High quality european players and coaches are also concerned about this type of play. Water polo is in decline in europe, and many coaches and players point to the rules and this type of behavior, as to reasons why. Quality players, both here and in europe dont result to grabbing someones trachea. the players that do are thugs. go over to water polo planet and read some of the viewpoints from europe and the insightful interviews with europeans. if we continue to call this type of play “its water polo” you can be assured that the game will eventually die.
I do not condone violence or poor sportsmanship WP. Threating to call the police is a bit of an over reaction IMO.
A player passes out because his throat was grabbed and choked and you think it’s an over reaction???
Does your coach tell you it’s “just water polo”??
Coaches who condone play like this should be canned. O’Dea will resort to anything to get a win, even promoting violence.
Water polo, like rugby, Gaelic football, etc., is an intense, physical, aggressive game. Every time you get in the water, at the level played in southern ca, you risk injury. However, no European (including myself) would in any way condone the brutality meted out by CDM. It is NOT how the game is played in Europe. Stop trying to make excuses for inexcusable behavior. What happened was wrong and needs to be dealt with by the appropriate authorities. Let’s hope, for the sake of water polo in southern CA, the powers that be do their job.
dirty stuff happens all the time,
except nobody usually cries about it
Typical remark made by a dirty team. . . . don’t they always cry about how it’s normal?
props.
Dont try and justify what your teammate did, he intentionally grabbed zack by the throat knowing what the loss of one of your best and most morale boosting players would do. After that injury, it was obvious what CDM was trying to accomplish. CDM could not handle a defeat to Irvine, so they did what spoiled brats do best. Cheat.
Irvine WOULD’VE atleast tied
Onlooker love your post!!!!! And it’s so true!
yeah i dont usually cry when my trachea is ripped to the side.
dirty stuff happens. that was straight up assault.
learn to integrity cdm
If his trachea had been ripped to the side he would have been transported to the hospital….guaranteed. His injury was diagnosed by his father…is his dad a doctor?
Dirty stuff? When was the last time you passed out in the pool cdmpolo? Or are you the coach, so you don’t personally get hurt you just let the actual players get hurt?
sure dirty stuff happens all the time .. IT DOESN”T MAKE it RIGHT
Moreover, I am truly wishing your polo player does not ever get subjected to be a victim of a brutality..until then, you wouldn’t know the severity of the DIRTY PLAY. It is a MAJOR ISSUE. if indeed it is something to laugh about or “cry” over….
it happens amazingly more often than not, to the top teams that everyone SHOULD look up to… Let’s minimize the risk of injuries in water polo.
Hi hope their whole team gets misconducts. . . . they obviously think it’s OK to brutalize other teams. CIF where are you ?:
Irvine had control of the game at third…after CDM’s 3 goal streak, Irvine went on a 7 goal streak and the Cdm player took out one of Irvine’s best defenders and scored 5 goals after that… they just didn’t take out the player they demoralized the whole team.
yeah you would say that cdm polo. no class….
Dirty stuff happens all the time when you play CDM, our team had to deal with it in the South Coast Tourney. Shame on you CDM the word is out and you have a reputation. Rethink your methods to win before you really hurt someone or worse.
Win at all costs type of coaches and players robs everyone the true and most important values hopefully learned in sports: DIGNITY/INTEGRITY, How can you possibly celebrate a win/victory without it? IT is awfully sad and scary .. to even imagine someone getting seriously injured. athlete and their families . for the sole purpose of winning a game.
GAME OFFICIALS/CIF and SCHOOL ADMIN ..please be extremely COGNIZANT of the teams/players and coaches’ practices. Let’s have a refresher course on Fair play 101. Serious damage can incur that will forever change the lives of many who loves the sport. Blatant wrong practices and actions are not excusable and very easy to split apart. Offenders deserves to be punished. Teams that are known to practice and condone to dirty play should be under close observations..despite social status and how much $ they have in the bank to circumvent the system. it will be great to strictly enforce ZERO tolerance on brutalities..Raging temper, violence in the water
Please let’s enjoy the excitement of good polo…minus big egos and false sense of strength by playing dirty. Thank you!!!!
refs are horrible these days. brutalities being called when they shouldn’t ( Renteria/Watson ) and not when they should ( I guess today ). and to all the irvine parents, water polo is a physical game. if you can’t handle it, don’t let your kids play.
Can’t waith for the ET- CDM game in a week!!
We will be ‘handling it’ now……. via a camcorder.
If your kid is a dirty player tell them to make sure there isn’t a camcorder on deck because if there is I can guarantee you it will be focused on your kid.
i dont want to have my windpipe disconnected when i play this sport
exactly… its all part of the game
Certain teams have reputations. It is unfortunate to hear how the CDM coach went on the defense other than expressing his concern for Kamai.
On the other hand, as expressed by the father, there are some players who did have a concern. Thank you Ramsey.
A few familiar names on the CDM roster that know this game and where it should be at the high school level.
Rick S, you need to get involved in the program more… this behavior is not even indicative of the UCLA/USC games. No place in the game for blatant brutality.
Bill L, what is going on with the program, your years in and around the game does not need thuggary attached to it…step up Bill and say something. Your voice needs to be heard.
The referees: John, how did you let this thing escalate to the level it did…you, a senior official for YEARS in this game, and you let it . You know you should of rolled –excluded with out substitution ,the player, and then given him a three game suspension…a father diving in the pool, paramedics working the young man, the coaching staff at CDM showing know remorse…
To all that think our great sport is aggressive and this behavior is accepted, if you want our boys to let the game denigrate to the level…you get in the tank with a 230 lb Croatian player and see how much fun you have.
There are no 230 lb Croatian players in high school. This was not a professional/ international game. This is a HIGH school game. However, in Europe, the players are taught to play! If they are losing they are taught to tighten their game, their plays, their defense, their passing, their communication and their shooting. They are NOT taught to “take out” the opposing players. When they are at the standard to take on the 230lb Croatian players they are well equipped to do so. The 230lb Croatian player will defend as aggressively as he can. However, he would NOT attempt to displace an opponent’s trachea. He has way too much respect for his opponent and the game.
Just wanted to quickly respond to aquaticsfan and wpdad. The tall gentleman in the white shirt and jeans who attended to the Irvine player until the paramedics arrived is a CDM water polo coach(Coach Lumb). I am a parent of a senior (have watched a lot of WP through the years) and find it most hurtful to our kids to hear and read the remarks by parents making assumptions and innuendos about ANYONE (coaches, players, parents, past players, etc.) These are all good kids….on both teams….let’s recognize them for the maturity they continue to show despite the behavior of us….their parents. All my best wishes to #3 for a speedy recovery.
Can we say DENIAL! Clearly Diane you must think that choking a player in any sport is ok… What if he had drowned? Does it need to get to that level before you would come out of your denial of the severity of his actions.
they should replay the 3rd quarter of that game and have everybody fresh….
watson can be in and so can kamai so that way we really can see who is the better team..
yes it is unfair that kamai got hurt during the game making irvine’s team demorialized, but CIF should put the game back into the pool and go from the 3rd quarter….(pretty much reset the game and see how it really plays out)
and #whoever did it out for the game.
Sorry, but isn’t Watson out on a brutality? Kamai is out because of a brutality. Are you serious or are you the CDM coach? What is going on over there at CDM?
Brutality’s are not something that is part of the game. I have watched many referees allow play that would get players injured. What is going on with the ref’s that is allowable to injure a players breathing?? I am a parent in the stands during this game. To address the blogger who intimated that if we did not wish to see our sons injured then we should not let them play…how dare you? We allow our sons fulfillment as athletes. We did not sign up to having them drowned!
Maybe football is a safer sport………
Great point Football….I think I will switch my kids to football next season…your refs any better?
Probably the same guys in different outfits………….
Asa European “football “takes on a whole different interpretation. Referring to the blogger who questioned criminal charges it should be noted that recently in the British “football” league a player was sentenced to six months in jail for a blatant, life threatening foul. It is not acceptable to indulge in thuggery in the name of “sport!”
Maybe American football is the safer sport. Both are hard, physical, aggressive, contact sports. Without trying to negate the inherent dangers of football, water polo is played in 9ft of water. The players cannot touch the ground and are completely dependent on their athletic/swimming abilities for extended periods of time. They have no external protection. These guys are tough……..which it is why it is such a ‘HARD” game. If a player excessively inhibits another player’s ability to breathe it is life threatening. There is no equivalent in football. For this reason, what happened at this game, needs to be before the authorities who govern this incredible game.
Unfortunately, the CIF can’t do anything unless the official/s on the game call something in the way of a “misconduct”. If they didn’t see it, it’s out of CIF’s hands. The only way there would be any penalties invoked would be for CDM to take care of it themselves. Since the kid is playing in the tournament today, one can only assume that didn’t happen. At some point we need to be policing ourselves and not make “getting caught” our measurement of shame.
Thanks for the comment administrativeye.
Lack of action, heck even an apology, on the part of the CDM coaching staff and administration speaks volumes.
I hate to disagree Admin, but, there is a procedure all officials follow>
1- John M being the Sr official at the games needs to file a report that goes to the CIF office. The report is a CIF Southern Section Incident Report(Brutality). If he does not do it, you can directly file a report. The report goes to Mitch Carty at the CIF office in Los Alimitos.
The report takes about an hour to fill out, and some officials find it to time consuming. You have to hold them accountabel, and Mithc is the person!
It’s come down to choking and sticking and whatever else a team player can do to take out the opponent. The coaches know who their bully is and look the other way to win. I say the injured guy needs to punch the other in the face! In my house we don’t start but we sure throw the second punch. At least that’s what I’ll teach my child….we don’t start but we will defend.
Unfortunately, it’s usually not the instigator who gets the kick out; the refs always seem to see the second punch.
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Welcome to water polo.
Could not agree with you more. I played for years. Its a violent, hard sport. Everyone that has played will agree. You take any first timer to a match and just look at the reaction of there face when they realize what is actually part of the game.
Welcome to waterpolo? I get why they might punch, kick, grab, and a few other actions…but pushing a kid under water for more than a few seconds, grabbing his throat so it’s hard for him to breathe, and then hitting him twice in the neck. That’s uncalled for. What if he wasn’t okay? What if he didn’t come up out of the water? What if he stopped breathing? Would you say “Welcome to water polo then?”
he wouldnt have been pushed under if he had decent legs. the stronger player stays above water. Can anyone actually prove that he was grabbing him? He got back and started playing again, he obviously wasn’t hurt that badly.
Wow! He should be charged with Assault. That could have been very deadly or injurus to the least.
I would absolutely push for this incident & all evidence to be presented to the D.A. Criminal assault.
A few years ago a senior player at AHS punched the goalie of UHS underwater, during a pre-season game, and AHS player was suspended from play–for the rest of the season, not a measly three games! I think this is what should happen, at the minimum!
I don’t know if the ref witnessed that brutality, but the UHS coach did, plus the goalie had a hole clear thru his lip, so maybe clear physical damage is what made AHS mete out swift and more harsh punishment than what has been discussed here. I applauded the school for looking out for it’s reputation. CDM should do the same and not leave it to an overly competitive coach who encourages his players to get away with thuggery in the name of “Hey, it’s part of the game!” I’m betting there will be no punishment to the CDM player from that coach.
I think giving an automatic win to Irvine would be more effective towards stopping this behavior, especially since there is video footage to backup the physical damage. I have found you can’t rely on the refs to witness or control bad behavior. A few don’t tolerate it, but it’s a much easier day at the office for the refs who let rough play escalate. Plus, some refs worry about pissing off the more powerful coaches by making too many calls over rough play. If CIF were to implement a rule like this, we would see great change.
FYI, this behavior, and indifferent attitude about it, is making the rest of the world think of water polo as despicable. Learn some class and accept that when your skills or your team is outmatched, you need to better your skills, not hurt people.
I am a parent of two successful HS athletes and I have never seen or heard of anything like this happening, ever. First of all I can’t believe that the injured athletes father, other attending the parents, coaches on either team did not have the common sense to protect this player, who sustained an obvious serious injury, and demand he was pulled from the game until he was properly medically evaluated ( And a paramedic triage certainly does not count). In fact I would wager that the “Dad” had to sign a waiver declining medical treatment. And as far as the offending player is concerned, why was he still allowed to play. Also, the BS from the coach, “I didn’t see what happened” is A JOKE. Where were the officials? If this was a CIF sanctioned event I hope the officials, and coaches are all investigated. It’s clear the welfare of student athlete was not the priority in this case. Once again parents living vicariously through their children. SAD.
I wanted to go back in and nobody was going to stop me, i will not leave my team to play without me on a close game like that. That is not my nature to be sitting on the side line. As soon as the paramedics cleared me to go i went to my bench warmed up and got back into the game as soon as i can. So do not blame my father, paramedics, or anyone else that they just let me in, i told them “I am going in, no matter what”
cdmpolo why dont you focus cleaning up your polo skills instead of commenting on this msg board
your post should be deleted!
The bloodiest water polor team was the 1956 olympic finals between the soviet union and hungry. The soviet union invaded hungry in 1956, there was some blood actually drew during the match.
Why we can’t beat the Europeans, various different reasons, one is that California is the only state that really does Water Polo in the United States, a few polo players have came out of New York and some other states. Image if swimming was limited to the state of California, an Aaron Perisol but no Michael Phelps.
Good thing the injured athletes dad was an MD and was there to intervene. He is an MD, right? Because he’s an MD he was able to evaluate the injury at the scene and clear his son medically. Right? Because with his years of medical training, he was certain that there were no tears to his carotid or esophagus. Right? And the officials, knowing Dad was an MD, allowed the young man to continue. Right? He is Doctor, isn’t he?
Mr. SouthOCDad,
Exactly!!!! These posts of “criminal” intent, it’s “part of the sport”, “not part of the sport”, “the Europeans do it”, “Europeans don’t do it” etc. miss the whole point! Either the injury was over-played, didn’t actually happen or logical thought is missing. My kids wrestle and play football in the Sunset League (no WP) and college so I am just going by the article and posts above. I am a paramedic and we are not empowered to “clear” any injury to play. That is why we don’t conduct physicals etc. Our treatment is always under the immediate or assumed direction of a MD at our base hospital. The parent or adult player would have to sign a AMA (against medical advice form) and then they are on their own. No RN is empowered or MD that wants keep his license is going to make that call poolside. Significant airway trauma, and a deviated trachea with near drowning is significant, would require definitive diagnosis and treatment at a qualified hospital by an MD. Damage to the surrounding cartilage or other complications could result in delayed swelling and complete blockage. Observation, x-rays etc are required. In all my years of wrestling, playing football, coaching and cheering my kids, this is a first. Plenty of players and wrestlers are sent back in with injuries but those involving concussions, spinal, airway and cardiac are on another level. What’s next, defibrillation of cardiac arrest, slap on the butt and send him back in? Was it House or MacGyver that reinstalled that kid’s trachea and sent him back in?
I played Water Polo in High School. Our team at that time was pretty well known for not taking any “S” in the pool. Every guy on our team swam competitevly almost there entire life and all but one or two guys were well into 6′ , 200lbs.
I can remember playing a game at Estancia in CM, this dating back to the 70′s. I got punched in the mouth by an Estancia player and did not think anything of it. The ref blew a time out and called me over to the side and asked if I was ok. I looked at him puzzles and asked him why? He said “your bleeding all over the place.” Sure enough I look down in the water and its a pool of red all around me. Turns out when the EHS player hit me in the mouth my upper left teeth went right through the upper part of my lip. My teeth where literally sticking out of my lip.
My coach pulled me out to do some sideline lip repair. In the meantime the guy from our team who was sent in to replace me was our team enforcer, not the greatest player but the kind of guy you want with you when the ‘S’ hits the fan. He had one job and one job only. He jumped in, swam over to the EHS player as if nothing happened. Before the ref even blew the whistle to continue play he punched the guy that had hit me. The hit was so hard the guy was one “Birdie” away from a complete knock out. Before the other team could even react to the punch our entire team jumped into the pool ready to take anyone one that tried to even things up. His team mates ended up doing in improv pool rescue, our guy got ejected. The funny thing that I still remember, as the ref is clearing the pool of the malea he was cracking a smile at our team with a thumbs up. He saw the cheap shot there player did to me as was pretty impressed at the swift action our team took.
Water Polo is a rough sport, sorry to hear about this kid getting choked out under water. It’s one thing to throw an above water elbow, or passing punch, but to hold someone down underwater is a completely different ball game.
Glad to see he’s ok.
Water polo is not cock fighting for kids. The player who strangled him should be charged. Just as if he walked up and strangled the kid on the street till he wasn’t breathing. High schools sports should not justify violence and shouldn’t be brushed off as “part of the game”. It’s kind of sick that some people think violent acts directed at another person are ever justified while playing a sport.
I know little about water polo…..
but i think most of you have been in the pool too long.
There are refs…(one or 2? I would assume 2
and why not underwater cameras..and especially better underwater lighting.
In the immortal words of Captain Louis Renault, Casablanca Prefect of Police, upon learning that there was gambling taking place in Rick’s American Bar, “I am shocked!!!”
Look, even when I was in high school back in the Mesozoic Era (1955), water polo was the most violent sport in the CIF, bar none! Only the bloody brave need apply! Me? I wasn’t THAT dumb, so I stuck to football.
There is an obvious reason why, in the last 18 months, the US Navy SEALs have have moved to almost exclusively recruiting HS and College water polo players into their ranks. There is a bettor than 95% success rate for Polo Players that enter the SEAL program. That is compared to a .7% (yes 7 in 1,000) success rate for all military personnel who express interest in entering the SEAL program.
Somewhat speaks to the mentality and drive of most Polo Players. The game is not for the weak of heart or shy and retiring types.
Zack,
You certainly have the heart of a Lion. No question you are a team player and you felt you had to return to the pool. However, that is where cooler minds should have intervened. I know you do not agree with me and I get it. That said, I have a some experience in this area. I sustained concussions in both HS football and baseball and I too wanted to go back in every time. Fortunately I had coaches and parents who refused to allow me to do so. An injury to the esophagus, throat, etc. can be very dangerous and the signs of significant trouble may not be immediate and may be life threatening. I just think your health is more important than a couple of scores. Good luck in the future and I hope you are OK.
Playing water polo is a tough sport and does become a contact sport during parts of the game. However being brutal, in any way, in not part of the game. If the alleged player is seen on video and it shows intent and not just game play (comabt between player) then the player should receive a indeffinate suspension not just 5 games for corparl injury. Now this would all depend on if the injured player was acting out for getting punked in the water and nothing really happened.
My son plays water polo and he agrees with me that Zack Kamai was deliberately held under water, The film shows this. How come a penalty was not called. Most of the parents saw it. The CDM player should be suspended. Were the ref’s blind, not paying attention or, favorving CDM . Something needs to be done.
I’m sorry, that at the expense of a student, that the violence in this sport has once again been exposed. These refs of high school water polo games turned their heads to any brutality, unless the victim player has the ball. I understand two refs are watching the plays, but a lot of violence is going on in the pool when the refs aren’t looking, or pretend to not see. There is a lot of paperwork involved if you see it happen. Why are there not underwater cameras? Certainly the OC can afford them. If CIF and USA Water Polo started taking this subject seriously, then measures against unsportsmanlike conduct would be taken and rules enforced.
Mike-about concussions/bloody noses..what team ? if there is a history of a team/specific team repetitively causing “intentional or un-intentional injuries..
WHY does brutalities continue?
WHEN will it stop?
WHAT corrective and preventive actions can be taken?
This is very DISTURBING considering that the league games just started and many more games to come ..including..grudge rematch
Increased risks of kids safety ..all for a CIF title??
Someone please shed some light ..preferably official facts not opinions.
Vball, why do you post the same things over and over? The above CDM-ET post then saying the same thing for ET and Mater Dei.
I have only posted once.
If you guys watch the video. The Injury happens while Irvine has the ball on 6 on 5 offense.
Easily the Officials were distracted on the transition of 6 on 6 to 6 on 5. Zach went underwater and that is where it happen.
If you see the water or the CDM players actions they don’t show violence being committed ( although it was obviously happening) As an official it would be almost impossible to call this.
Zack went underwater and CDM made this foul look clean.
Without looking at the previous 2 quarters we don’t know what type of gaming the officials were calling. But Knowing these 2 officials personally It was an unfortunate event that any official would have missed because of the way the foul occured.
Yes the player should be suspended, but the allegations against the officials are bogus. I can replay that game with any OC official and I guarantee that everyone would have missed it because the way Zach went underwater.
Its gonna be a great Rematch and the previous comments made by ROB are Ludicrous.
What they heck, who deleted my post???
Is OC Varsity resorting to Cencorship???
Seems like it; happened to me yesterday as well….
The CDM coach missed 2 huge opportunities to defuse the situation:
1. Assure everyone that the guilty player will be identified [as if they don't already know who this kid is] and dealt with directly and swiftly. Instead, what we got was a thinly-veiled game of CYA. Fine role-model you are, Coach. Strike 1.
2. Apologies to the kids and the parents of both teams for the unacceptable behavior of one of his kids. Where are the apologies for poor sportsmanship on the part of one of your team players that reflect poorly on all players on the team? Strike 2.
Mike you can always go to http://www.waterpoloplanet.com and start a thread you might find it more to your liking.
OOPS!!!! There is already one started.
What parent in his right mind would let their kid get back into a game if he thought he “dislocated his wind pipe? He got hurt, I’ll admit but seriously, kids get hurt all the time in water polo and they don’t get this much publicity. Heck, next time my kid gets kicked in the nuts, i’m diving in. Maybe i’ll get on OC Varsity. Give me a break.
Give us all a break…
The issue is the assault committed by the CDM “kid” (maybe an adult) on Zack.
What’s with these continued lame attempts to diminish the injury (it wasn’t a “dislocated trachea”), attack the dad, or pretend the coach doesn’t know about the problem? (we’ve got a kid out with a concussion for ~2 weeks because the CDM kid punched him).
Seriously – Are these folks saying we should ignore it because there’s no difference between an accidental injury and one that was purposely inflicted on another player?
It’s a pretty easy problem to solve – start keeping stats on injuries. Every team already keeps stats on goals, assists, etc. Just add injuries to the list and track who received it and who is believed to have caused it. The patterns willl be pretty obvious…
Water polo is a “false” sport. Anybody knows that if you get 6 fast, strong competitive swimmers with any semblance of hand-eye coordination, you have an unstoppable team. Half the team members I witness every week in OC polo barely can swim at all.