Yes, I can’t believe I actually just wrote that headline.

Legendary water polo coach Jim Sprague said late Friday night that he will no longer be coaching at Servite. Sprague started at Servite in 1992 and built the program into a Southern California powerhouse (and thus a national powerhouse).

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After a tough day of working the phones on the sad story of Dylan Bradshaw, I got to have some fun watching one of my favorite pastimes Thursday night — (more…)

A few interesting names surfaced in the rumor mill for the boys and girls water polo posts at talent-rich Laguna Beach but in the end, the school has tabbed the man who probably knows the players as well as anyone: Ethan Damato. The 26-year-old has been officially named the head coach. Last season, Damato was technically an assistant but the promising coach has received a well-deserved promotion. The Breakers would now be well-served to produce a little consistency in their coaching ranks. For their sake, let’s hope that the coaching carousel has stopped.

Santa Ana Valley’s spectacular, new 50-meter swimming pool will play host to a pool ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony will include Santa Ana Unified School District and Superintendent Jane Russo.

Charlie Rimkus of the Mission Viejo Nadadores and Beckman HS donned TYR’s new Tracer suit for the first time Saturday night at the Speedo Grand Challenge in Irvine. The junior wore the high-tech suit for the 400-meter freestyle and finished a solid fourth in 3:59.99. “It feels really light,” Rimkus said of the suit. “It feels like you are floating through the water. I’m a believer.”

Rimkus was Orange County’s prep standout at the meet Saturday. He also took third in the 400 IM in a lifetime-best 4:26.02.

Veteran Edison girls swim coach Crystal Whitmore, who guided the Chargers to a runner-up finish to Mission Viejo in the CIF-SS Division I finals this spring, has resigned to spend more time with her family, she said Saturday.

A mother of three young boys, Whitmore led second-ranked Edison to its highest finish at CIF and its first league since 1985.

She was The Register’s girls swim coach of the year in 2007.

Whitmore coached Edison for 11 seasons. Edison will miss her knowledge and leadership but she certainly didn’t leave the cupboards bare. Edison’s girls will likely be the preseason No. 1 in Orange County come next spring. It will be interesting to see who gets the post.

How about Edison boys coach Andy Bray? Does Bob Gillett of Golden West Swim Club want another gig?

If you haven’t heard, Arizona State recently dropped its men’s swimming program for financial reasons. In a classless move, the school didn’t give the program a chance to help itself financially. A good program just got the axe without warning. One of the program’s recruits was Corona del Mar’s Yutaro Yamashita, who recently won the Masters title in the 200 freestyle. Yamashita said he is now considering UC Santa Barbara.

Redlands’ Joey Hale claimed the 50-yard freestyle at Masters in 20.22 seconds, edging Yucaipa’s Karl Krug by two one-hundredths of a second. Hale said he and Krug, his close friend and club teammate, are feeling tired. That’s understandable but it’s great to see them giving it their all one last time.

On the county front: most of the county top stars have slowed down but Edison’s  girls medley relay (1:44.80) and Mission Viejo’s girls 200 free relay (1:36.24) won in very fast times.  Charlie Rimkus also produced a county-leading time in the 2oo IM (third place, 1:51.06),

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1546288434

Below is the video of one of the best high school swimming races you’ll ever see. Redlands’ Joey Hale edges Yucaipa’s Karl Krug for the Division I title in the 50 -yard free and they become the first pair to break 20 seconds in the same race. Great call once again by veteran swim announcer John Kulisich of Villa Park. He always comes up with the big energy at just the right time. He did the same thing with Jessica Hardy a few years ago.

Click here to see video