PORTER RETURNS TO TOKAY WATER POLO
Courtney Porter has been on the road for the last two years.
But now he’s returning to the swimming pool. Earlier this month, Porter was named the new Tokay High girls water polo coach, taking over for Haley Ring, who stepped down over the summer. Ring coached last year’s squad that narrowly missed a Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berth in her only season at the helm after serving as an assistant coach in recent years.
The last time Porter, in his 38th year teaching at Tokay, coached a high school water polo squad was in 2015. That was running the Lodi High boys squad that edged Davis 11-10 to earn the section’s Division I blue banner, Lodi’s sixth for the program.
“I didn’t have any plans to come back at all, I was done,” said Porter while watching his Tokay squad compete in drills late Wednesday afternoon. “But you should never say never.”
Porter, who has coached Tokay girls’ water polo teams in year’s past, is still learning some of the girls’ first names. But he loves their work ethic.
“They’re enthusiastic,” said Porter of this year’s team. “They are working hard. We have different levels of abilities out here. That’s kind of fun, I like that. Hopefully, I will bring something to the table that they get out of this.”
Porter felt an obligation to coach the 11 girls on the Tokay varsity squad, plus 14 on the frosh-soph team.
“I feel that it’s important for me teaching at Tokay, but to also to be part of another avenue,” Porter said. “It’s another way I can help the school and help the kids. That’s what I’m here for.”
Like scoring a goal in a game, Porter is focused on coaching the sport he enjoys each day. That will continue through early September, when Tokay plays Bear Creek in a non-league match. The Tigers will stay busy with three tournaments this season, plus 10 TriCity Athletic League games.
“The drive, this year, is to coach and maybe get another coach for next year,” Porter said. “This could be my only year.”
Porter spoke highly of Tokay Athletic Director Michael Holst, who is also the school’s football coach.
“He’s young, he’s very enthusiastic,” said Porter of Holst.
Porter has been involved in water polo from the fan point of view after winning the section title. He’s been watched his son, CJ, who was a part of the Lodi squad that won the section title, play at Stanford. But CJ has opted not to play this collegiate season.
“He decided to concentrate on his studies,” said Courtney of CJ. “He realized he wanted to work on his studies, and focus less on water polo.”
Courtney’s other son, Colin, contin-
ues to play water polo at USC. When he wasn’t watching his sons compete, Courtney has also been busy teaching his classes at Tokay and swimming in masters’ meets.
Contact reporter Mike Bush at mikeb@lodinews.com. Follow on Twitter: @MBushLodiSports.