Spartans get Newkirk as girls water polo coach
SHS moves to DIV-II in girls water polo
Strathmore High School’s girls water polo team is getting a dedicated and seasoned coach in Monty Newkirk, a familiar face in the pool.
Newkirk, now the principal at Vine Street Community Day School, played water polo in high school and then went on to play for the College of Sequoias before beginning his coaching career where he spent time at both Monache and Granite Hills.
“Just wanted to get back into it,” said Newkirk about his return to coaching. “My kids are older so now I can spend the time that is needed to be a coach. It takes a lot of time and if you don’t have the time, it’s not worth doing.”
Under former head coach Tom Harrison, the Spartans were dominant in the water. In his three years with the team, Harrison brought Strathmore two East Sequoia League championships and went to three straight CIF Central Section Division III Championship tournaments.
The top-seeded 2014 Spartans (18-5, 8-0 ESL) won it all in Harrison’s first season after taking down third-seeded Reedley (2012). In 2015, Strathmore (14-8, 6-2 ESL) lost in the semifinals to top-seeded Selma (23-7) in the semifinals.
Every season the Spartans received a first-round bye, including last year when they went undefeated in the ESL and had a 15-6 overall record. Seeded third, Strathmore was upset by sixth-seeded Kingsburg (15-18) in the quarterfinals.
Newkirk said he was familiar with the Spartans past success and wants to continue their tradition of winning.
“Continue the tradition hopefully,” he said. “Build on it and continue their traditions and their [winning] seasons.”
That may be a tough challenge for Newkirk as Strathmore was moved from DIV-III to DIV-II where they’ll face Porterville, Monache, as well as the bigger schools from Visalia, Tulare and Clovis.
“That will be interesting. Competition will be a lot better, a lot tougher,” Newkirk said.
Right now, Newkirk said the goal is for the team to come together and to win as many games as possible so that the Spartans will be in a good position come playoffs.
“Win games,” said Newkirk. “Gel as a team early and win games, as many as we can. I told them, we want to go as far as we can in Valley. Our first goal is hopefully win league and get the first round bye so we can go right into the second round at Valley and go as far as we can.”
Strathmore opens the season on the road against Tulare Western on Tuesday, Aug. 22.