10/14/08
Keegan Smith, center, took over as the Jesuit High School water polo coach when his mentor, Bruce Hastie, was fired in May. The Marauders seek a third consecutive section title. Although he was more than qualified for the position, Keegan Smith admits he was conflicted about applying for the Jesuit High School water polo coaching job. Bruce Hastie, his longtime mentor, friend and colleague, had been fired as coach and assistant dean of students at the Carmichael school, something that didn't sit well with his longtime varsity assistant. And as a captain in the California Army National Guard, Smith, 34, can be called to service at almost a moment's notice. "I debated a lot about taking the position," Smith said. "My military requirements are always looming, and because of the relationship I had developed with Bruce, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy being on the pool deck without him." But Hastie fired by Jesuit president Father Greg Bonfiglio last May for reasons never publicly revealed tipped the decision. "He encouraged me to apply," said Smith, who continues to coach with Hastie in the offseason for the Sacramento Water Polo club team. In the water, the Marauders (10-7) haven't missed a beat. Although they lost to rival Davis 11-6 and 11-9 this month, they very much have the stuff to challenge for a third consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship. Still, Smith says he feels like a fish out of water in the new role as the head guy overseeing three team levels with 76 athletes. "The transition has been a little difficult," Smith said. "I have even more respect for what Bruce did here because of all the logistics, planning and coordinating that's involved. It's a whirlwind of stuff. Now, the coach portion is a smaller part of a much larger cake." Smith is an El Camino graduate who got to know Hastie through playing club water polo for him during his high school summers. Hastie brought Smith into the Jesuit program as a freshman coach in 1996 where he has been a fixture, except for the 2001 and the 2005 seasons when he was attending flight school and serving in Kuwait, respectively. After a two-year reprieve, Smith finds himself back in the military call-up mix. "I got two weeks notice the last time I was deployed," said Smith, who is married (Amanda) and has a 17-month-old son, Aidan. "So that's always in the back of your mind." Smith is in his second year on the staff at Jesuit, where he works in the technology department. Before that, he worked as a public and parochial school teacher. It's the coaching that is special, though. "At Jesuit, these young men are amazing," Smith said. "I feel almost blessed. I can't believe how much they have on their plate, from community service, to the academics to the extracurriculars like sports." He says he is fortunate to have a veteran lineup six of the seven starters are seniors led by co-captains Matt Murbach and Cody Ankrim. "They're such good leaders that it's like having a couple of assistant coaches in the pool," Smith said. "They've been a tremendous help." The sudden departure of Hastie amid a whirlwind of rumors shocked both team leaders, but they were pleased when the administration hired Smith. They also were among eight team members who lobbied athletic director Phil Nuxoll and Bonfiglio on Smith's behalf. "The whole thing initially was very confusing to us," Murbach said of Hastie's departure. "But, ultimately, (the administration) handled it pretty well." Both agree that the team has made a smooth transition, and although clearly the personalities of the two coaches are different, they are "equally effective," according to Murbach. Hastie could be loud, even profane. Smith is more buttoned down and cerebral. "To get his point across, Bruce Hastie would shout it out," Ankrim said. "Coach Smith will call a timeout and call everybody in. Coach Hastie is more of a motivator; Coach Smith is more of a tactician." Ankrim also believes that the Oct. 1 loss to Davis the first since the Blue Devils beat them for the section title in 2005 isn't a negative for their new leader. "We were upset by the loss, but as long as we get the blue banner (section title) at the end, that's what counts," Ankrim said. "We beat Davis seven straight times. There is only so many times you can beat a good team before you lose to them." There's a good chance that the two area powers will play in the Nov. 15 section final in Lodi. The schools have won 11 of the past 12 championships (Davis six; Jesuit five). The Marauders won six section titles under Hastie, but they've never taken three in a row. "That's our goal, although Davis always seems to be standing there," Smith said. "They are always a great program."
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