Tim Fredericksen had been laid off as a teacher in Long Beach when an intriguing coaching opportunity surfaced.
Segerstrom was starting a boys water polo program and Fredericksen knew the school’s athletic director at the time, Frank Alvarado, from his student-teaching days at Santa Ana.
Both parts of the equation appealed to Fredericksen, especially the chance to build.
“I enjoy a challenge,” he said.
Fredericksen certainly got results quickly. In only Segerstrom’s third season, he guided the Jaguars to the CIF-SS Division 7 title in November.
For his efforts, he is the Register’s Coach of the Year. Segerstrom became the first Santa Ana Unified school to claim a CIF title in boys water polo.
Related:
2013 All-County boys water polo team
2013 boys water polo player of the year: McQuin Baron, Mater Dei
“I figured it was going to take us at least one or two more years,” Fredericksen said. “But the boys really stepped up and worked hard. … Once they believed, it was just a matter of putting in the work.”
Several players learned how to swim under Fredericksen’s watch before they ever handled a water polo ball in a match.
The Jaguars progressed this fall into outright champions of the Golden West League and the No. 1 seed for the Division 7 playoffs.
In the final, they edged Yorba Linda, 9-8, despite playing without their top center, Jonathan Cubillo.
“Tim is just an amazing coach,” goalie Danny Gomez said. “He works wonders.”
Fredericksen, 41, had experience on his side. In his 22-year coaching career, he also made stops at Burbank, La Canada, Flintridge Prep, Irvine, Glendale (his alma mater) and Long Beach Millikan.
Now a long-term substitute teacher, he counts veteran coaches Rich Corso and Scott Hinman of Irvine and the late Ken Lindgren as mentors, and credits assistants Andrew Salway (Capistrano Valley) and Herb Kimmons, for key support.
