Gator Chomp: Prep finds championship success

At approximately 11:15 a.m., 18 girls’ water polo players.

Then at around 4 p.m., 17 boys’ water polo players.

And once 7:20 p.m. rolled around, 14 girls’ volleyball players.

One by one, Sacred Heart Prep athletes heard their names called from the public address systems at the Santa Clara Swim Center and Independence High School, and each one approached Rodriguez not wanting a handshake, but a hug.

Because that’s what Central Coast Section champions do when they celebrate. They hug it out. And when you win three CCS titles in one day, well, there’s plenty of celebrating to get done.

Rodriguez, who has overseen nine Gator championships from the Fall of 2011 to the Fall of 2012 loved every single one of those hugs like a proud father.

"It’s a pretty good day to be a Gator,” Rodriguez said as he held the CCS Division IV volleyball trophy in his arms like a newborn baby. "Pretty terrific day to be a Gator, actually.”

For those keeping score at home, in a matter of 10 hours, Sacred Heart Prep picked up titles in girls’ water polo, boys’ water polo and girls’ volleyball last Saturday. The latter two were dominating performances by the Gators. And the first marked the sixth consecutive season a SHP girls’ water polo team has won a Division II title. Not to mention, the SHP football team won its CCS debut in dominating fashion over Pacific Grove 48-15 that same afternoon. The 2012 Fall season marked a repeat of the championship feat. SHP last accomplished that in 2009. In 2010 and 2011, losses to Menlo School (in boys’ water polo) and Soquel High School (in girls’ volleyball) prevented the Gators from making it a remarkable four consecutive seasons.

But while winning is always nice, and while there have been other county schools that have won more CCS titles since 1966, the overwhelming sense of family, as typified by all the hugging directed at the man who’s been steering the program since 2005, was a sight to behold.

"I’m very lucky,” Rodriguez said. "I get to share 600 kids every year. I’m so blessed because the parents share them with me as well as the coaches. I’m very fortunate to be in an environment that allows me to connect with these kids on a special level. It makes those days that are a little challenging, it makes it all worth it when I get the opportunity to share something like this with them. I’m the lucky one. I am.”

SHP has a long, rich athletic history. Since 1966, only Menlo School (89), Carlmont (78) and Menlo-Atherton (72) have won more CCS titles than Sacred Heart (70) here on the Peninsula. The Gators are tied with the rival Knights for most state titles with seven.

"I think first of all, we have amazing coaches,” Rodriguez said, adding that there are four key components to his program’s success. "We have great continuity in the coaching staff. We have coaches who want to be at Sacred Heart. Who love the kind of kid that we have there and I’m blessed, most of our coaches have been there for such a long time. Their systems have been very good.

"We have great kids,” he said. "We have kids that work hard and they believe in celebrating each others’ successes as much as their own. I think that’s critical. They work hard academically. School is pretty rigorous. And I think they’re able to transition that rigor from the classroom to going out for a couple hours a day with people that they really care about and working together for a common goal. It’s very important to them. We have built a culture where it goes back to celebrating each others’ successes.”

And then, Rodriguez added the importance of the SHP administration "who understand and appreciates how a positive athletic experience contributes to a kid’s overall experience in high school” and a core of "incredibly supportive parents.

"It’s the whole package. And we’re really fortunate.”

The whole package on Saturday included loud student sections at two distinct venues as well — or the Gator Nation in short.

"It’s become a bit of a tradition,” Rodriguez said. "It doesn’t end when one senior class leaves because the underclassmen see how the seniors end up pulling the team together. You just try to come to work every day and try to be a positive influence on the kids. We’re blessed with a tremendous group of people.

"That’s probably what I’m proudest of. Yes, we’ve become a pretty respected athletic school I think. But it all fits within the mission of the school. We haven’t tried to make it more than just a part of our students’ overall experience.”

And on Saturday, hugs and smiles were part of that championship experience as well.