Here are my thoughts on coaching girls:

In 1989-90, I was approached by a few Mundelein High School students asking if they could have a girls' water polo team. That was after watching the boys' team at the school play the previous year while I was assisting head coach Pat Barry.

My immediate response was ‘Why not! The girls should have a team!’

So the Mundelein Girls Water Polo Team was organized. We were the eleventh girls' high school team in Illinois.

This is my 30th year coaching girls' water polo and it's still a ton of fun. The girls have the same passion and desire to succeed as the boys.

The main difference between the boys and girls game is speed and power. The boys, by their junior and senior year, are usually physically bigger and stronger. But that doesn't stop or detract from the girls capabilities. The girls can push themselves just as hard as the boys. The girls tend to play with more finesse but can also be very aggressive and physical as well.

From my experience at the high school level, most girls are better listeners than the boys. It's almost as if the boys need to hear the same message more often. Not that I haven't repeated myself numerous times with the girls. The girls tend to be a bit more sensitive at times, whereas the boys typically are not. There are always the exceptions.

Over the years, I have taught the girls the same skills as I have taught the boys. Most importantly, as a coach, it is important to listen to what the athletes have to say and to the questions they ask. Be honest with them.

In the end, the girls want to learn and play no different than the boys!