Editor's note: Chris Fetterman is the boys' water polo coach at Hoffman Estates High School and a journalism major at Roosevelt University. He will be contributing articles and assisting in the running of Illpolo.com for the 2009 season.

ENTRY #5 - "Special Thanks"

An Interview With Mike Grund

by Chris Fetterman

3.16.09

There are a lot of wonderful people I have had the honor of meeting during my time as a player, coach, writer, and as a men’s water polo club team owner. So many, in fact, that I feel that I am doing a disservice to those when I don’t get a chance to write about them. I hope they realize that I write about people and things that have inspired me personally in this game.  There is not a single person I would not interview and write about, given the chance.   With that being said, this is an opinion column that in no way is intended to be demeaning or insulting. If that is the case, an apology is overdue. 

Thank you. 

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Nearly a year ago I received a phone call inquiring about my men’s water polo club, The Beached Whales. That summer I fielded a lot of phone calls regarding my team because of an article that ran in the Daily Herald a few months prior. We were flooded with new players after the article was published, so I was pretty excited that I was getting phone calls asking if they could join the team. On the line was former Brother Rice standout Mike Grund.

Grund was an All-American at Brother Rice from 1993-1996, and Scholastic Athlete of the Year in 1996 for the state of Illinois. 

Brother Rice has been a mainstay through the years in Illinois Water Polo and that is because of its' rich tradition of players and expectations. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to talk with Mike and learn a little bit more about his experience as a high school player and now as an adult still playing the game he loves so much. 
 

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You were at Brother Rice, great expectations…What was your greatest accomplishment there? There had to be a lot of them. 
 

We won state in 1993, 1994, 1995. Three state titles, back-to-back is pretty unreal. 
 

Rice is usually one of the best teams in the state at the end of the year.  What do they do that maybe other teams don’t do, for the success they have had? 
 

I think one major factor is the swimming program that feeds the water polo team. If you start with good swimmers you have already gained an advantage over other teams.   
 

Another huge factor is the coaching and alumni. When I played; our coach (Jim "Moose" Mulcrone) had over thirty years experience of coaching and playing. His drills were always based on game situations. We never ran a shooting drill without a defender, never.   
 

The folding chairs above our heads or weight belts while doing legs didn't hurt either.  
 

The alumni are always around getting in the water and helping out the team as well. 
 

That must make for some pretty darn good scrimmages.  Did you have any rivals? I know the catholic league is one big rivalry, but did one team ever get under your skin? 
 

Of course, we had rivalries. Fenwick was always our biggest rival. When I played we only had one loss to them in 4 years. I will never forget it. We lost to them my freshman year, but they had all seniors…so after that, St. Patrick become our rival. 
 

If you can tell me, was there a player that sticks out in your mind as the best player you played against? Or played with? 
 

My freshmen year, Fenwick had Steve Vonglukiat. Other than my teammates, he was the best all around player I got a chance to play against in high school.   
 

I did have the benefit of playing with two state MVP's from Rice, Chris Mulcrone in 1995 and Bill Mulcrone in 1996.  Both of which were and still are two very experienced players. 
 

What did you do after attending Brother Rice?  
 

I went off to find myself at college, whatever any normal person would do.

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Mike is one of the best and smartest players I have had the privilege to play with and coach during his stay on my club team. He really stresses playing defense first, which allows the offense to open up. I have personally learned a great deal from just listening to his input on the game and how it should be played. The most important thing I have learned throughout my experience as a staff writer for illpolo.com, is that I don’t know as much as I thought I did and there is always someone out there that is willing to teach you. 

For now, I've got games to coach, so thanks for reading and, as always...see you 'Poolside' this week!