Water Polo Strong Stories

Tennyson May | UC Davis Mens Water Polo

“Proper strength and conditioning is the foundation for any successful college athlete, which is why it is necessary to receive the best coaching that one can. I was lucky enough to be coached by Craig during my senior season on the UC Davis Men's Water Polo team, and noticed obvious differences in both my physique and my strength in and out of the water.

Craig stresses proper technique, constant improvement, and mental toughness to motivate his athletes to succeed in all aspects of their lives.

He brings knowledge from a variety of different sports, and has all the tools to help any athlete reach his or her goals. I couldn't recommend Craig highly enough.”

Allyson Hansen | UC Davis Womens Water Polo

“Prior to my freshman year as a D1 athlete I had never lifted weights. I had no knowledge about how strength and conditioning could improve my game or my athleticism.

I was intimidated by the idea of weightlifting and fearful that lifting weights would make me look “manly” or “too bulky”- but by the end of my 5 years of playing D1 water polo, strength and conditioning had transformed my game for the better both in and out of the pool.

Additionally, lifting weights gave me more confidence as an athlete and as a young woman.

It elevated my game to a level that I wouldn’t have been able to reach otherwise. Additionally, I believe that weightlifting is what helped me make a full recovery after I tore my ACL and moving forward, I believe weights also helped in preventing me from sustaining any further injuries.

I am three years out of college, and strength and conditioning is still an important part of my life to this day. The foundational weightlifting knowledge and skills that I learned during my time as a student athlete has given me the confidence to incorporate lifting a few times a week into my routine. When I lift weights I feel stronger, more fit, and healthier.”

Nick Coufal | UC Davis Mens Water Polo

“Strength training was very important to my development and success as a NCAA Division 1 Athlete. As a water polo player, It was important for me to use weight training to improve my strength, flexibility, power and speed in and out of the pool. I was able to improve my technique and build muscle mass through a personalized workout plan that was spread out into phases. To be successful as an athlete you have to be able to participate in practice and games. Injuries are very common in sports and strength training can significantly decrease the risk of injury.

Strength and conditioning is necessary to reach your full potential as an elite athlete.”

Brock Gordon | UC Davis Mens Water Polo

“When it comes to being an athlete, there are many components to increasing one’s performance level - strength and conditioning being at the top of my list. Strength and conditioning is extremely important for athletes pushing themselves to that next level for two primary reasons. The first is to improve athletic performance, which includes improving athletes' speed, strength, and power; the second is to reduce athletic injury.

With a coach like Craig, athletes will increase their strength and will raise their performance to the next level.

Coach Craig is very knowledgeable, and has a structured system which allows his athletes to track their progression. His weight room is a positive environment where he does a great job of motivating his players to elevate their performance.

Coach Craig truly cares about his players performance and he is the best strength and conditioning coach I ever had. The toughness and resilience that I have learned from him have carried over and have had a big impact in my new career in the fire service today.”