As he begins a 21st season as an NCAA varsity water polo coach, Luis Nicolao might pause to marvel at how much change has occurred recently in a career that for two decades ran like clockwork. Not that the peripatetic Nicolao is prone to introspection. Last January, the former Midshipman could not resist the siren song of his alma mater, which lured him away from a job at Princeton University that produced consistently exceptional results for the Tiger’s men’s and women’s water polo teams.
With a combined 868-316 (.733) record from 1998-2017 leading both Princeton teams—the best of any coach on the East Coast—Nicolao is the dean of Eastern helmsmen. Now, he is back at the U.S. Naval Academy, leading a group of young men that may not be the most country’s most talented, but will certainly be the hardest working.
And, coming almost full circle in his Middie career, Nicolao can take comfort in another reminder of his Academy playing days; Tom Popp, a star Navy polo performer whose career overlapped with his own, has joined Nicolao’s staff.
With the new season days away—and his team hosting to 11 other squads at the annual Navy Invitational that kicks off at Lejeune Hall on September 1—the venerated coach spoke to Swimming World about his return to Annapolis, the challenges of rebuilding a program that had fallen on hard times, and what it takes to represent the U.S. Naval Academy in men’s water polo.
– You had a great coaching career at Princeton—by most measures the best in the East over the two decades you were a Tiger. Why is a switch to coaching at your alma mater the right move for you and your family?
A patient teacher. Photo Courtesy: Princeton Athletics
No, not at all. I thought Mike would be here for 10 more years at least, plus I loved working at Princeton and have had a great life with my family there. When this opportunity arose, it felt like the right timing. My kids are grown, I’d been there for nearly 20 years, and I have watched Navy’s team struggle over the last few years. As an alum, it was painful to watch.
When the opportunity to coach here came up, I felt like I owed it to Navy water polo’s program to get back and help it. As corny as it sounds, I can’t serve again, I saw this as my way to give back by trying to help these guys get the experience they deserve, like the one I was fortunate enough to have here.
– Of course, your exploits as a Middie are still the stuff of the Navy Athletics record book—most career goals, awarded the Naval Academy Athletic Association’s Sword as the top graduating male athlete in 1992. How much has changed at the Naval Academy? And—in an institution rooted in tradition—how much has stayed the same?
As you have mentioned, we have not had success recently, actually we have not won a championship in 10 years, so yes things have changed a lot in our program. We have to get our culture back to the point where winning is expected, regain that reputation that win or lose, we will always be a tough team to play.
As for what has stayed the same, it’s the pride of representing this institution. It’s one of the greatest institutions in the nation, and wearing the uniform is a reflection of that. You don’t just get a degree. You get lifelong friends, experiences, opportunities, the honor of serving your country, and it helps prepare you for life whether you stay in the military or return to civilian life. It is hard to explain what it is like to have attended here and now to work here again- it’s an overwhelming feeling at times.
But a lot has definitely changed, when I was here plebes were not allowed to nap, we could not wear back packs, we did not have a soda machine or ice cream machine in the King Hall (dining room) , so they definitely have it easier than the last class to have a real plebe year, the great class of 1992!
– You played for Mike Schofield, one of the greatest coaches in the history of NCAA varsity polo. Coach Schofield was an exacting taskmaster—who understood exactly how to get the most out of his players. What’s the current attitude among your players—and does having a real Navy man lead them make a difference?
Real Navy Man??? That is funny, I definitely wasn’t the most straight arrow midshipman, but having gone to Navy no question helps. This is a unique experience and being able to understand it better is advantage when working with the Mids. Much of my coaching strategies stem from Mike and Larry Rogers, another legendary coach at Bellarmine Prep. I think what I’ve learned from playing the sport and coaching it for 20 years helps me relate better. I tell them all the time, if I was able to graduate from here, then they surely can.
Tigers—and Nicolao—triumphant at the 2013 CWPA Women’s Championship. Photo Courtesy: Daniel Brenner
– It’s hard to get into Princeton but it’s near impossible to get into Navy! How will you attract the kind of players that will make a difference in one of the world’s most athletic and physically challenging sports?
Easy, by reminding recruits that a degree from here is a game changer, it’s a lottery ticket. Many parents understand that and know how beneficial this future could be for their son, but sometimes we have to work a little harder to explain to a young man that attending the Academy will change their lives for the better forever. I truly believe that there are very few colleges that can impact your life as much as Navy can, in terms of preparing you for the real-world and for life after the Navy. You aren’t just a student athlete here, but also are an officer in training. It definitely take a toll at times, but I’ve learned that anything rewarding is a challenge.
– Navy water polo has experienced some down years of late—which is bad for the sport in the East. A strong Naval Academy program is like a rising tide: it lifts all the other water polo programs. What will it take for Navy to again take its rightful place among the top programs in the country?
Keep working hard every day, there is no doubt that this program will return to its glory days. The interest in our program has been amazing and if we keep working hard as a unit then great things will come. It’s all about getting the culture back on track, creating an intense but positive atmosphere, working hard, and not accepting defeat!
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