SLO LIFE Jun/Jul 2017

Okay, Phill, we like to start off by asking you
where you are from. I was born in Texas. San
Antonio, Texas. Lived there for a year before the
mom skedaddled on dad and headed to Ventura,
California where I grew up for 16 years. In the
summers when I was younger, I had a lot of friends who were involved in aquatics
and such, who would go to do junior lifeguard programs, or surf camps, or on swim
clubs, and swim teams. And I didn’t have that privileged opportunity, so I’d be the
kid who was waiting in the neighborhood for all the friends to get home. And
then, hopefully, get some time to hang out and play. As I got older, I was playing
baseball and everyone was going to do football. I’m going to do football. And mom
goes, “Football’s out.” Some of my friends said, “We’re going to do water polo.” I’m
thinking, “I have no idea what that sport is. I’d never do that. I haven’t been on a
swim club.” But, just before high school started I joined the Freshman Summer
League Water Polo Program.
How’d it go? I’d come home beat. Ruined. Absolutely ruined.
Completely exhausted. Eyes burning with chlorine; but,
somehow loving it. Feeling like I found a groove, something I
might be good at. So by the time I was 16 there was a divorce
in the family. Mom hauls us up to Salinas. It was definitely not
a beach community. And no water polo team; barely a swim
team. I’m having a tough time finding my place up there, and
eventually gravitate towards the swim team. And then I started
getting into swim clubs. Start getting into the water polo club
at Hartnell [Community College], and start finding a serious
groove towards my senior year. Then I’m trying to figure out
college; no one has gone to college in my family and I’m being
raised by a single parent. I look around and decide to check out
Cuesta College. I go talk to the swim coach and explain my
situation and ask about a scholarship and he says, “We don’t do
38 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | JUN/JUL 2017