Harbor High’s Eve Okamura Commutes from Pool to Pool
By Michael Oppenheimer
As Harbor High School’s new girls water polo coach, Eve Okamura is getting an early lesson in balancing the needs of a student with the needs of life in the workplace. Having her job be an extension of her studies and activities at California State University, Monterey Bay does make the commute easier to take, of course.
“This schedule is not nearly as hectic as I expected,” Okamura said. “I’m learning a lot, both in class and with these girls. Hopefully they’re learning a lot too.”
As a member of the CSUMB women’s water polo team, Okamura spends her days going to class, then going to practice and finally driving around the Monterey Bay for Harbor practices and games. It’s a demanding schedule, but one she’s more than capable of maintaining.
“I started coaching when the Morgan Hill Summer Water Polo club was absorbed by Manta Polo (South Valley Manta Water Polo Club),” said Okamura, who’s played in the club since high school. “That was where I found out about the opening at Harbor and knew I couldn’t pass on the opportunity.”
Okamura became friends with Julee Kline while participating in “MomsPolo” in the Morgan Hill club. Kline’s connections with the girls from Harbor helped secure an interview, leading directly to Okamura taking over this year.
Still, the transition from student to teacher, from player to coach, has been a much quicker journey than she could ever have dreamed.
Okamura was introduced to water polo while at Martin Murphy in eighth grade. Already a good swimmer, her friends in high school played the sport and her PE teacher, who’d medaled in swimming competitions, inspired her to try water polo that summer, her first experience with MomsPolo.
She started at Ann Sobrato High School the next year, starting a rocky journey as a four-year starter on the girls varsity water polo team that had four coaches over her four years.
After a forgettable freshman season, Okamura shined on a sophomore team that went undefeated in the Blossom Valley Athletic League and was named player of the year.
The team’s success in BVAL’s “B” division caused them to be shifted into the “A” division. Between her third coach in three years and the move to the more difficult division combined for a rough junior year for Okamura and her Bulldogs.
“There was a point I wasn’t sure if I’d continue playing,” she admitted. “But I really love the game, and in the end, it wasn’t a hard decision.”
Coming back for her senior year, her fourth high school coach became another inspiration in Okamura’s life. Cameron Peachey brought energy and a new attitude to the team, leading them to their first appearance in the CCS playoffs. Okamura was named captain, earned an honorable mention in the tournament, and the experience helped focus her interest in teaching.
“I learned a lot about attitude and coaching from [Peachey],” she said. “It was his inspiration that helped me decide on what I wanted to do with my life.”
With the goal of teaching credentials in Kinesiology and Anatomy firmly in hand, Okamura had college options out of state, but knew she wanted to stay local. So, with no thought of a “Plan B,” Okamura approached CSUMB women’s water polo coach Gary Figueroa, earned a walk-on tryout and made the team — then early on suffered a season-ending injury and watched frustrated from the sidelines.
“It was really hard, sitting on the sidelines as the team struggled,” Okamura said. “I’d worked so hard just to make the team. To not be able to play was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced.”
With her sophomore season on the horizon and her freshman coaching season continuing on, Okamura is excited about the future.
“I’m really proud of this team,” she said of her Pirates. “We’ve had some setbacks, but the girls have persevered through them and have improved quickly, playing better than I expected. I’m looking forward to seeing them continue. I’d love to return next year and be a part of it.”