Legendary water polo coach Bill Barnett, who twice led the U.S. Olympic men’s team and created boys and girls powerhouse programs at Newport Harbor High, died Monday, his family said.
Barnett, who retired from coaching in 2015 after 49 seasons at the school, was receiving hospice care for acute leukemia and died peacefully at his home in Laguna Beach.
“Very peacefully,” Marcia, his wife of 52 years, said Wednesday. “The last year and half became harder and harder.”
Barnett, 76, coached the U.S. men’s teams at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, winning a silver in 1988 in Seoul. His coaching career at Newport Harbor produced Olympians Kaleigh Gilchrist along with Eric Lindroth, Kevin Robertson and James Bergeson.
The United States’ success under Barnett in 1988 took on more significance over the years as Team USA didn’t earn another medal until a silver in 2008 in Beijing.
“Sad hearing that Bill Barnett has passed away,” USA Water Polo Chief Executive Officer Christopher Ramsey wrote on Twitter. “Bill was a giant among American coaches.”
Sad hearing that Bill Barnett has passed away. Bill was a giant among American coaches, methodically building a 49-year career in high school and international polo. He coached our men's Olympic teams twice, winning a silver medal in the 1988 Games. @USAWP@TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/hEg6ZE0Wgn
— christopher ramsey (@CEOusawp) December 26, 2018
But Barnett’s legacy at Newport Harbor rivaled his accomplishments with the U.S. federation. He guided the boys to 10 CIF-SS Division 1 championships, the first in 1967 and the last in 1984.
Barnett later led the Newport Harbor girls to five Southern Section Division 1 crowns.
“If you look at high school water polo, he’s the godfather of it,” said former El Toro coach Don Stoll, who faced Barnett’s teams as a player and coach. “When I was up-and-coming, I tried to imitate him.”
Before he coached the U.S. national team, Barnett guided the junior national and national B teams.
For years, Barnett navigated Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna Beach to Long Beach and back for national team practices.
He planned his workouts with such detail, they were organized down to five-minute segments.
“He did it with vigor,” Marcia said of his husband’s dedication. “He put everything into every single day.”
Marcia said neither a memorial or funeral will be held for Barnett, which was his wish. She said his ashes will be spread at sea.
“The proof is in pudding,” she said of his coaching career, which was influenced by the late Monte Nitzkowski and former UC Irvine coach Ted Newland. “He wasn’t about trophies or rings.”
Stoll said he and Les Cutler, a former Barnett assistant, had lunch twice with Barnett in the last four months. Stoll believes Newport Harbor should dedicate its pool after the coach.
“He was a winner from the get-go, at every level,” Stoll said.
Newport Harbor water polo coach Ross Sinclair said Wednesday night that the annual Holiday Cup girls tournament, which will be played this weekend, will be renamed after Barnett.
Sinclair sat briefly with Barnett last month before the Sailors played in the CIF-SS Division 1 finals in Irvine.
“He’s a master,” said Sinclair, who trained under Barnett the summer before his freshman year at Newport Harbor. “He just hammered the fundamentals.”
Barnett also was an innovator.
Former Sunny Hills coach Jim Sprague, who dueled against Barnett in several memorable Division 1 championship matches in the 1970s and 1980s, said his friendly rival made the counterattack – or water polo’s version of the fastbreak – a popular tactic.
“Bill was a genius on this and a great competitor,” Sprague said. “Battling with Bill was phenomenal.”
Barnett’s transition to coaching girls water polo revealed how his fiery on-deck demeanor softened over the years.
Gilchrist, also an elite surfer, recalled how Barnett nicknamed her “Barrel” as a freshman. She shared a letter she wrote to the coach in 2016.
“You are truly my biggest sports inspiration,” the Olympic gold medalist wrote to the coach. “Of course, you always supported my water polo career but you also believed in me as a competitive surfer. … Your support gave me the confidence to dream big.
“You taught me if I dream big, set goals, prepare and work my (butt) off, good things will happen, and so far, you’ve been right.”
Barnett is survived by his wife, Marcia, daughter, Meagan, son, Tyler, and four grandchildren.
