After hearing about an opening for the position of head coach of the girls’ water polo team, Algebra 2 Honors and Trigonometry teacher Nicolas Lindbloom-Airey decided to return back to his water polo days from middle and high school.
“I thought it would be a really fun job, a way to give back a little bit and get to know the school community beyond just my math classroom,” Airey said.
Airey, who is a first-year coach, began playing water polo in middle school and continued throughout years at MVHS under Rafael Alapont, who still serves as the head coach of the boys team at the school. He said how it has been a fun experience to return to MVHS now working alongside his old coach.
“He likes to laugh and have a good time,” Airey said. “He’s tough on his players, but when you get to know him, he’s really kind and cares about his players,”
Airey said he enjoys learning how to coach from Alapont, but also wants to bring his own philosophy into the game.
“I see [Alapont] as a mentor, but also don’t want to just blindly do what he does,” Airey said.
Airey expressed his admiration for the high expectations that Alapont sets for his players, a quality that has shaped the culture Airey strives to promote within his own team.
Airey said that he thinks that the water polo team is really good at holding each other accountable, and that it’s up to the players to shape the atmosphere and culture of the team.
“Our goal as players and as coaches in high school athletics can never be to win games,” Airey said. “That depends on the other team, and that’s outside our own control.”
Airey said his main focus is on individual improvement, and setting high standards. He challenges players to reflect on what they can improve, highlighting the idea of a growth mindset.
“[Having a growth mindset] brings it back within our own sphere of influence and our own control,” Airey said.
This year, Airey said his goals for the season are to get to know all of his players and better understand their individual goals for the season.“I’m trying to soak up all the information that exists out there,” he said.
Senior and third-year varsity player Rory Conover said that as a newer coach, Airey has spent a lot of time educating himself on coaching, ordering books and learning along with the team, she said. Girls junior varsity Coach Elise Benito also highlighted Airey’s unique approach to coaching.
“He views it like a school assignment,” she said. “He bought all of these books, read the rules, and even recommended that I read them.”
Conover also expressed her appreciation for the structure and routine of the team’s practices under Airey. The team typically begins practices with a set warm up, sprint set, leg workout, then passing drill — a consistent routine that Airey has established during his time as coach.
“I like that we kind of have that first bit where it’s not just him telling us what to do, and we all know what to do,” she said.
This year, the girls water polo team moved up from the El Camino League to the De Anza League. Conover said that many of the team’s they are playing this year in the De Anza league have a lot of experience and more club players.
“We’re in the upper league now so it’s a lot higher level, and he’s trying to get us as close to there as possible,” said Conover. “It’ll be challenging, but there are definitely games that we can win,”.
However, beyond hard work and high expectations, Airey also prioritizes fun.
“If you’re not having fun at practice, then why are you there?” Airey said.
