Water polo captains take after dad

By Gabe Taylor

The Sullivan Aquatic Center has been a different kind of home for the Lamb family.

Water polo players Allie and Amy Lamb don the same Bronco colors their father, Ron Lamb, did back when he played the sport for Santa Clara in the early 70s.

Although their father enjoyed water polo, growing up he pushed his now senior daughters toward swimming and even sailing.

In fact, the sisters were influenced to play water polo not because of Ron, but primarily because of a mutual close friend.

Their cousin Jenny Lamb, who played water polo at UCLA, furthered their interest in the sport.

At age 10, the Lamb twins left swimming in the past and directed their focus to water polo.

"It's fun because it's a sport that you know more than half the people in the world can't play," said Allie jokingly.

When it came to coaching, Ron left it in the hands of outsiders rather than trying to train his daughters himself.

"I 'armchair' coach the girls after every game, but their real training for the past 15 years has been by some of the best coaches in the world, including some former Olympic coaches," said Ron, "so I don't think they really listen to me at all."

Amy added that when they began playing the sport, their father tried to stay away from being a parent-coach, but Ron has no trouble giving feedback now that they are at Santa Clara.

"Now he tries to tell us things," said Amy.

In response to her father's suggestions, Amy said she tends to reply, "Dad, we've played for 12 years."

Despite not being coached by their father, the sisters still take pleasure in playing the same sport as him.

"It's nice to have a parent who actually understands the sport," said Amy.

From the day they began playing water polo, they have stayed by each other's sides, both making the varsity team their freshman year in high school and continuing their careers here at Santa Clara.

Ron played water polo at the position of driver at Santa Clara from 1972 to 1976, yet he and his teammates were never able to grab hold of a spot in the national rankings.

Ron and his wife, who attended Santa Clara as well, have greatly enjoyed seeing their children compete for the Broncos.

"My wife and I, both having graduated from SCU, are very proud of both of our daughters and their accomplishments at Santa Clara both athletically and academically," said Ron.

Allie and Amy also feel that they have stayed away from sibling rivalry and instead focus more on playing together.

"We have good chemistry because we've played together so long," said Amy.

Devotion to water polo has led them to be captains of the women's water polo team, who hold a record of 16-14 overall and 9-3 in the Western Water Polo Association.

Amy leads the Broncos this season with 39 goals and 41 assists. Allie has tallied 13 goals and 15 assists.

Allie and Amy noted that the Malley Pool opened during their father's senior year in college, and that Sullivan Aquatic Center opened this year, their senior year.

This instance was just another passing of the torch from father to daughters.

For the Lambs' first three years at Santa Clara, they were able to play in the same pool in which their father played.

"It has been a wonderful four years for us to be able to come back to Santa Clara to watch the girls play," said Ron, "especially in the beautiful new Sullivan Aquatic Center."

The Lambs and the rest of the women's water polo team will travel to UC Davis this Friday, where they will take on the Aggies at 7 p.m.

Contact Gabe Taylor at gtaylor@scu.edu.