Following in the footsteps of a truly great player is usually
daunting, but junior men’s water polo goalie Will Didinger
has taken it all in stride. More than that, he offers an
“aw-shucks” shrug filled with that amiable personality.
He can do it because he knows what he can do in the pool.
Matt Swanson, Brandon Brooks and Joe Axelrad are three of the
most prolific goalies in college water polo history and have set
the bar pretty high. The UCLA goalie pipeline has been one of the
main forces behind the constant flow of championship banners the
school has donned.
For Didinger, simply being named UCLA goalie is honor enough.
He’s considered the players who have preceded him. He’s
considered that he had to beat out two others for what might be the
most storied position in college water polo. He considered the
names he is putting himself alongside. Comparing their skills to
his, though, is almost unthinkable to him.
“I don’t know if I can even compare myself to
them,” Didinger said. “Some of them have been the best
in the United States who have played here. I’m just glad I
share the same role as them, and can group myself with them by
position.”
When Didinger arrived at UCLA, he was behind both Brooks and
Axelrad for the starting job. Didinger, who was one of the top
recruits in the nation, chose UCLA over other schools where he
would have been able to start immediately.
He came to Westwood essentially because of the illustrious
tradition of Bruins who have treaded water at goal.
“It’s an honor to come and start at UCLA. I knew I
wasn’t going to start right away. I knew I needed to come and
learn. And I have.”
The man he succeeded in the goal, Axelrad, was arguably the best
goalie in the country last year, but Didinger was almost able to
beat him out for the starting job at the beginning of that
year.
Though Axelrad was ultimately chosen to be the starter, Didinger
showed the promise that he could step in this year and live up to
the UCLA standard. His play so far this season has been more than
solid, yet lacked the sheer dominance displayed by Axelrad and his
predecessors.
Didinger has one important critic, though, who knows he’s
still got the chance to put his name alongside the other great
Bruin goalies.
“Brandon will probably go down in history as one of the
top three goalies, if not the best,” coach Adam Krikorian
said. “Joe was also very good, so those are big shoes to
fill. Will has a lot of room to get better, and there’s a lot
of time for him to grow.”
The pressure to compete and excel right away might sink a number
of talented players. But more than talent, Didinger has a cool
confidence that he uses as a source of motivation. Instead of
having a big head that leads to empty arrogance, Didinger is sure
of his skills but takes little for granted.
“There’s definitely more motivation than pressure
for him,” Krikorian said. “Partly because of all the
great ones before him, he already has confidence because of being
named the starter, just knowing he’s following in their
footsteps. It kind of depends on the character of the kid, but Will
thrives on this kind of stuff.”
Rather than getting immersed in his own responsibilities in
front of the net, Didinger takes to heart the goalie’s
leadership role. Every big save he makes or defensive stand the
team has, he uses that moment as a chance to spark a fire in the
belly of his teammates.
“He definitely fires us up back there,” junior Logan
Powell said. “When he makes a big block, or when he’s
just yelling back there in the cage, it’s just sick to watch.
Will really puts on an exhibition back there.”
Didinger’s flare doesn’t stop there. He uses his
position as a sure-spoken veteran player to guide the younger guys
on the team, something that has been lacking at times from the
inexperienced Bruins.
“He does a very good job communicating,” Krikorian
said. “He lets them know what he wants from them, and gets
them to play harder and compete.”
He also can have an effect on the other team. With his yelling
comes a healthy amount of trash talking to the other team. Didinger
sees it as just another tool to help the team win games.
“I like to talk and mess with other players’
concentration while improving mine,” Didinger said.
“It’s my devious strategy. I’m very
diabolical.”
Referring to his leadership skills as something that has
“always come naturally,” he is never hesitant to take
charge. Again, thanks to that swagger.
While he strives to have his name mentioned in the same breath
as the other legendary Bruin goalies, Didinger the leader is too
busy to focus on anything as personal as a legacy.
He is focused on the team’s ambitions, and his
expectations are not surprisingly brazen and uncompromising ““
in the best of ways.
“I mostly want to win one or two more
championships,” Didinger said. “I want to be known as
the goalie on the 2005 and 2006 back-to-back national championship
team.”