Clay and Clinton Jorth aren’t often found outside the pool, an admirable trait for a pair of water polo athletes.
Individually, they tally a plethora of goals, assists, steals and accolades.
Together, they create a formidable duo that looks to dominate the water for the UCLA men’s water polo team.
The veteran
Clay Jorth fits the profile of an older brother, acting as a guide and a role model to his younger sibling.
“My brother always has my back,” said Clinton, a true freshman. “He’s always encouraging me and helping me out.”
Clay, a redshirt sophomore, played his first year for UCLA in 2007 after sitting out in 2006, as is custom for Bruin water polo. Over the course of a season that saw the Bruins finish fifth in the country, the elder Jorth played all 28 games, tallying 18 goals and 6 assists.
While he feels like his career has gotten off to a solid start, injury problems have plagued him during his water polo career.
“The main goal for me is to stay injury free. I want to stay in good shape and improve on quickness,” he said.
The veteran Jorth is also an avid student of the game. In the weeks leading up to last Saturday’s opener at UC Irvine, Clay watched film of Olympic water polo matches in Beijing, picking up strategies and areas in which to improve.
“I always like to be a student of the game.” Clay said. “This game is so complex, you can never stop continually trying to learn.”
The rookie standout
Clinton Jorth has a very crowded trophy case. The younger brother has earned a multitude of awards, as a standout attacker in high school. After being named the CIF Southern Section Division I Player of the Year in 2007, Clinton was a sought after recruit. Yet with his brother already attending UCLA, it was really no contest. Clinton was destined to become a Bruin.
“When my brother went to UCLA, I got a feel for everything,” Clinton said. “I loved the atmosphere. All the guys on the team were awesome. I already felt like part of the team.”
Clinton, who uses “awesome” like a catchphrase, lives up to that moniker with his performance in the pool. His play during preseason was so exceptional that he will skip the customary redshirt year in order to play as a true freshman.
“He came in here really strong and has a very strong knowledge of the game,” Clay said of his brother’s performance. “He’s improved tremendously since high school and built a lot more confidence.”
For his part, Clinton has enjoyed the adjustment to the college game and the confidence coach Adam Krikorian has shown in his young star.
“It’s a lot of pressure,” Clinton said. “I’m honored and proud that my coaches have faith that I can help this team right away.”
Brothers united
The Jorth brothers are used to playing in the same pool. They starred together at Newport Harbor High School, where Clinton would help lead his team to a CIF championship in 2007 as a senior.
“We have a good connection in the pool,” Clinton said.
Outside of water polo, the brothers find ways to stay close and stay occupied.
“We’ll play video games or barbecue,” Clay said. “We’re from the beach, so we’ll bodysurf too.”
Both brothers maintained that their relationship is nearly always a friendly one.
“We aren’t really that competitive,” Clinton said. “We have different styles, so we complement each other.”
Video games are one realm in which the brothers can release their competitive fire, in a friendly way. When asked who wins, the elder brother responded in a democratic manner.
“We go back and forth most times,” Clay said. “It depends on who’s having a better day.”
A common goal
As the school year approaches and the season progresses, the Jorth brothers will encounter new challenges. For Clinton, it will be adjusting to university life. For Clay, it’s making sure his brother is handling everything well, while still enduring the freshman traditions .
“I’ve shown him around campus,” Clay said. “I’ve explained how it is here and what he should look for in terms of classes and to stay eligible.”
Although the brothers are at a different place in their college careers, they are united in achieving an ultimate goal.
“The main goal is to win an NCAA Championship,” Clinton said. “It is definitely time for us to do this.”