Water Polo Team Looks Left for Right Offensive Mix

LONG ISLAND — When the United States Water Polo team hits the water at the 1998 Goodwill Games, the team will be without the services of two of its top scorers. Chris Humbert, Lodi, Calif., and Jeremy Laster, Capistrano Beach, Calif., both proven offensive powers, are sidelined with injuries. Humber is recovering from a broken left (shooting) hand, suffered while he was competing for his club team in Greece. Laster recently underwent surgery on his nose, broken July 1 in a match against Germany in Hannover.

The likely candidates to pick up the scoring slack are Chris Oeding, Newport Beach, Calif., Wolf Wigo, New York, N.Y., and Brad Schumacher, Bowie, Md. Oeding, the team captain, underwent career-threatening surgery on his right shoulder in 1995, and has come back better than ever since his recovery. Oeding’s perfectly placed shots often catch opposing goalkeepers by surprise.

Wigo and Schumacher, the only players on the team from outside of California, shared tournament high scorer honors at the Hannover International Water Polo Tournament July 1-4 in Germany. Schumacher was the team’s second leading scorer, behind Oeding, at the Becej Tournament one week later in Yugoslavia.

With the injury to Laster, who is left-handed, the team is looking to fill his spot on the right side of the goal, where Laster often roams and finds shot opportunities. Oeding and Wigo will likely fill in on that side. Wigo is virtually ambidextrous, having worked hard on his left-handed skills since he began playing the sport as a youngster. Almost all water polo coaches have players practice basic skills with their non-throwing hand, but few are able to shoot consistently and with power with their off-hand.

In a scrimmage Sunday night against Russia, Wigo scored a goal with his left hand in a power-play situation.

"I’ve just always worked on my left handed shooting and passing," Wigo said. "It’s an advantage to be able to use either hand. You’re not limited in which direction you can move or when you can get a shot off."

The United States opens competition Monday against Italy, then faces Spain and Russia on Tuesday. The medal round games are scheduled for Wednesday.