[Applause] hello I am Deon gray I teach third grade
hello I am Deon gray I teach third grade
hello I am Deon gray I teach third grade in Irvine and I coach swimming and water
in Irvine and I coach swimming and water
in Irvine and I coach swimming and water polo here at Woodbridge one of my
polo here at Woodbridge one of my
polo here at Woodbridge one of my Woodbridge high school players asked me
Woodbridge high school players asked me
Woodbridge high school players asked me to speak today so I’m very honored and I
to speak today so I’m very honored and I
to speak today so I’m very honored and I thank my players for doing that my life
thank my players for doing that my life
thank my players for doing that my life of water polo began at UCSB I have to do
of water polo began at UCSB I have to do
of water polo began at UCSB I have to do the work be an EC SV I had some swim
the work be an EC SV I had some swim
the work be an EC SV I had some swim team teammates who had played water polo
team teammates who had played water polo
team teammates who had played water polo and wanted to start a team not only did
and wanted to start a team not only did
and wanted to start a team not only did these people become lifelong friends but
these people become lifelong friends but
these people become lifelong friends but we paved the way for girls to get
we paved the way for girls to get
we paved the way for girls to get college scholarships in water polo and
college scholarships in water polo and
college scholarships in water polo and eventually started playing nationally
eventually started playing nationally
eventually started playing nationally and internationally those tournaments
and internationally those tournaments
and internationally those tournaments ended up paving the way for some of the
ended up paving the way for some of the
ended up paving the way for some of the future Olympians today diversity comes
future Olympians today diversity comes
future Olympians today diversity comes into play in many ways for me through
into play in many ways for me through
into play in many ways for me through water polo I was fortunate to be able to
water polo I was fortunate to be able to
water polo I was fortunate to be able to travel and play international water polo
travel and play international water polo
travel and play international water polo on several continents during those trips
on several continents during those trips
on several continents during those trips I learned a lot of history firsthand and
I learned a lot of history firsthand and
I learned a lot of history firsthand and the diversity of the people who lived
the diversity of the people who lived
the diversity of the people who lived through those times this is the Kaiser
through those times this is the Kaiser
through those times this is the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in West Berlin
Wilhelm Memorial Church in West Berlin
Wilhelm Memorial Church in West Berlin Kaiser Wilhelm helped to preserve it
Kaiser Wilhelm helped to preserve it
Kaiser Wilhelm helped to preserve it after it was hit during a 1943 bombing
after it was hit during a 1943 bombing
after it was hit during a 1943 bombing raid the people of Berlin wanted to keep
raid the people of Berlin wanted to keep
raid the people of Berlin wanted to keep it as a memorial to peace and
it as a memorial to peace and
it as a memorial to peace and reconciliation when we arrived in Berlin
reconciliation when we arrived in Berlin
reconciliation when we arrived in Berlin we instantly knew that it was a reminder
we instantly knew that it was a reminder
we instantly knew that it was a reminder over World War two it was quite a sight
over World War two it was quite a sight
over World War two it was quite a sight it was eerie to think that we were
it was eerie to think that we were
it was eerie to think that we were standing on the land or such a horrible
standing on the land or such a horrible
standing on the land or such a horrible war had started my team was in West
war had started my team was in West
war had started my team was in West Berlin for the world swimming and diving
Berlin for the world swimming and diving
Berlin for the world swimming and diving championships in 1978 I was two years
championships in 1978 I was two years
championships in 1978 I was two years old it was a first for women’s water
old it was a first for women’s water
old it was a first for women’s water polo even though we were only playing
polo even though we were only playing
polo even though we were only playing exhibition which means we were
exhibition which means we were
exhibition which means we were unofficial
the World Championships of aquatic
the World Championships of aquatic sports had a fantastic opening
sports had a fantastic opening
sports had a fantastic opening ceremonies it was like an Olympics for
ceremonies it was like an Olympics for
ceremonies it was like an Olympics for us was kind of our dream we were
us was kind of our dream we were
us was kind of our dream we were marching albeit without permission with
marching albeit without permission with
marching albeit without permission with the USA swimming diving and water polo
the USA swimming diving and water polo
the USA swimming diving and water polo Olympians
Olympians
Olympians someday we hoped we would be official it
someday we hoped we would be official it
someday we hoped we would be official it was held in the Olympic Stadium that was
was held in the Olympic Stadium that was
was held in the Olympic Stadium that was built for the 1936 Olympics yes
built for the 1936 Olympics yes
built for the 1936 Olympics yes Adolf Hitler’s propaganda Olympics
Adolf Hitler’s propaganda Olympics
Adolf Hitler’s propaganda Olympics another eerie moment to think that
another eerie moment to think that
another eerie moment to think that Hitler had been in that Stadium last but
Hitler had been in that Stadium last but
Hitler had been in that Stadium last but not least of our historical journey was
not least of our historical journey was
not least of our historical journey was a visit to East Berlin through
a visit to East Berlin through
a visit to East Berlin through checkpoint charlie and many armed scary
checkpoint charlie and many armed scary
checkpoint charlie and many armed scary guards
this is the Brandenburg Gate a
this is the Brandenburg Gate a continuing symbol of the separation of
continuing symbol of the separation of
continuing symbol of the separation of East and West Berlin even though the
East and West Berlin even though the
East and West Berlin even though the wall came down about ten years after we
wall came down about ten years after we
wall came down about ten years after we were there another aspect of diversity
were there another aspect of diversity
were there another aspect of diversity through water polo was a cultural
through water polo was a cultural
through water polo was a cultural diversity we were able to experience
diversity we were able to experience
diversity we were able to experience during our travels a couple years after
during our travels a couple years after
during our travels a couple years after our Berlin trip we went to play water
our Berlin trip we went to play water
our Berlin trip we went to play water polo in Holland and Malta we were
polo in Holland and Malta we were
polo in Holland and Malta we were expecting an island paradise in the
expecting an island paradise in the
expecting an island paradise in the Mediterranean but Malta was not exactly
Mediterranean but Malta was not exactly
Mediterranean but Malta was not exactly that the pool was built out into the
that the pool was built out into the
that the pool was built out into the ocean complete with long sea grass
ocean complete with long sea grass
ocean complete with long sea grass wrapped around our legs and very salty
wrapped around our legs and very salty
wrapped around our legs and very salty water the best part was that all of the
water the best part was that all of the
water the best part was that all of the locals especially the kids would come
locals especially the kids would come
locals especially the kids would come out to support their local teams and
out to support their local teams and
out to support their local teams and celebrate wins and probably losses too
celebrate wins and probably losses too
celebrate wins and probably losses too by jumping into the water in jubilation
by jumping into the water in jubilation
by jumping into the water in jubilation water polo was pretty popular in Malta I
water polo was pretty popular in Malta I
water polo was pretty popular in Malta I took a photo of our team hanging out in
took a photo of our team hanging out in
took a photo of our team hanging out in the stands between games only to notice
the stands between games only to notice
the stands between games only to notice years later the difference between the
years later the difference between the
years later the difference between the closeness of the Italian team members
closeness of the Italian team members
closeness of the Italian team members and the personal space needed by the
and the personal space needed by the
and the personal space needed by the Americans can you tell who is who one of
Americans can you tell who is who one of
Americans can you tell who is who one of my last international trips as a player
my last international trips as a player
my last international trips as a player was to Spain for the world swimming and
was to Spain for the world swimming and
was to Spain for the world swimming and diving championships again eight years
diving championships again eight years
diving championships again eight years after Berlin my five month old son came
after Berlin my five month old son came
after Berlin my five month old son came along for the event he now coaches with
along for the event he now coaches with
along for the event he now coaches with me here at Woodbridge when I returned to
me here at Woodbridge when I returned to
me here at Woodbridge when I returned to teaching that fall one of my fifth-grade
teaching that fall one of my fifth-grade
teaching that fall one of my fifth-grade students returned from China and with
students returned from China and with
students returned from China and with our picture from a Chinese newspaper the
our picture from a Chinese newspaper the
our picture from a Chinese newspaper the kids jumping into the water after a
kids jumping into the water after a
kids jumping into the water after a victory so we were receiving our medals
victory so we were receiving our medals
victory so we were receiving our medals sometimes you just never know where your
sometimes you just never know where your
sometimes you just never know where your picture or influence may end up I still
picture or influence may end up I still
picture or influence may end up I still play water polo these days masters or
play water polo these days masters or
play water polo these days masters or old people’s water polo has national
old people’s water polo has national
old people’s water polo has national competitions every year sometimes
competitions every year sometimes
competitions every year sometimes international two years ago at the in
international two years ago at the in
international two years ago at the in Montreal at the world masters water polo
Montreal at the world masters water polo
Montreal at the world masters water polo championships we met up with some former
championships we met up with some former
championships we met up with some former Canadian and Australian players who we
Canadian and Australian players who we
Canadian and Australian players who we had played with 30 against
had played with 30 against
had played with 30 against thirty years earlier those acquaintances
thirty years earlier those acquaintances
thirty years earlier those acquaintances we made then we’re still solid so many
we made then we’re still solid so many
we made then we’re still solid so many years later the diversity of people I
years later the diversity of people I
years later the diversity of people I have met as well as the diversity of
have met as well as the diversity of
have met as well as the diversity of lifestyles my teammates have chosen
lifestyles my teammates have chosen
lifestyles my teammates have chosen still influenced me today one of my UCSB
still influenced me today one of my UCSB
still influenced me today one of my UCSB teammates now runs a nonprofit that aids
teammates now runs a nonprofit that aids
teammates now runs a nonprofit that aids women in the poorer areas of Belize one
women in the poorer areas of Belize one
women in the poorer areas of Belize one of the ways they help is by sending
of the ways they help is by sending
of the ways they help is by sending crews of volunteers to build homes that
crews of volunteers to build homes that
crews of volunteers to build homes that is my friend and I in the center right
is my friend and I in the center right
is my friend and I in the center right after completing a home in three days
after completing a home in three days
after completing a home in three days another teammate teaches character
another teammate teaches character
another teammate teaches character development to coaches athletes and
development to coaches athletes and
development to coaches athletes and parents at schools around the world
parents at schools around the world
parents at schools around the world where would I be without my water polo
where would I be without my water polo
where would I be without my water polo friends for life my diverse water polo
friends for life my diverse water polo
friends for life my diverse water polo experiences have made me the person I am
experiences have made me the person I am
experiences have made me the person I am today and I only hope that I can
today and I only hope that I can
today and I only hope that I can contribute to the development of
contribute to the development of
contribute to the development of characters open to diversity here at
characters open to diversity here at
characters open to diversity here at Woodbridge High School thank
”
Be First to Comment