Daily Breeze Girls Golf Coach of the Year: Palos Verdes' Ray Rivera

Sea Kings believed they could defeat mighty Torrance and, for one day, did.

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Palos Verdes coach Ray Rivera led Palos Verdes to a great season, including a rare win over mighty Torrance

On paper, it certainly looked possible.

But the idea of taking on the vaunted Torrance High girls golf program did seem like a daunting task.

Enter Palos Verdes coach Ray Rivera, who got his team to believe in itself and take aim at one of the state's girls golf powers.

Rivera might be able to look back on the 180-188 victory over Torrance on Oct. 18 as the launching point for a burgeoning program.

"In my wildest dreams, I never thought we'd do that when I joined the program six years ago," Rivera said.

Torrance had won the first matchup, a 187-192 decision at Los Verdes on Oct. 4. But the rematch on Oct. 6 had been postponed by rain.

Nearly two weeks later, PV enjoyed its breakthrough against a Torrance team that had captured nine straight outright league titles and had been 100-1 in dual meets over the past 10 years, the lone setback a 2009 loss to Peninsula.

Sophie Bergland had one of the best rounds of her season, a 2-under-par 33 at Palos Verdes Golf Club. Elizabeth Doty and Mackenzie Perez shot even-par 35s as PV officially became co-Ocean League champions, a major accomplishment considering the juggernaut that still is Torrance.

"The girls had the confidence," Rivera said. "Going in, they were not scared. They had all the confidence that we had the ability to play with Torrance.

"When the scores started coming in and we had a lead on Torrance, it was like, `Oh my God.' When we beat them,

it was an emotional high."

Rivera eventually guided his team to the CIF-WSCGA Regionals for the first time in program history. Ultimately, Rivera became the 2011 Daily Breeze Coach of the Year.

And the scary part? The Sea Kings return six of their top seven golfers, meaning this season could just be the start of PV's rise to power.

"Hopefully we are not going to rest on our laurels," Rivera said.

The affable Rivera won't let that happen.

When many high school golf coaches are essentially caretakers trusted to not wreck their player's swings, Rivera brought some expertise as the assistant golf professional at Palos Verdes Golf Club.

And Rivera was able to work out a deal that gave his team two practice days at the Palos Verdes Golf Club, a luxury that none of the other local teams had.

"The support of the Palos Verdes Golf Club was a huge advantage," Rivera said.

However Rivera made his mark by developing the team chemistry and keeping everyone on the same page. He knew it was going to take a unified effort to keep pace with Torrance.

"My coaching style: team first and individual second," Rivera said. "We play as a team. Everyone pulls their scores together as a team. It's not just caring about my score, but we win as a team and lose as a team. I try to impart the team concept, that there's success a a team, then after CIF, we worry about the individual."

Rivera said he has a great deal of respect for Torrance, but said one thing that resonated with him is that their superstars over the years - Angela Park, Jenny Shin and Jane Rah - practiced separately from the team.

"They are all superstars, but they did not practice as a team. All their girls practiced individually, on separate courses," Rivera said. "I always have my players practice together.

"I also try to have a pizza dinner for our entire varsity and JV at least once a year at Lampost Pizza."

They are planning a pizza party later this month. And they will have a lot to reminisce about.

They began the year with a third-place finish at the prestigious San Clemente Invitational. They took third at the Knabe Cup and second at the Ayala Tournament.

After garnering a share of the league title, PV took second at the CIF Team Divisional, third at the CIF team finals and fifth at the CIF-WSCGA Regionals, 10 strokes behind Torrance for the final berth to the state meet.

"The girls proved they had the ability to play a team like Torrance," Rivera said. "They had faith and confidence in each other, and that was the biggest key."

tony.ciniglio@dailybreeze.com

Source: http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/ci_19686627?source=rss

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