Barnett to lead Sailors

Bill Barnett will return to Newport Harbor High and lead the girls

water polo team next season after USA Water Polo withdrew its

contract offer for the national women’s team head coaching job.

The Women’s International Olympic Committee approved Barnett to

guide the U.S. women’s team in March, though a contract was never

signed.

Rich Foster, president of USA Water Polo, said the organization

pulled the contract Monday because it couldn’t come to terms with

Barnett, 62, a two-time Olympic men’s coach.

Barnett, a math teacher at Newport, has guided Sailor teams to 12

CIF championships in water polo -- 10 on the boys side since he began

coaching at the school in 1966.

Newport’s girls team reached the CIF Southern Section Division I

title game last season.