Poly Prep’s Head of Athletics, Richard Corso, has led an enticing career before coming to Poly. Corso continues to improve the Poly Prep athletic program which he believes should be credited to the dedication of his student-athletes and coaches.
Richard Corso was soaking up the blazing warmth of the California sun as he excitedly awaited the start of the 2023 NCAA Water Polo Championship. Suddenly, three grown men with vaguely familiar faces approached him. Although Corso was dismayed by their mature and manly demeanor, he could recognize the young men he once coached at Harvard-Westlake School for water polo.
After exchanging warm hugs, the men recalled fond memories as they rehashed stories from their time training together. They caught up on their lives as each man told Corso about their happy relationships and the families they had built. One former athlete introduced Corso to his son, clinging tightly to his father’s hand. Simultaneously, each man held their hand out to reveal a ring so large it covered the bottom half of their fingers. The ring was engulfed with stones gleaming so bright as if they tried to compete with the California sun. The NCAA rings were a constant reminder of the success that started with the guidance, support, and training of Corso.
Corso has played a prominent role at Poly Prep as Head of Athletics since 2018. He is a highly regarded member of Poly athletics and takes immense pride in his athletes and their success. Croso’s vast previous job experiences coaching for Olympic teams, prominent colleges, and a prestigious independent school have equipped him with invaluable experience that he shares with the Poly community to advance the athletic program.
From a young age, Corso loved all sports however in high school, he decided to focus mainly on swimming. “I have always wanted to coach, but I always thought I was going to be a swimming coach,” said Corso. He was eighteen when he was first exposed to water polo. “I saw these guys playing water polo and I go, I can swim. I can throw a ball. I can catch the ball. I got to play. That’s when I got hooked,” said Corso, as a water polo game in Puerto Rico played on the large television screen behind him.
One of the main differences between water polo and swimming that Corso appreciates is being a part of a team. He said, “I liked water polo more at that point in time because of the team atmosphere.” Corso followed his passion for water polo at South Connecticut State University, where he played for all four of his college years.
Corso’s dedication to the sport he loved could not overpower the harsh reality that “when I was in the zone, as athletes say, I was mediocre at best.” This realization led to his first job as a volunteer coaching assistant at Stanford University. However, when the offer to become the head coach at Yale University presented itself, he seized this opportunity. According to the Hall of Fame on the USA Water Polo website, Corso remained at Yale for about a year and then, became coach of men’s water polo and swimming at UCLA. He spent the next decade there until his aspiration to be an Olympic coach drove him to become a physical education teacher at Harvard-Westlake School in California.
Poly Prep’s Athletic page states that during his twenty years at Harvard-Westlake, he simultaneously was the assistant coach of the 1984 Men’s Olympic Water Polo team, winning a silver medal. He head coached the 1996 USA Olympic team, Canadian Men’s National Team, and the 2004 United States Men’s Olympic team. In the interview, Corso discusses his accomplishments while proudly wearing his white US Olympic hat, while two US Olympic banners prominently hang on the adjacent walls behind him.
In 1992, Corso went to the Barcelona Olympics. There he was introduced to Audrius Barzdukas, former Head of School at Poly Prep, who at the time was working as a sports scientist for the United States Olympic Training Center. Shortly after, Corso was offered a position as the head coach of the United States Men’s Water Polo team and worked alongside Barzdukas for the next four years. During that time, their relationship blossomed and continued even after Corso’s tenure as an Olympic coach. In 2005, Corso became coach of the women’s water polo team at the University of California, Berkeley for twelve years, until his desire to try something new caused him to move back to Los Angeles.
While searching for a change, Corso’s career took a turn when he was invited to get coffee with Barzdukas, who had recently become Head of School at Poly Prep. “They had a search and I was lucky enough to get the job,” said Corso.
Corso’s past job experiences have had a large influence on how he approaches his position as Head of Athletics. It has allowed him to recognize similarities and differences between other schools and the Poly community. “When I first came to campus, it reminded me of the University of California, Berkeley because of the diversity,” he said. In the interview, Corso talked in generalities and stated both schools are trying to “figure out who they are.” Corso said, “What Harvard-Westlake does that’s significantly different is that they are consistent,” Corso believes his knowledge will allow him to guide Poly’s student-athletes and coaches to success.“I’m trying to bring some of those experiences from being at independent day schools, all those college experiences, national championships, Olympics, and trying to get the kids here better,” said Corso.
Another way Corso does this is through applying his vigorous education such as his bachelor’s degree in physical education, a master’s degree in kinesiology, and a second master’s degree in coaching science. Corso has brought this knowledge to his past collegiate job experiences, thus leading USA Water Polo to consider him an “innovator in the integration of sports science and sports psychology with the game of water polo.” Corso brought this expertise to Poly to improve strength and conditioning. “When I got here, we did not have a strength and conditioning coach. Now we have two and a half. When I got here, we only had one athletic trainer. Now we have two and a half athletic trainers.” Corso believes a robust health and wellness division is important to the foundation of an athletic program.
Part of the reason why Corso and Barzdukas got along so well is their aspirations and motivation to help students reach their full potential, both academically and athletically. “That’s all I care about is performance in the classroom and out on the wrestling mats, volleyball court, or whatever we have,” said Corso. Lisa Melo, former head coach of girls’ lacrosse at Poly Prep and a mentee of Corso said, “One of the most valuable takeaways I learned from him was don’t be afraid to go for it. There are going to be moments in your career when you try something and it doesn’t work but he was always encouraging us to try new things and to get better.”
A profile done on Corso located on the University of California, Berkley’s website states, “he possesses a competitive attitude that is sure to get the most out of his student-athletes…His energy, preparation, commitment, and professionalism will have a lasting influence on American water polo for years to come.”
“He has a unique ability of bringing people together and finding the right fit for the job,” said Melo. She also noted that Corso’s honesty is constructive which, motivates his players and helps them grow. “I work with our coaches for planning, not just their twelve-week practices, but what are you doing all year?” Corso believes the future is uncertain which therefore employs long-term coaching plans, which is just one way his coaching technique differs from others. “Corso was always really accessible. He always wanted to talk about sports and check in with all of our coaching staff to see how we were doing and adjusting to things,” said Melo.
Corso still intends to utilize his role to build upon contributions to Poly’s athletic program, such as redoing the bubble for multi-sport use and providing coaches with better offices in the weight room. His love for water polo and swimming has also made him inclined to install a more substantial pool.
As Corso strives to elevate Poly Prep’s athletic department to new standards he relies on the skill of players and coaches who are passionate and dedicated to their sport, which he believes is key to being one of the best athletic programs in New York. “I want to find players who want to do well in the classroom and want to play on great teams. We’re very good but there is a big difference between good and great. I want to be consistently great.”
