March 2, 2009

BERKELEY - With 15 wins under its belt, the California women's water polo team is off to its best start since the 2000 season. The Golden Bears recently hosted their first home game against USC on Feb. 28, which gave sophomore utility Coral Kemp a chance to demonstrate her vocals by singing the national anthem before the game. Kemp, who hails from El Segundo, Calif., scored one goal last year as one of the only true freshmen on the squad. Kemp has already notched 16 goals, including four multi-goal performances. CalBears.com took some time to learn about Kemp's background, which is rich in water polo and Cal history.

CalBears.com: Your dad, Kelly, is an inductee in the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame as a coach, did he get you started playing water polo?
Coral Kemp: "Well, yeah! He was my first and definitely favorite coach growing up. When it comes to water polo, I'm pretty sure he's my number one fan, besides Mom and the grandparents. In my opinion, he's always been gifted when it comes to explaining the game and that's what makes him a great coach."

CalBears.com: Your grandparents, Parker and Margaret Kemp, both graduated from Cal, did that influence your decision to come to Cal?
CK: "As much as I'd like to say, `No! It was completely my choice! I'm the brains behind the operation!' There are actually a few people who were inspirational in my choosing Berkeley. If my Grandma and Rich Corso hadn't talked up Berkeley so much, who knows what I would have done! And it's certainly a plus to please the grandparents."

CalBears.com: What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
CK: "Trust in the Lord in everything you do."

CalBears.com: What is the worst piece of advice you've ever received?
CK: "I haven't received any bad advice that I can remember."

CalBears.com: You and Remy Champion probably have the most unique names on the team, if you could change your name, what would it be? Did your parents choose your name for any reason in particular?
CK: "I wouldn't change my name for the world. Having a distinctive name makes me want to give my children funky names, too. I won't go into too much detail about how my parents named me, but basically my dad was away on a business trip while my mom was pregnant with you know who, when one night both of my parents had this strange dream. When they called each other, my dad said that in his dream, I was a boy with the name Cori. My mom's was the same except I was a girl with the name Coral. It must have been fate."

CalBears.com: If you had a time machine, what year would you travel to?
CK: "I don't know what year exactly, but totally back when dinosaurs ruled the earth."

CalBears.com: You sing the national anthems before all the Cal home games, how long have you been singing? It is it your primary hobby outside of water polo?
CK: "Apparently I was singing before I could even talk. I just remember singing or Disney sing-alongs - I love `The Lion King!' I haven't really been doing much singing since I've been at Berkeley though, and that's something I want to change."

CalBears.com: What is your biggest pet peeve?
CK: "The truth is I haven't really thought about it, maybe when people don't return my phone calls."

CalBears.com: In the last women's water polo Q&A, Paige Lorenz wanted the next women's water polo student-athlete to answer: Do you prefer Beyoncé or Sasha Fierce?
CK: "Beyoncé will always be Beyoncé. How did she come up with Sasha Fierce anyway?"

CalBears.com: What question would you want the next women's water polo athlete to answer?
CK: "Rich likes to give some players nicknames. What is yours, and how did you get it?"

For a complete listing of past Q&As with the California women's water polo team, click here or look on the sidebar on the main women's water polo page.