“Local coaching legend Steve Killpack, founder and leader of Bainbridge’s water polo program, resigned this week after 16 years as the first and only head coach of the boys’ and girls’ teams.He turned the program over to Jeff Clark and Mead Trick, both of whom played for him as students.This is the first day in 16 years I haven’t been the coach, Killpack said Tuesday. I’m really going to miss it, but at the same time, it’s a relief.Killpack not only coached the Bainbridge High School squads, but also coached the University of Washington women’s water polo club, a job he will retain.The UW team won the national club championship this spring, and Killpack was named university club coach of the year.His girls’ team at BHS won several state championships, and his boys’ team won the state title in 1997. Because water polo at both BHS and UW is a club sport without official status, the programs constantly scramble for both funds and pool time, which means practices can be held at odd hours. As a result, Killpack worked days that could start as early as 5 a.m. and not end until after midnight.I sometimes had three practices a day on top of work…It was just too much, said Killpack, who also is a counselor at Sakai Intermedidate School. His commitment to the program went way beyond normal, said BHS athletic director Neal White. A lot of the times, he wasn’t getting paid. But he’d get in that old red VW van, and somehow it always found its way to the pool.The difficulties he endured added to his credibility, at least in the eyes of some of his players.He is one of the greatest guys ever, said Tom Christensen, a member of the state champion 1997 team. He was one of the best examples for water polo players because you knew he was not in it for the money, but for the love of the game.While the athletes loved playing for Killpack, they had to work hard, White said.He worked their tails off. If you did fitness tests, the water polo players would be in as good shape as any athletes we have, he said.Killpack coached and developed a number of outstanding water polo players. Perhaps the most prominent was Rachel Scott, who is a member of the U.S. Olympic squad and hopes to be selected to the final team that will travel to the Sydney Olympics.UW standouts Karin Hoffman and Mei-Lin Cooper, both of whom were named to the all-tournament team at the national club tournament, are both Spartan alums. Killpack was the (water polo) program, said Joe Black, BHS swimming coach. He started it and built it up over the years.Because of high school rules limiting coaches’ off-season contact with their athletes, Black said he had to watch the water polo program from a distance. But he benefitted from Killpack’s presence.He recruited a lot of what I call fringe kids who sat on the edge, and convinced them that they could be athletes, Black said. Then I tried to persuade them that competitive swimming could be as much fun as water polo.Incoming coach Clark played for Killpack from 1991 to 1993. He’s really more than a coach, Clark said. He wants to be in your life as a person.As a mentor, Clark said that Killpack tried to encourage him to come into his own.He didn’t want to make me his clone, said Clark, who took the BHS gold team to the state JV championship this year. I picked up things from him, but he tried to let me be my own coach.Clark said he was nervous, but really excited about taking over. He’s virtually a legend on the island, Clark said of Killpack.Clark said he knew the transition was coming.I knew (Killpack) wanted to hand the program off, Clark said. What I didn’t know until it happened was that he was going to retire entirely from the school program. I thought he might keep one of the teams.Killpack said he intends to remain on the island.I plan to lighten up a little bit, he said. Maybe even get a life.”