Corso Working Both Ends of the Pool : Water polo: Coach of U.S. Olympic team also teaches the game at Harvard-Westlake High.

Late in a first-round game of the Southern Section water polo playoffs, Coach Rich Corso of North Hollywood’s Harvard-Westlake High put in his fourth group of dry players.

Harvard-Westlake was leading Tustin, 13-5, after three quarters and it seemed like a good time. Especially when you have 68 eyes looking at you for a little more playing time.

But Corso is used to people wanting time.

That’s because Corso, who on Aug. 26 was selected as the U.S. Olympic coach, has been an internationally respected coach for eight years.

So, it is for love of the sport that he is on the deck at Harvard-Westlake with 34 of his closest teen-age friends.

But 34?

“Obviously, coaching the national team and high school is very different,” Corso said. “In the Olympics you take 13. But one thing at the high school level that I am adamant about is that I do not cut any kids.

“So if we get to the championships and a kid has had solid attendance--with weights and good grades--I’ll bring them up for championships. For a lot of kids, just getting to suit up is a big thing. The CIF championship is a great thing.”

Corso, 38, knows about that first-hand. He is an Olympic coach who has won at all levels and his success at Harvard-Westlake, a private co-ed school with 1,110 students, has been particularly impressive.

Corso has been to three Southern Section finals in six years, won two and was runner-up once. He was named Southern Section coach of the year in 1987, 1988 and 1991.

And he has been busy with many other water polo ventures.

He resigned in August as coach of the United States Water Polo’s Harvard Water Polo Foundation, a men’s club. Those teams won three USWP indoor national championships--1989-91--and the 1989 and 1990 outdoor championships.

For 15 months before agreeing to coach the U.S. Olympic team, Corso directed the Canadian water polo program. Before that, he assisted on the U.S. team as a goalie coach and as the junior national coach.

Far from being intimidated by his stature in international water polo, Corso says, the players may be drawn to it.

“After practices, kids come and talk to me,” he said. “A lot of juniors and seniors talk to me about college. I enjoy that.”

If it would seem that the higher levels might make coaching at the high school level mundane, it doesn’t.

“I think when you compare a national team to that of a high school team, there are three things you’re always stressing: One is fundamentals--you just have to have that, especially the Americans need to shoot a lot more. Two, there’s no substitute for defense, especially at the international level where you have multiple defenses. Third and last, I believe, is that you’re coaching student-athletes and they always have the process of education.”

The American system is different from the European system.

“A lot of our guys have graduate degrees,” Corso said. “Obviously I emphasize that at Harvard-Westlake.

“I think what I do is I can use the (Harvard-Westlake kids) at times--not a controlled experiment--but I can try out new ideas with them. It’s a good learning experience for them. Practices are designed to be more intense than any game they play. “

But he added, “The kids know when the game starts, there’s definitely a relationship where you have to leave your ego at the door.”

Especially seniors. Corso starts some younger players every game and substitutes frequently, explaining that his style gives the younger players the experience they will need when they are seniors and play more.

Apparently, it works.

This year, Harvard-Westlake is 28-2 and will face Corona del Mar (19-8) in the Division I semifinals tonight at 7 at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

Four seniors make up the nucleus of the team. Drivers Jim Toring, a member of the junior national team before this season, and Ryan Salceda complement a strong two-meter tandem of Lance Weidner and Alan Paul.

The goalie is junior Peter Kiefer.

“His grandfather (Adolph) won gold medals in swimming at the 1936 Olympics so he has some chlorine in his veins,” Corso said.

No doubt Corso, who first played in 1965 while at Southern Connecticut State, has some, too.