Brian Kaestner is going on the offensive.
The Oakville senior water polo player put up nice totals of 33 goals and four assists two seasons ago and 39 goals and 29 assists last spring, but he did so while manning an important defensive position for the Tigers, who finished third in the season-ending Missouri Water Polo district tournament.
But the team’s reigning defensive player of the year is taking on a position switch, and the early returns are encouraging.
In the season’s first two games — wins over Mehlville and University City — Kaestner has buried 10 goals and added four helpers.
“Last year was a predominantly defensive mindset for our team,” Oakville coach Dan Schoenfeldt said. “He was our strongest defender last year. But this year we’re completely changing roles and pushing him toward the offensive side of things. We need his legs and his experience in the offensive side of the pool this year.”
In the aftermath of his role in guarding the other team’s top offensive player as a two-meter defender, Kaestner is now that top offensive player.
“I love playing two-meter defense. I played a little bit there at the end (against U. City), so it was kind of like the old days,” he said. “I’m trying to find my place. I definitely need more experience in finding my grip and being able to control the guy behind me and finding the goal, knowing where I’m at in the pool.”
Schoenfeldt is convinced his sharpshooter will find that place.
“When he’s on, he’s unstoppable,” the coach said. “He can find the back of the net.”
When Kaestner does find the back of the net, the method in which in he does it may catch his opponents by surprise.
“The biggest thing for me is being left-handed,” Kaestner said. “Most people wouldn’t expect that. Hopefully that’ll catch them off-guard a few times.”
Now that Kaestner — who competes in the 500-meter and 200-IM events for the Oakville swim team — is a Tigers co-captain with fellow senior Andrew Shelton, his coach would like to see a little bit something more out of him.
“He’s clearly our best. He’s an offensive threat, but he needs to get a little more vocal,” Schoenfeldt said. “He leads by example right now, and he’s slowly becoming more and more of an overall team leader, which is the position I think we expect him to be in.”
Kaestner pledges to try his hardest in that category.
“I know I need to step it up,” he said. “I try to do my best, but this is my first year leading the team. I didn’t have to lead last year because we had five seniors on the team. It’s a switch in roles. It’ll come in a week.”
