Years from now, at a reunion of Cal State Fullerton women’s water polo players, someone will bring up the inevitable trivia question: “Who scored the first goal in program history?” And all eyes will lock in on Kieran Scout Bates, who will inevitably smile back, lift a drink with a knowing glance, and savor the moment.

And somewhere, Cal State Fullerton women’s water polo coach Kyle Witt — if he isn’t there already — will smile.

Everything notable must start somewhere. It has to have “That Beginning” that everyone looks back on with fondness slathered in nostalgia. But mixed in is the not-so-secret sauce that this is where everything started.

Of such moments are memories created. And Bates scoring the first goal 15 seconds into the Titans’ inaugural women’s water polo game with UC Merced at UC Santa Barbara’s Winter Invite created the first “first” in program history.

The first win would come shortly after, a 24-3 poleaxing of UC Merced. The second win would dutifully follow: a 10-8 beating of the University of Ottawa, which Witt dutifully pointed out is a school in Arizona, not Canada.

Alas, the firsts would continue the next day, taking on a different, less-pleasant element, one that won’t bring quite the nostalgia of the previous day — the program’s first loss. That was a 24-2 beating by Wagner, the 15th-ranked team in the country. This segued into a 12-4 loss to No. 21 San Diego State in a game where the Titans — courtesy of two goals by freshman captain Mia Solorzano and single goals by Gabrielle Zaretskiy and Bates—trailed only 7-4 entering the fourth quarter.

A 19-5 beating by No. 14 Indiana wrapped up the program’s first weekend. And Witt, anticipating what lay ahead when you play three top-21 teams with a former lacrosse player, a volleyball libero — more on them in a bit — and a merry band of eager, but overmatched, rookies, was unfazed by all of it.

“This is what I signed up for,” he said. “I can’t be upset. If you focus on the bad news, you miss the good things happening. It is what it is and you move on. You just don’t forget to enjoy the good things.”

And there were good things, each with a story that illustrates how Witt assembled his eclectic, foundation-building squad.

There’s a reason why Solorzano was elected team captain as a redshirt freshman. She announced her presence with 12 goals in the first two games and 17 over the five-game weekend. A transfer from Witt’s former Loyola Marymount University digs and the only CSUF player with Division 1 experience, Solorzano immediately took on everything from recruiting to organizing team activities.

“Not to put this much weight on her, but she should be a four-time All-American,” Witt said. “The help is she’s been there before, and it helps a lot for her to pass on her stories. She doesn’t tell them in a judgmental or belittling way. When she tells a story, she can tell them in a way that’s not judgmental and everyone is excited about listening to them. Yes, she’s one to watch in the pool, but I’ve been excited to see what she’s done outside of the pool. She’s amazing to watch.”

There’s Zaretskiy, who scored eight goals over the weekend. It took Witt three times to corral the Huntington Beach High product, who initially spurned Witt’s entreaties due to an unresolved family issue. When that issue was resolved last October, she contacted Witt, who was ecstatic.

“I wanted you to play for me two times before, I’ll take you a third time,” he told her.

There’s Mikka Von Scherr, who has one sister running cross country at CSUF and another at Ohio State. Von Scherr played some water polo at La Quinta High School, but made her athletic bones playing club lacrosse.

“She wrote me an email telling me she wanted something more than club lacrosse,” Witt said. “Then, you meet the kid and you realize how excited she is. Her eyes lit up, and it’s simply incredible to have a kid this excited about jumping into the great unknown. She’s either our fastest or second-fastest player.”

There’s the aforementioned volleyball libero, Minami Creamer. When she heard the Titans were starting a water polo program, she paid Witt a visit. After he conducted his typical interview to reveal players who will add to the team’s culture, Witt had himself a libero/goalkeeper.

There’s Jackie Naeto, whom Witt discovered when she liked the program’s Instagram page. Intrigued, and licking his wounds from having three recruits spurn the Titans in the same day, Witt clicked on her name, discovered she played water polo at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies and worked in the Titans’ athletic training department, then invited her in for an interview.

“The last time she played a competitive game was five years ago. But she’s getting in a van this weekend to play against three nationally ranked teams this weekend,” Witt said last week. “Whatever she does on Saturday and Sunday doesn’t matter.”

The stories are what matters to Witt. Every player comes with one, and every story leads to their reason for being part of the Titans’ first team. He’s said repeatedly that cultural fit and team dynamics are the alpha and omega of what he’s looking for in players. Are you comfortable making history — both good and not-so-good — and can you make that history by being a typical Titan athlete?

One who fights for everything and never forgets the chip on their shoulder.

“I didn’t care about their talent. Can they swim or did they play water polo before didn’t matter. It was culture. That’s all I cared about,” he said. “This university is filled with kids who are fighters. Kids who had to scrap for financial aid just to get here. Their parents had to sacrifice to get to this moment. They had to study their asses off to get acceptance. For them, fighting for this university wearing an “F” on their hat didn’t seem that off to them.”

The fight is just beginning and Witt has no illusions about the waves that await. He’s leading his team of forsaken recruits and the never-recruited against a Big West loaded with nationally ranked teams. Awaiting the Titans are No. 5 UC Irvine, No. 6 Hawaii, No. 9 Long Beach State, No. 11 UC San Diego, No. 12 UC Davis, No. 19 UC Santa Barbara and No. 22 Cal State Northridge. That’s just in the Big West.

“I’m preparing them for what lies ahead. It’s going to be a hard season and you never measure anything by wins and losses,” he said. “When you measure everything by wins and losses, you’re missing the point. You’re missing all the amazing moments you’re creating and the amazing process you’re a part of. Being a pioneer of this program is a unique position that no one will get to do or say, and I’m really happy this group gets to have this feeling.

“Whether it’s an embarrassing loss, an amazing win, a bad ref call — all the things that happen in sports, that’s not going to be their stories. The story is what happens in the van (on trips). The culture of this team and the foundation of how this team was built. To me, that’s way more important than what my record will be at the end of this year.”

Did you know…? Brian Heider is the first assistant water polo coach in program history. Witt hired him because of his history starting everything from club teams to restarting Chaffey College’s program. “His strength for us is he gets tasks done, which I love,” Witt said.

He said it: Witt on what the last six months have meant in starting the program: “About a week ago, I got an email from HR congratulating me on being here six months. It was such an odd moment. I hadn’t realized that much time had passed. It was the first time I stopped and took it in. Not to be proud or weird or existential, but wow. What a crazy six months.”

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