Peter Peyton

Peter Peyton started his swimming career with Coach Phil Scott at the San Pedro YMCA when he was 6 years old.

At age 12 while swimming at Peck Park Pool, Peter was asked by the pool director, Brian Sweeney, if he would like to scrimmage with the San Pedro High School water polo team that was practicing that day. Even though he had never played the game before, following that practice and scrimmage Brian told Peter’s grandmother that if she put him into a good high school program, he would be good enough to get a scholarship to UCLA.

That same year, Peter played his first season of high school water polo at Fermin Lasuen. When Lasuen closed, he followed his coach, Joe Bird, to Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach. At a time when there was only one (1) division for Southern California water polo teams, Coach Bird built a program that could compete with perennial favorites Corona Del Mar and Newport Harbor.

His senior year, Peter went on to be awarded CIF Player of the Year in water polo. He also was one of the few CIF Players of the Year to be named All-American in swimming in high school.

He was the first recruit chosen by UCLA coach Bob Horn and was given a 4-year full ride scholarship.

Coach Horn, after his retirement, was asked, “In your four decades of coaching which player had the greatest set of hands?” His answer was Olympian Stan Cole and UCLA First-Team All-American Peter Peyton.