The boys water polo team jumps into the steamy pool every night at 8 p.m.. Daily drills, training and team bonding are what allow the boys water polo team to become a stronger team as a whole. Since they have not had a very large turnout for players this season, the team decided that creating a unified team should become their primary focus.
Since their first day as a team, boys water polo has had a small turnout, resulting in them being incapable of maintaining both a varsity and junior varsity team.
While one would think of this as a setback for the team, senior TJ Marchello says that having a small group allows them to perfect the crucial skills of the game, and that this year is a building year for the team.
“We have to be closer to each other; we talk a lot more,” Marchello said. “You can’t get by without one of the players working their hardest; everyone has to contribute.”
A majority of the players are new to the game, and have little or no experience. This does not stop their persistence and enthusiasm. The team has grown in strength significantly from last year, and their progress soars to new heights.
“My favorite part is watching the kids grow throughout the year,” coach John Lettic said. “To start out slow and just get bigger and bigger throughout the year.”
Despite the student body’s lack of recognition of the water polo team, the players know that they are a strong team as a whole.
What may be unknown to the students is the amount of coordination needed to be a strong water polo player. Team members need to be skilled at swimming, in addition to passing the ball simultaneously.
“The hardest thing about water polo is trying to stay afloat,” sophomore Tate Anderson said. “Not only are you trying to tread water the whole time, there are also people trying to drown you.”
Even though they haven’t won every game, they are proud of how much they have accomplished this year. Their coordination and communication have made them better this year than before.
The team enjoys seeing how supported they are at every game, whether it’s their parents coming to watch, or the other players on the pool deck.
“My favorite part of the game is seeing how into it everyone gets,” senior captain Eoin Ellis said. “It’s a group experience, and when we score a point everyone feels it.”
