It has been a month and a half since the fall sports season started. The varsity water polo team has been halfway through the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) and started the second half of the league on October 3 against Burlingame HS.
“We’ve been working towards coming together as a team and playing as well as we can as a team too,” said Varsity Water Polo Coach Mike Marques. “So, we’re working on all the different facets of the game, and we are almost there. Through high-intensity practices the past few weeks, the water polo tigers are getting familiar with the rules and have put in big efforts in passings, shootings and other offensive skills. ”
Water Polo is a sport that relies on teamwork as well as personal skills. Since there is only one team in water polo this year, there are players who are new to water polo, which means more practice is inevitable. The water polo team practices every day for 1.5 to 2 hours.
“We [are] a younger team, and the PAL is a difficult league, so the games … have been super challenging,” said Marques. “They also improved their swimming skills, whether in head-down and head-up freestyle, backstroke, sprints, etc. These weeks, the water polo team focused more on tactics, they practiced through the 6-on-5 drills, which simulate the situation that there is one person out on one team.
Though difficult at times, players show their sportsmanship in both practice and games. Senior Samantha Gould, the team’s captain and goalie, expresses she is proud of the team’s perseverance.
“One thing that stands out to me is our team’s ambition to get in the pool and play hard against all the teams we’re going against,” said Gould. “So far, our team has faced some challenges with offensive plays and taking more shots, but it’s something we’re all working on, and everyone’s learning the game better, so we’re getting close together now it’s all good. I believe in each and every one of them, and I can’t wait to see them score.”
Some of the teams in the league, like Burlingame HS, are national-level teams. Even though at the disadvantage of the game, the players do not give up and continue to discuss solutions and play their best.
Sports is a medium that brings people together, working toward a goal, seeing each other grow, and being proud of each other.
“Well, I anticipate that we’ll continue to build and improve on our water polo skills, and hopefully we can end the season with a winning record,” continued Coach Mike.
The passion about the sport is within every single player and coach on the team, fueling their anticipation for each game and igniting a competitive spirit, driven by the belief that their dedication will lead to well-earned victories.
It is not enough to say that cheer a million times: Go Tigers!
