With a competitive and enjoyable environment, the varsity girls’ water polo team seeks to end the season strong Micheal Stancik, Varsity Girls’ Water Polo Head Coach, said.

Stancik explained that the team has a record of 9-10-1 as of April 18th. While water polo is a new sport to many, Stancik explained that it is a simple sport played in the pool where each team throws the ball in the opposing teams’ goal in order to score a point.

“Water polo [is] one of the toughest sports to play because there’s a lot of skills that are involved like [having] the ability to swim and swim fast,” Stancik said. “It is a contact sport and you are wrestling against other people who are trying to push you down and hold you back.”

In addition to the competitive nature of water polo, Stancik explained that their most competitive games this season were against New Trier and Evanston.

“The CSL has two really strong teams in New Trier and Evanston,” Stancik said. “[In the] last number of years we [have] been taking third behind them and so it would be really nice if we can get a win against one of those teams this year.”

Aside from the tough nature of water polo, Lindsey Bycraft, freshman wing, explained that there is a strong aspect of teamwork that goes into the game.

“Swimming is about your personal goals with your friends cheering you on,” Bycraft said. “Water polo involves more collaboration and teamwork [because] it [has a lot of] passing and catching.”

Additionally, the team-centered environment creates an enjoyable experience for players, senior Claire Forsberg, junior varsity offensive wing and driver, said.

“The girls around you have a really big impact on practices and games,” Forsberg said. “The environment is really easygoing

and we all have a lot of fun together.”

Varsity wing Nora Albee explained that many people tend to overlook water polo as a hard sport, however in reality it is.

“[Water polo] is a lot more intense than other sports,” Albee said. “People don’t realize how hard it is to play while you’re treading water and it [is] so much more aggressive. I [have] had teammates who [have] gotten hit in the face, and [for most], sports that [is not] a normal thing.”

Forsberg explained that water polo has helped develop her personality and shape who she is today.

“[Water polo] showed me a side of myself that I didn’t know I had,” Forsberg said. “It brought out the best in me.”