Boys Water Polo at their CIF championship. Photo courtesy of reporter Eric Ozuna Basilio.

  This week finally marks the start of the winter season for Boys Water Polo! The SLO Boys Water Polo team has all sorts of kids from SLO to Morro Bay and A-Town! Water polo can be such a fun sport with your friends who love to swim and be aggressive at the same time! 

  Expressions decided to interview the seniors on SLO’s Water Polo team to get their thoughts on the water polo club and why they love the sport.

  Expressions: Why did you decide to join water polo?

Senior Cooper Dean: I decided to join the sport was because all my friends were interested in it so I decided to join it as well and I encouraged my brother to join in on it.

Senior James Dean: Why shouldn’t you join water polo? Is that even a question? Water polo has so many reasons that are helpful to you like communication, full body workout, and friendships you didn’t even imagine were even possible with others. Also, you can discover things you didn’t even know about yourself like wrestling for a yellow ball to win.

Senior Zachary Siebenlist: I thought I would never get here due to my speed in the water but over time you start to pick up on it and if you keep practicing it you’ll get better just like anything and the amazing teammates you get to meet like the Dean bros.

Expressions: What’s the hardest thing about water polo for you?

C. Dean: The hardest thing for me is the morning practice because we have to wake up so early just to swim all morning, and do all of it again when swim season comes around which to me is just so boring.

J. Dean: Morning practices. I’m not the type of person to be waking up early and going for a swim. I hate it too since it’s just all conditioning which is super useful but doing all of that for the practices is lame.

Siebenlist: My scheduling. I was playing soccer at the time and it was hard for me to be playing two sports at the same time, but I managed it and I became time efficient which helped me out so much. I don’t regret it at all.

Expressions: Would you recommend someone to join water polo with zero experience?

C. Dean: Absolutely! The coaches were great people and will teach you the basics even if you don’t know anything about polo or swimming. That’s why this sport is so great and noob-friendly.

J. Dean: Definitely. Water polo has taught me so much about myself and I have met my lifelong friends in this sport. It is so beautiful and competitive and if I could I wish I would try it out again for the first time.

Siebenlist: Certainly I would! My friends told me about it and since I was playing soccer I said no until it was summer. It was super hot and since they had a cold pool I finally agreed to it and ever since then I loved the sport. I wished I would’ve said yes [sooner].

  Water polo is an incredibly exciting and dynamic sport. It combines the best elements of swimming, teamwork, and strategy. It’s a fast-paced game that requires endurance, strength, and agility. Plus, it’s a great way to stay fit and active while having a blast with your teammates. The thrill of scoring a goal and the adrenaline rush of defending your net make water polo truly unique and thrilling.

So, if you’re looking for a sport that challenges you both physically and mentally, water polo is the way to go!