By: Camille Serrata, staff writer
The Water Polo season has kicked off to a great start, with familiar players, and a bunch of new faces. The team is one of the most powerful teams that the Bulldogs have; they‘ve been making their community proud.
Players have been working hard during dryland conditioning and pool practices, focusing on pass accuracy, and building water chemistry. With a new season there are new goals, and the team is looking forward to seeing what they can accomplish together in the pool.
“A lot of our upper classmen are doing really good to where the underclassmen are getting a lot of time to play, and adjust to the pace of varsity against high level teams,” Brogan said. “We’re building up comfortable leads against some strong teams from our upper classmen.”
That success comes directly from the program’s defensive mindset and high standards.
“For us, defense is the priority. We aim to hold opponents under five goals for the girls and under eight for the boys,” Brogan said. “It’s about staying focused on defense and playing hard through the final whistle, no matter who is in the pool.”
Seniors like Kim Kulow and goalkeeper Edwin Berglin have taken the lead in setting that standard, keeping morale high during heavy game weeks. Whether it is finishing the last 25 yards of conditioning sets with butterfly instead of freestyle or helping younger players adjust, the leadership has created a family type environment for everybody.
That strong team dynamic is making an impact across the entire roster. Upperclassmen like Madeline Heitt have helped foster an environment where everyone feels connected.
“The chemistry has developed with the upperclassmen because of the bond that they have and how close they are,” Heitt said. “It’s really helped the underclassmen get up in the morning and want to be at practice.”
That support has made it easier for younger athletes to handle the jump to varsity. Underclassmen like Xavier Garcia have stepped up quickly, earning praise for his work ethic and ability to learn on the fly.
“Our team’s underclassmen are stepping into their roles alongside veteran leadership by being able to take constructive criticism without taking it personally,” Garcia said.
While early practices were dominated by conditioning, the team has shifted its focus toward tactical execution and eliminating errors. A change that is already paying off with fewer turnovers and more points on the scoreboard. As the girls varsity water polo team prepare for a major matchup against Ridge Point today at 5 p.m., their strategy remains simple; play their game, stay disciplined, and keep building their momentum.
