This is my first year in water polo but from my couple weeks into it, there’s actually a lot to say about it.

If you have a swimming background, I think you’ll be fine, but of course that doesn’t automatically mean you’re a good player. Will being fast help you in water polo? Yes, definitely, but being fast isn’t everything.  You need to literally learn how to play rough in the water.

What I’m about to tell you hasn’t happened to me yet considering I haven’t played a legit game, but based off of other players that I’ve talked to on the team, you will get hurt one way or another.

“Well, it depends who you’re messing with. If you’re playing dirty, they’re gonna play dirty back. And that’s in every game. Accept the fact you’re gonna get punched, elbowed, kneed, pinched, drowned, head butted, have your suit torn or pulled on, and you’d have to be willing to do the same to them. Overall though it’s fun. You’re also gonna get ticked at the ref for not seeing the other team blatantly punch you in the face. But you’re gonna love it when he doesn’t see you doing them same thing” said Colten Graham, a team member on the water polo team.

As you know, the entire team practices at Pacheco High three days a week for two hour practices. We do a bunch of laps, but we also work on our plays, USLA; which is pretty much practicing passing and shooting the ball into the goal, and other work outs. In the end, water polo is a very fun and underrated sport that I have a new respect for.