Water Polo Back in Pool with Experience

SIDNEY AUNG
Staff Writer
The AHS varsity water polo team is driven to be a powerful contender in the Almont League and is hoping for changes that will help their performance. With a different strategy and a new mindset, the Moors are looking forward to showing their capabilities.
Compared to last season, this year’s team consists of several returning players who are more than willing to share their wisdom and experience with the new members. It is a luxury for Head Coach Sarah Duran and Assistant Coach Nathan Duran, who are only in their second year of coaching, to have their players learning from each other.
“We’re allowing players to make more decisions because, ultimately, [they] know what’s going to benefit them,” said Sarah Duran.
This year, one of the team’s goals is to learn from the mistakes they made during their preseason games and apply their newfound knowledge to Almont League games. Fatigue is a critical issue and hinders the team’s ability to perform at their full potential. With a fairly small team, players have to stay in the game for a longer period of time with less rest.
“It’s important to maintain our focus during the game, all 28 minutes of it. When you’re tired, it’s impossible to perform at your best,” said Sarah Duran.
Another focus for the team is to share the ball more in order to open up opportunities to take smarter shots. They are emphasizing contribution towards a common goal and are confident that self-glory will not be an issue this year.
In the meantime, the coaches are instituting a demanding practice schedule consisting of weekends and mornings to create more bonding time for the players. The team agrees that it is crucial for everyone to work towards building team chemistry.
“The great thing about this year’s team is that we’re all close [to each other]. We push each other to strive for success, both in and out of the water,” said Captain Patrick Yin.