After becoming Bay League champions in last year’s Bay League Tournament, the boys water polo team start the season off strong. The team has continued to maintain their momentum through even some of the toughest games. 

“This season has challenged me as a coach because we are playing against some of the top teams in the open division throughout the preliminary games in our season,” coach Zach Graper said. 

“Anytime we face the top competition both coaching and player wise it’s always a challenge and it stacks you up against the best of them. We’re really excited for this playoff push because we have spent all season playing teams in open division and we will be in Division One.”

By starting the season off playing some of the strongest teams in California, they have developed new skills both in and out of the game. 

“This season is the first year it feels like it’s truly my own team,” Graper said. 

“Obviously, last year I joined the coaching staff in August just before our first couple games. We didn’t have a long time as a group this year. I’ve had most of this group for a full year and I had the opportunity to take the majority of them to Croatia through our club team. It’s been a group that we get to work together to develop a full preseason and we’re really excited about where we are at.”

This season, Graper has had time to develop relationships with his players to truly excel as a coach. Along with a dedicated coach, the boys have built a good culture in the pool. 

“I am constantly being pushed by my teammates to improve,” senior team captain Aidan Olson said. 

“They are very competitive and they push me to work harder thus making me a better player.”

The improvements the team have made this year have led them to winning yet another Bay League championship.

 As the team has gotten stronger this year, so have their chances of achieving their goal of a CIF title. 

“Some major goals we set this year was to both win the Bay League and to win a CIF title,” Olson said. 

“So far we have completed one of these goals which was winning the Bay League and we are on the right path towards hopefully winning a title in CIF Division One.

As a team, they were able to strengthen skills both in and out of the water. By becoming more connected this year, they have achieved many of their goals and are excited to advance in the future.