The Bearcat » Water Polo

8 Things To Know About Water Polo

Jonathan Mou — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:26:30 +0000

Nails are checked before each game to prevent any unnecessary injuries.
It is illegal to touch the floor of the pool.
Players wear two speedos, a second in case the first one rips.
The role of team captain is decided by the strongest player.
It average player sweats up to a gallon of sweat over the course of a game.
An average 7000 calories are consumed by polo players before any game.
SM Polo has broken over 20 bones of its competitors over the years.
Pulling down speedos slowers other players down.

JV Water Polo look forward to have a great season

Kyle Kang — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:37:08 +0000

As the water polo season started on the first day of school, the JV water polo team is now busy recruiting their squad. Unlike last year, Boys’ water polo now has an incredible coach, Blake Hardin. As a former olympians, coach Blake graduated from John Hopkins University with four-years top swimmer on his swim team, and he now works at BAC as master water polo coach. With such strong reinforcement, JV boys aimed their goal on winning championship this year.

“We definitely need to work on our endurance to swim consistently because that’s the easiest job you can achieve at the game. We are confident and realistic, and I will try my best to prepare my teams,” said Blake Hardin. Although the water polo teams have a few of new players, they still have a long way to go.

“Practice is pretty tough for new guys because we work on conditioning for an hour every day. We swim at least a mile at the beginning, and we start off the passing and skill training afterward. Even though the practice is kind of exhausting, I would still love this sport,” said Andrew Ken, a candidate to be the next Dylan Babbs of the team.

“I enjoy water polo because I get to meet new people and learn new skills every day. I enjoy it especially because it allows me to exercise each different aspect of the full capability of the human body in one complex yet fun sport. Due to the increase of freshman and the enhancements of sophomores’ overall improvements, the chance of our improved skill this season is much expected.” said Yash Plorer a Sophomore .

“Water polo takes time to understand and enjoy the game. If you are not a person that commits to something and gives up then water polo is not for you. I enjoy water polo because I like to meet and talk with my friends and meet with new friends. I think this year the JV water polo team will do much better with the increase in our skills.” Said Paolo Castillo a Sophomore.

Water polo is a sport that takes time and commitment. The JV water polo team is determined to do much better this year and try their hardest to win all their games. They practice Monday through Friday after school, and they even practice on their own time outside of school.

Water Polo Celebrates Spectacular Success

The Bearcat — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 07:20:54 +0000

Coming into the game, the men knew they had a good chance, based on their extraordinary skill and indestructible bravery. By the first quarter however, they were losing to Woodside 0-3.

Luckily, the guys got their act together and the awe-inspiring goalie, Peter Wailes, came into play. The third quarter brought SMHS six goals, putting them in the lead. Overconfidence plagued the players, and by the end of the game, they were tied and needed to prove their superiority in overtime. Junior captain Jack Halet scored two goals, winning the game for Mateo.

“I’m ecstatic,” exclaimed senior Peter Wailes. When asked about the win, super-talented sophomore players Zachary Wolf and Tom McCall rejoiced in a high-five with a touch of “swag”. No doubt, the players are rightfully proud of their victory over Woodside Priory.

I had the immense pleasure of taking Peter Wailes and senior Alex Glasson out on a celebratory photo shoot. The confidence beaming from their saucy smirks and chiseled abs exude hope for the remaining

water polo season.

Sadly, the water polo season only has a couple games left. Nonetheless, the boys would love the support of their fellow bearcats, both in the stands and in the halls. Make sure to congratulate them on their extraordinary success and overall fearlessness this season.

The SMHS boy’s varsity water polo team won its first game in two years recently against Woodside Priory. Dominating the opposing team with two dramatic overtime goals, the SMHS water polo team really showed how powerful it can be. Coming into the game, the men knew they had a good chance, based on their extraordinary skill and indestructible bravery. By the first quarter however, they were losing to Woodside 0-3. Luckily, the guys got their act together and the awe-inspiring goalie, Peter Wailes, came into play. The third quarter brought SMHS six goals, putting them in the lead. Overconfidence plagued the players, and by the end of the game, they were tied and needed to prove their superiority in overtime. Junior captain Jack Halet scored two goals, winning the game for Mateo. “I’m ecstatic,” exclaimed senior Peter Wailes. When asked about the win, super-talented sophomore players Zachary Wolf and Tom McCall rejoiced in a high-five with a touch of “swag”. No doubt, the players are rightfully proud of their victory over Woodside Priory. I had the immense pleasure of taking Peter Wailes and senior Alex Glasson out on a celebratory photo shoot. The confidence beaming from their saucy smirks and chiseled abs exude hope for the remaining water polo season. Sadly, the water polo season only has a couple games left. Nonetheless, the boys would love the support of their fellow bearcats, both in the stands and in the halls. Make sure to congratulate them on their extraordinary success and overall fearlessness this season.

Water Polo Wades In Looking for Victory

The Bearcat — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:12:30 +0000

The boys of San Mateo High are hitting the water once again. A special group comprised of the school’s most alluring, confident, and brave young men, the boy’s varsity water polo team is sure that it will do well this season. “We are confident, but realistic,” said J.J Halet, junior captain.

The team has played three games so far—one against Aragon, another versus Half Moon Bay, and the most recent one against Terra Nova—all of which it lost. “Those were tough teams and the scores were close, so we still hold our heads high,” said Dylan Babbs.

Even though Dylan claims that his team is perfect, J.J. Halet thinks that his men have more to improve on. “We need to get the fundamentals down, work together, and defend more effectively,” he said.

Practicing for two and a half hours every day, they’re working extraordinarily hard to smooth out the kinks and accomplish their goals.

The team has many goals for the season. A major one is to beat Aragon’s team in the next match against them. In the last match against the Dons, the San Mateo team played a fierce game, only losing 8-9 by a last-minute shot. Frustrated, our boys are determined. “We’ll show Aragon who’s boss,” said Dylan.

As of now, the team remains self-assured and optimistic. The captains feel ready to play the upcoming games and lead their team to their first victory in over a year. But they need the love from their fellow Bearcats.

So be sure to come out and watch the San Mateo High School boys’ varsity water polo team on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. “The support is much appreciated!” exclaimed senior superstar Marcello Palazzo.

(The Speedos are reason enough to come out and support the team.)

Girls’ Water Polo Can’t Play

Francine Cohen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:19:02 +0000

Swimming, passing a ball, and being defended by other players is the game-play in one distressing game: water polo. This heat wave might be the best time to play in the cool blue pool water, but unfortunately this year’s girls’ water polo team was not as good as some motivated individuals wanted to start off their school year.

All fall sports teams are required to turn in a yellow athletic card, which registers you and your team to play by August 11. But the girl’s team, which consisted of only nine people, wasn’t able to turn in their athletic clearance forms in time. Most athletes are intimidated by the alarming stories they hear from other water polo players, which is why this team is extremely hard to recruit people for. The team needed seven players to play, but even more importantly, the “athletic club” won’t recognize your team unless there are ten ladies signed up. Trying to recruit as many players as possible during the first week of school, the girl’s water polo team only consisted of four players. Thanks to Facebook, the team managed to pull a nine-squad team together. Finally, they approached one more girl to sign up who agreed. However, six of the girls still needed to renew their physicals and get their yellow cards the next day.

Sadly, this is the second year in a row that there hasn’t been a girls’ water polo team. This means get out next year ready to play for a competitive but fun team!

Georgia Brown, a senior who was a former water polo player stated, “It’s sad because everyone that signed up to play was really excited, I know we would have had a fabulous time.” Brown also said in a more positive tone, “We tried our hardest to pull everyone together to try and get physicals that night, but it was just impossible.”

Although there isn’t a girl’s team this year, the guys have a full team registered and are ready to play their 2010 season. Come out to the pool and show them your support as they pull off a win playing in the sun!