With the addition of a number of freshmen, the girls water polo team is determined to beat old records and reach new heights, Coach Rodrick Rowell said.

“It’s unusual to have freshmen play, but the team is balanced and the chemistry is really great,” Rowell said. “We all just want to play our best water polo at the end of the year and be as competitive as we can be.”

Junior Mary Henderson said she hopes to channel the team’s spirit and competitive energy into making the playoffs and then advancing past the first round of CCS.

“We just need to carry our energy throughout the season and not give up,” she said

Junior Grace Gormley said she is excited to compete against new opponents and try for CCS, said she said she also hopes to create a fun team dynamic that will make the sport enjoyable for the season.

“I want us to have a really positive season and just have fun out there playing the best games,” she said.

Henderson also said she plans to strengthen the team’s community by helping the freshmen acclimate to high school life beyond the pool deck.

“We’re trying to involve them and support them in their new adventures, whether that be helping them with math homework or explaining something that they don’t understand in the game, especially since they’re on varsity now,” Henderson said.

Gormley sad helping the freshmen adjust to a more challenging form of water polo is also part of the team agenda.

“Water polo in high school is very different from club,” Gormley said. “So, while they have a lot of game experience and loads of talent, it’s going to be kind of a big jump for them to get used to varsity water polo.”

With the new players accounted for, a rigorous schedule and an optimistic mindset, Gormley said the team feels ready to conquer local opponents, qualify for playoffs and make it to CCS.

“We’re going to face a lot of fun opponents this year,” Gormley said. “But we’re also going to progress our game, get better as a team and just have a lot of fun.”