Though he is typically a field player, Faugeres currently plays goalie while the other goalie recoveres from injury.
A new Lower from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Theo Faugeres ’21 brings five years of experience to Andover Boys Water Polo. Although typically a field player, Faugeres is currently filling in for the injured starting goalkeeper and has adapted quickly to fit the team’s needs. His experience and knowledge of the game have made a great impression on the team, according to Co-Captains Neil Simpson ’19 and Eric Osband ’19.
Simpson wrote in an email to The Phillipian, “Theo is one of the most experienced water polo players in recent history to come play water polo for Andover. Within the first few weeks of the season, he has already established himself as a leader on the team and does well to us on an even emotional keel during games.”
“Even though he’s only a Lower, [Theo is] a natural leader and he helps motivate us. He also knows how to just follow along and do what he’s told. It’s a very good give-and-take. As a goalie, he sees a whole field and even things our coach doesn’t see — in the timeouts, he’ll always tell us what he’s seeing and tell us how to improve,” added Osband.
For his ability, leadership, and experience, Faugeres has been recognized as The Phillipian’s Athlete of the Week.
When did you start playing water polo?
I started playing water polo four or five years ago, in 2013.
How did you start playing water polo?
I got into water polo because I used to do swimming, and at the place I did my swimming, they had a system where we swam for six months and played water polo for six months. That’s when I was introduced to the sport.
What made you love playing the sport?
Water polo appealed to me because it’s a team sport, so you meet a lot more people, and it’s fun to interact with them both in and out of the water. Also, there’s a lot more strategy to the sport and, in my opinion, it’s just a lot more fun than other sports like swimming.
What role do you play on the team?
Normally, I’m a field player, so either striker or defender. But right now, our goalie is injured, and while he recuperates, I’m filling in as goalie. Once our goalie is ready to play again, I’ll probably move back to being a field player.
What are your thoughts on the current team?
Since I’m a new Lower, I don’t really know how the team was last year. But, in my opinion, we’ve grown a lot over these past few two to three weeks. I feel like we’ve gotten a better understanding of how the game works. We’ve gotten a better technique, better chemistry, and we’ve improved our strategic thinking. Of course, we still have to hone a lot of skills, but I still feel like we’ve made a lot of progress.
What are you most looking forward to this season?
[I am looking forward to] just playing the game overall and also having fun with the guys in the pool.
