Kokones shared that he came into his Junior year at Andover with no prior knowledge about water polo, only choosing to start after a friend encouraged him. Despite the spontaneous decision, he quickly fell in love with the sport and now remains dedicated to his training.
“Freshman year at Andover, I had never heard of water polo before and it wasn’t something that I planned on doing. I had a good friend named Sean [Niu ’25], who I told on the first day of school that I didn’t know what sport to do. He dragged me over to the pool and said, ‘Get in, let’s do some water polo.’ Ever since then, I’ve just been hooked on it. It’s been my new favorite thing, and it’s the sport that I resonate with the most,” said Kokones.
Jeffery Lim ’27 noted that one of Kokones’ strengths is his awareness of the team dynamic and his ability to stabilize its energy. Kokones expertly balances positivity and focus, serving as a role model for his teammates.
“So we have two Captains. I would say Jason’s more like the louder one. He definitely knows when the team is up, which is good on both ends, cause the team can’t be too up… he just keeps us on track, even when we’re down. He tries to be positive, telling us there’s no problem with all that. So just a very positive mindset overall,” said Lim.
Kokones mentioned how Head Coach David Fox let players who participated in a game on Saturday take the following Monday’s practice off. However, Kokones still chose to train with his teammates who were not present at the game, providing mentorship and advice to newer players.
“After our games on Saturday, our coach gave Monday off to everyone who played. Some of the newer kids didn’t go because they were still gaining experience, so instead of skipping practice, I jumped in to train with them. I taught a few skills and shared tips including things I learned from my own role models when I was new to the sport. I also hold them accountable, offering suggestions and demonstrating techniques. It’s my way of paying forward what I was taught, and hopefully, they’ll do the same when they improve and become leaders,” said Kokones.
Similarly, Kokones aims to create a supportive environment that is conducive to learning and gaining experience, especially for less experienced players. Alexander Ren ’26 shared that Kokones accomplishes this through his kind and compassionate approach.
“He’s a really supportive guy who is really willing to help the newer people on the team. Jason has always been a fun and nice person to be around, both in and out of the pool. We have team dinners occasionally, maybe once a week or so, and he always will mention ways he thinks that team can improve” said Ren.
Lim also highlighted Kokones’ leadership both in and out of the pool. When running into teammates outside of practice, Kokones makes sure to check in on them and improve their day any way he can.
“Because a lot of people think he has a leader mentality. But also when you see him outside, he definitely makes it fun. Making sure your day’s going well or if you look depressed or something, [he’ll] make sure that he does something to [cheer] up your day,” said Lim.
Looking forward to the season, Kokones has many aspirations for his team. With values like focus and discipline, he hopes to forge a culture of competitiveness and commitment to improve both individually and as a team.
“Throughout this season, I’m trying to create a culture within the water polo team where we have both a desire to win and also a desire to improve ourselves. That starts with focus, discipline, and doing things the right way. I am really determined to instill those elements within the team,” said Kokones.