3/28 – Andover: 10, Hopkins: 2
3/28 – Andover: 17, Williston: 3
On Saturday, Girls Water Polo (2–0) kicked off its season with victories against Hopkins and Williston, scoring in the double digits while maintaining strong defense in both games. Despite having a short time to prepare and many players coming back after extended periods away from the sport, the team’s determination propelled it to victory in the first game of the season.
The practices leading up to the game focused on getting the team settled into a steady rhythm to prepare it for the upcoming season. Camden Schopler ’27 noted that the players had only a week to prepare for the game, and most practices centered around the basics of the sport, such as swimming and simple drills, to build a foundation.
“We had a very short time to prepare, only a week. The main preparation went into swimming and water pool skills without using any of the balls to try to get the new players and some of the returning players back into the groove of things. We did some scrimmages and simple drills to try to get people back into water polo because they hadn’t played in a year,” said Schopler.
Djenabou Bah ’28 praised multiple team members, including new players, for their standout performances during the game, reflecting on how their commitment and adaptability contributed to the team’s overall success. These players, Anna Tinkova ’26, Mary Li ’29, and Camden Schopler ’27, not only demonstrated technical skills, but also essential team skills like communication and awareness.
“We had this new player who’s completely new to water polo. Her name is Anna [Tinkova ’26]. She did very well because we were learning really fast paced, but she was able to defend and listen to others while we were giving her points. She’s a very good listener and did well. We also had diverse shooters. Mary [Li ’29], who’s a new [Junior] to the team, got at least four to five goals. Camden [Schopler ’27] did really [well] as well,” said Bah.
Bah described the team’s strategic approach for its first game, which was to prioritize safety and steady execution over taking risks. She credited the team for balancing instruction for newcomers while helping returning players regain their flow.
“This was our first week playing water polo, so we were trying to help teach new players and help returners get warmed up as well. Our plan was to try to stick to good defense and offense and try to get through the game as smoothly as possible. With very limited time and trying to teach new players how to play as well, I believe we did a good job,” said Bah.
Helen McNeely ’29 highlighted the team’s positive energy and support before the game, which made a lasting impact on its performance. She emphasized the role of the upperclassmen, who were able to build confidence and ease nerves going into the game.
“There [are] only a couple lowerclassmen, so a lot of the upperclassmen knew the skill levels of the teams. When we were going into the game, it was nice to feel the energy from the locker room, especially for me as a newer flyer. It was a nice, supportive environment, and it was very encouraging too,” said McNeely.
Schopler mentioned that the win against Hopkins as well as the following victory on the same day at Williston will give the team courage to defeat its next opponents in the coming week.
“Since we won both of our games because we had two games on Saturday, it will definitely be motivation to win our next two games coming up this Saturday, and it definitely motivated the team in regards to winning because a lot of us were nervous going into the games. That definitely will have an impact on our mental state going into these next two games we have this Saturday,” said Schopler.
This Saturday, Girls Water Polo will take on a doubleheader against Deerfield and Greenwich Academy.
