With the boys’ winter swim season ending and the girls’ season having wrapped up in the fall, spring brings a new opportunity for anyone to jump in the pool: the start of the water polo season. Last year, the girl’s team finished sixth in their conference, while the boys placed third. Tryouts began on March 3, and the teams are looking to improve.

Both teams have new coaches this year, Matt Block for the boys and Mikaela Jopes for the girls. Due to limited practice facilities, the boys will train at Niles West, while the girls will practice at Niles North. When games are hosted at West, they will take place at the Vikings pool.

Hosting a mix of returning and new athletes, the boys hope to give their all in the pool and work hard to achieve their goals.

“We will set our goals together, as a team, as the season gets going. The boys swim team is coming off their first conference championship, and a lot of those athletes are returning for water polo. It is going to be a very exciting season with a lot of standout athletes,” Block said.

For the athletes, no matter if they are in the pool or out, everyone contributes to the wins and losses. To have a successful season, the players want to strengthen their chemistry.

“What I want to grow in specifically is definitely teamwork because, in the water, it is all about communication and working together to score points. It doesn’t matter as much if each individual is good as it does to how well everyone works with each other,” junior Jeffrey Le said.

While some coaches might be hesitant about their new job, Jopes is not. She is ready to cultivate a winning and welcoming environment for the girls’ team. She hopes to make them better athletes and people.

“My goals as a coach are to focus on building a strong work ethic, fostering teamwork and creating a supportive environment both in and out of the pool…I want both returning and new team members to continue building their water polo skills, but I also want them to build confidence, communicate well, bounce back from challenges and support each other,” Jopes said.

Although the group finished sixth out of 12 last season, they are determined to make progress. This spring, they aim to improve in all aspects and end games on a strong note.

“[We need to work on] offense, our passing and shots on goal. If we can move the ball and get in position to get good shots off, we’re going to be scoring a lot. We have a lot of experience on the team and know what it takes to win…Playing to our strengths and getting the best out of everyone will take us far,” junior Eva Acosta said.