Girls water polo prepares for uncertain, challenging season

Head Coach: Jerome Chung

Last year’s record: 1-11

Recap: Last year, the team struggled to find success with their new coach.

Key Additions: Sophomores Olivia Green and Rosie Kline, freshman Ryder Gangemi and Victoria Le

Key Matchups: Santa Clara (placed second at CCS last season)

Star Players: Seniors Grace Stuart, Morgan Bruun-Jensen, Grace Green

Key losses to graduation: Sammy Mokhberi, Julia Yoo, Emma Cooper, Nadia Selby

League: El Camino

Prognosis: 

Since practices began mid-September, the team has been conditioning and doing socially distanced drills directed by the head coach, Jerome Chung. Chung coached girls’ varsity water polo two years ago and has returned after a year of coaching the men’s team. (This year he is coaching both teams.) “We were really excited to be back with our old coach Jerome because he knew all of us and how we played really well,” senior Grace Green said. “He is super good at encouraging us to do our best.”

The pandemic has forced water polo practices to solely be focused on swimming, shooting and ball movement, as COVID-19 guidelines prevent playing contact.

To best abide by COVID-19 precautions, players were using a single lane in the pool and each having a designated area to change and keep their belongings to ensure little to no contact. They were additionally required to undergo a quick temperature check before they enter practice and go through COVID-19 questionnaire prior to each practice to verify that they have not experienced symptoms of the coronavirus or been exposed to potentially ill people.

Despite having reformed practices and them being closed due to covid worsening, Green was happy to be back.

“Getting back to playing has been good for everyone because we’re able to be at least working out and again we can see some people after a long time of being quarantined,” Green said.