Athletes of the Week: JP Mullins and Liam Oakley
Thrown by the opposing team, the ball rockets towards the goal. At the last second, senior JP Mullins propels himself out the water, arms extending out to his sides, and smacks the ball away. The pop resonates throughout the pool and the crowd roars. He picks up the ball and quickly passes to teammate and senior Liam Oakley who skillfully maneuvers around his defender. Oakley passes up as the team transitions to offense, making an assist as Exeter scores.
Oakley and Mullins are co-captains of the boys’ varsity water polo team. In the pool, Mullins is a stalwart goalie and consistent passer that his teammates can rely on. Liam on the other hand, is a fierce defender and sharp shooter—one that can always be trusted with the ball. A “give and take” combination, as Mullins describes the pair, the two are great leaders and great players.
In sixth grade, Mullins decided to try out for football. Not finding the sport appealing, he was convinced by a group of friends to try water polo in seventh grade. He started his first two years in the sport as a field player with rudimentary skills. However, after a sudden four-inch growth spurt over the summer after sixth grade, he transitioned into a goalie. Arriving at Exeter as a new lower, he was double-rostered and played as the third-string goalie. But, with two seniors ahead of him, he knew that he would be the starter for the following year.
“JP stepped up as a captain who really stressed a team mentality, bringing people together. I think people really like that. He’s a vocal leader in the huddle.”
Oakley started playing water polo his prep year, following in the footsteps of his two older brothers who were on the team. Oakley recalled his first water polo memory during preseason. “We were supposed to pair up with an experienced player and Nick DuPont ’14, the captain at the time, picked me and practically drowned me,” Oakley said. It may have been challenging at first, but the unity and brotherhood of the team have drawn him back year after year.
Teammate and upper Taylor Walshe described Mullins as “determined,” “a strong leader” and “passionate.” To Mullins, the title of captain is a large responsibility. The team will compete in 13 games over the course of the season, culminating in Interschols and hopefully, the championships.
Describing Mullins’ leadership, upper Harry Saunders said, “JP stepped up as a captain who really stressed a team mentality, bringing people together. I think people really like that. He’s a vocal leader in the huddle.”
His guidance is especially visible during games. “JP plays goalie and with his view of the pool he yells out commands or pointers to other players while they’re playing,” Walshe said.
To Oakley, the role of captain is nominal. “Being captain means nothing to me. Everyone on the team is just as valuable as the other. We can all look to each other when we need help, whether it be in the pool or out,” he said.
Walshe describes Oakley as “funny, motivated and kind.” This image of Liam seems to be shared by his teammates. “Liam has a lot of enthusiasm, and he can get people pumped up,” Saunders said.
His teammates admire his reliability in games. Saunders praised his skill. “Liam is a reliable guy to put the ball in the hands of; he is always a good shooter,” he said.
Both Mullins and Oakley are known to be captains that are easy to get along with and care for the well-being of all the athletes on the team. Their teammates explained how they help everyone to stay focused and make sure to help any teammate who is struggling. During games, the team rallies around the two of them. Their teammates believe that the captains’ positive mentality and actions are a reason for the team’s success.