Boys Water Polo Adapts to Pandemic Constraints
By Henry Liu
The pandemic has caused Boys’ Water Polo to lose an important aspect of their sport: the water. Limited access to the pool has forced the athletes to adapt to new practice methods. While many of Exeter’s interscholastic teams have had to change up their training regime, Boy’s Water Polo, in particular, has had to make major changes to how their workouts and practices are conducted.
The athletes have had to switch to creative methods of workouts in order to replicate the aquatic sport on land. Senior Josh Yu described some of the innovative methods that the team is currently implementing into their practices. “We do drills on land, such as passing from a kneeling position or target practice shooting. We also go to Hatch Field and play a modified version of handball using the field hockey nets, known as ‘land polo,’” he said.
The team has also incorporated cardio and lifts into their training. As senior Nick Garey pointed out, “We cannot use Downer for lifts yet, so Coach [Shaun Fishel] has set up a rudimentary weight room near the stadium that we train in. We do team runs and workouts with Coach Fish.”
These team workouts are done with careful attention to the social distancing guidelines. “We are sanitizing hands, balls and other equipment. Staying six feet apart at all times is a priority, and Coach [Don] Mills is giving us ten push-ups when we aren’t as a punishment,” senior Aren Mizuno said. Mizuno noted that wearing masks while working out is a bit like “altitude training.”
“The team is trying their best to stay socially distant and sanitized to keep the other members of the community safe,” Yu added.
Even with no games planned for the season, the team is still motivated to train hard. “The team dynamic is really what motivates us. Even though we don’t have a season this fall and many seniors won’t play polo in college, we keep the intensity up with friendly competition and a focus on preparing the younger guys to take on leadership roles next year and come back better than ever,” Garey said. “Our team’s culture has always been one of relentless intensity, and we see this virus as just another challenge to overcome.”
Coach Avery Reavill maintained a positive outlook on the rest of the season. “I’m looking forward to working with the teams to create a competitive environment,” he said. “We’ll eventually have the chance to scrimmage within our squad and I think that will bring a lot of energy to our practices”
“I’m personally very excited for the preps and lowers to join us, as they are the future of our program,” Garey added. “I hope to pass down to them the same passion that seniors impressed upon me when I first joined the team. This is a special team, and they will have to carry the torch sooner than they realize.”