The water polo team has not lost a single Inter-Ac game since 2018. Year after year, the team remains at the top of the Inter-Ac no matter how many iterations the team goes through, and under the leadership of Sixth Formers and Captains Bram Schork and Jake LaRocca, this year is looking to be no different. Despite having a young team with as many as twenty underclassmen, the Fords are looking to continue the decorated legacy with yet another dominant season.
How? Simple: by continuing the tightly-knit team dynamic that the water polo team has always embodied.
“It’s important as a leader to bring everyone together and be a family, not just a team.”
Jake Larocca ’22
“We’re going to win games, but I’d rather win games with my best friends than win games with people who I just go to high school with,” LaRocca said. “It’s important as a leader to bring everyone together and be a family, not just a team.”
“We have good players, but the legacy of the water polo team is defined by how well everybody is connected to each other,” Schork said. “It’s the closest knit team I’ve ever been on, and the way that we play together is what makes us so good. As important as it is in the pool, truly the success comes from being good teammates to each other.”
Indeed, this brotherhood between players has contributed immensely to the team’s continued success. Outside the pool, the captains strive to make sure everybody is involved. Whether it be through team lunches, group chats, or fantasy football leagues, making personal connections is a vital part of being on the water polo team.
LaRocca and Schork remain diligent, even with their past success, and know not to take any game for granted; they are always looking to unleash the maximum potential out of their roster. The team will be practicing with multiple lineups, rotating players in and out of the pool. This means that the starting lineup may change every match, giving the already talented team much breathing room and flexibility in strategy and players.
“We’ve already played two matches and had the opportunity to give some younger players varsity experience,” LaRocca said.
Beyond another Inter-Ac championship, the water polo team is eyeing another Easterns win, and it is clear that the team has the talent, grit, and passion to earn that honor.
Schork said, “We didn’t get a chance last year, so the opportunity to snag another banner is what everybody is looking forward to.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.