Water Polo

When I started high school, waaaay back when…I would have NEVER in my wildest dreams thought I’d go to college and play something other than softball.

Softball was in my blood.

Started t-ball when I was 4 years old…on a team with all boys. Crazy enough I still am in contact with a good few of them to this day. But from the age of 4 until I was 18 I played for Southridge Little League.

Being at the ball park was the norm. Some of my BEST childhood memories were formed at the park and relationships were made that will last a lifetime! I remember being sat down by my little league coach and being told he thought I had a great chance of making varsity softball. My dream!

Pics from my senior year on the FoHi softball team.
PS. Most of the pics in this post are photos of photos…no digital of my oldie days

So I entered high school a timid little freshman….and to this day I’m not exactly sure what made me and my girlfriends (who also never played anything other than softball too) try out for the boys polo team, but we did. Got my MOTHERS one piece bathing suit….yes I just said my MOTHERS suit (how horrifyingly embarrassing).  And we hopped into the water and tried our best amongst the dudes. I don’t remember details BUT we didn’t end up playing with them…we ended up being their stats girls and started the winter season by joining the BRAND new girls polo team.

After a polo game my freshman year (NOT in my mothers suit)…and the sign on the side of my homecoming court car…summed me up…polo & softball!!

I loved it…from day one. Being a softball player throwing/shooting the ball was my specialty….swimming was where I needed improvement. But I played polo…4 year varsity letterman (which isn’t hard to do when the program is brand new) and was also a 4 year letterman for the softball team as well.  Managed the boys teams in the fall, played polo in the winter and softball in the spring. Life was great!

Some pics of me playing ball in high school. Notice how I was too cool for a swim cap…I was so stubborn “I’m not a swimmer, so I’m NOT wearing a swim cap!!”  I was an idiot! lol

 

Out of high school I didn’t want to move away, I didn’t want to make my parents pay lots of money for college, so I opted to go to RCC. I played polo (well the first year I just watched a lot of polo from the bench) and swam. First time ever on a swim team was my freshman year in college. That season I realized how much of an idiot I was to NOT swim in high school. I improved so quickly. By the end of my first season I placed in the top 16 in my conference for breast stroke (which I only started swimming 2 weeks prior to finals). I caught on quickly.

Those 2 years at RCC were probably the best 2 years of my life. Being part of that program was EXACTLY what I needed after high school…I started playing polo there 5 months after we lost Paul…and most people on team knew nothing about me (except for the few that came from FoHi with me) so it was nice. Those girls never even realized what they did for me.

After my 2 amazing years at RCC I thought my polo days were over. Time to grow up and get a job while going to school. UNTIL the Cal State San Bernardino coach gave me a call. She wanted me to come out for their team. Parents were very encouraging of me to play and not rush growing up. Soooo I went out. Walked on the deck to learn that the coach whom had recruited me had moved on to a different college. I’m so happy that I never let this passion go…i continued to play there, eventually earning a scholarship and became one of the captains of the team my senior year.

My Senior year team…yes thats me sitting with the LONG Rapunzel hair!

CSUSB Seniors c/o 2004
 

2004 was my last year ever competing in water polo.

Now 10 years later, 2014, our annual alumni game meant so much more to us…CSUSB has decided to cut the polo program to add a womens track and field program. This place we loved and grew up with was going to be shut down. Sad right?!?

 

It was a great game. Much better than last year when I wasn’t exactly in shape to be playing and broke my rib getting my fat-ass out of the pool (Ella was ONLY 11 weeks old last year…so cut me some slack!)

This year my babies cheered me on!

 

As we pulled up to CSUSB Ella decided her tummy wasn’t feeling great and barfed ALL OVER her car seat….ugh! Why won’t I ever learn to put a backup outfit into my car?!? So an Ellen onesie had to do!

 

 

Last Alumni Group to play at CSUSB…many many years of great times between us all!

My polo career has officially ended….like REALLY officially! No more competing, no more going back to pretend to compete…its done! Many years of greatness, fun, learning, maturing and making life long friendships!

Thanks to all my polo “friends”….those were the days!