Three times a week, I get to go to Schaal Aquatic Center, get in the pool, and surround myself with powerful, strong women for the next two hours. I have been playing on the women’s club water polo team for three years now and every season I am so impressed with the women I play with. Together, we push ourselves and each other physically and mentally through difficult practices, rough games, losses, and victories. We learn from each other and make each other better players. My teammates’ skills and love of the game are not just what inspires me and makes them so strong in my eyes. By being on this team I am introduced to women from all backgrounds, passions, and interests. They come to practice and talk about their upcoming tests, internships, jobs, and daily life activities reminding me that my friends are successful and hard workers. Playing with this group of supportive women has allowed me to find my place at Davis in an environment that supports athleticism, women, and a balance between the sport and the other aspects of our lives.
Getting to play with this team has completely changed my Davis experience. The sport is where I go to de-stress with some of my favorite people in the whole world. It’s a special feeling when you get to play with, learn from, and lose or succeed with some of your best friends.
Every practice I am amazed by how all these other women show up in the breaks in their busy lives to practice. College is difficult, and while it can be hard to take time away from studying and other college experiences, playing on a women’s team has been my support system, place to escape the stress, and place to get guidance on how to be a better player and human. I think getting to work with a large group of women is really important and it has definitely impacted my life for the better. Looking up after a hard set during practice to the faces of my hardworking teammates makes me feel a part of something strong. So thank you, my powerful teammates, for working so hard, inspiring me, and for building each other up.
All photos are courtesy of the author