Push for the pool: Area program trying to grow water polo popularity
Ringgold High School rising junior Danika Evans powers up to throw a pass during water polo practice.
Pictured are swimmers that are participating in an introductory practices to learn how to play water polo. Practices are held Mondays and Wednesdays and run through October at South Park High School. Ages 13-18 can participate and can register with the Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Club at www.americanwaterpolo.com. From left are: (front) Katie and Emily Jackovic; (back) Emily Jackovic, Danika Evans and Emma Organist.
Katie Jackovic attempts to take a shot on goal while being defended by Danika Evans.
Emily Jackovic is pressured during water polo practice
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Joie Marhefka looks to take a shot while being defended by Katie Jackovic (21) and Danika Evans, back, during a water polo practice at South Park High School.
Emma Organist attempts to shoot over a defender during water polo practice at South Park High School.
Water polo is a sanctioned PIAA sport, but North Allegheny is one of the only high schools in Western Pennsylvania offering the activity.
Christian Achilles wants to change that.
By creating the Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo program, the South Park Aquatics Club coach hopes to plant the seeds for growth in the sport throughout the South Hills and in Washington County.
“The idea here is to have some of the other swim clubs in the area combine to form a bigger team with the hopes of eventually building up enough interest in the area where we can branch out to different teams,” Achilles said. “Then have our own league in the western Pennsylvania area.”
Danika Evans started playing water polo at Achilles’ urging. The rising Ringgold High School junior swims for the South Park Aquatics Club.
“Christian said that we needed people, so I showed up and it’s fun,” she said. “It’s my first time ever playing.”
While she had watched “a game or two” from the Olympics on television, Evans knew it was competitive but didn’t know how much work it entailed.
“I really liked how competitive it was. They were getting so into it and going at each other,” Evans said. “It’s more involved than swimming. It’s working on the muscles groups and things that are different than just swimming laps. I think swimming is a little big harder, personally, but these practices are pretty difficult. Just the treading is really hard. It takes your breath away and it takes (air) out of your legs.”
Water polo has taken Evans’ breath away enough that she is even considering to compete in the sport in college. She also plan to continue her successful swimming career.
Competing in the freestyle and butterfly, Evans qualified for the WPIAL championships on a relay team. She wants to guide the relay team back to the championships, along with advancing to the district finals in an individual event next season.
Evans hopes to shape the future of water polo in the region. She wants to see the program get off the ground.
“I feel like it would be a great opportunity for kids in the area. Have some fun and come together more rather than just the swim team,” she said. “We can have a water polo team, too.”
Evans has spread the word to her friends about her experiences in the short time of competing in water polo.
“Water polo is a good workout. It’s fun,” she added.
The sport is beneficial to swimmers both mentally and physically. Water polo certainly helped Achilles when he competed. He was a WPIAL runner-up and a fifth-place finisher at states in the 100-yard breaststroke in 2009.
“Water polo reinvigorated my interest in swimming. The sports play off each other,” Achilles said. “Polo kept me in the water more and my swimming got better.”
Achilles remembers a time when South Park, Chartiers Valley and Seneca Valley actually competed against the North Allegheny. In fact, he played water polo for four years when South Park supported a club.
Achilles noted he would not have been able to swim a sub-minute breaststroke were it not for developing his kick by playing water polo.
So throughout the summer and into the fall, Achilles developed the program to introduce the sport to any interested area athlete from 13 to 18 years old. Summer practices run from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Mondays. Times shift to 7:30 to 9 p.m. on the same days throughout the fall months.
Scrimmages and games will be played against the Tiger Water Polo Club and two travel tournaments are planned for later this year.
“You don’t have to be a competitive swimmer to play water polo,” Achilles said. “The overall goal is just to get kids interested in water polo and swimming.”
To register, email achilleschristian@gmail.com.