Spring is just around the corner and that means spring sports are on their way.  Instead of discussing how far the baseball and soccer teams are expected to go this year, why not talk about one of the most underestimated sports at Portage Northern, women’s water polo.  

Water polo is an intense sport that could be described as a mix between basketball, wrestling and hockey but with a twist, it’s in a pool!  Coming up on spring means that hot weather is making its way to Portage and what better way to cool off than jumping in a pool with some super cool teammates from both PN and PC. That’s right, it’s a co-op, with crosstown rivals coming together to make an amazing team.

Senior Emma Tiongson says, “Ever since I joined the team freshman year it’s been my favorite sport.  There’s just something about it that fires me up. I will admit I’ve gotten in trouble at the boys polo games for yelling too loud in the stands.  There’s nothing else out there like polo.” Women’s water polo is a sport that is often looked over at PN and is often forgotten, which is surprising considering the amount of action in water polo.

Polo gives you the chance to work on your swimming skills as well as your teamwork and leadership skills.  “I think polo practices are pretty unique in the scope of high school sports. Everyday we warm up with some swimming and treading, but after that anything is fair game.  It’s generally pretty chill and fun, you get lots of time to bond with your teammates,” says Tiongson.

This team shows that Portage Northern and Portage Central can work together as great teammates and it is a great representation of teamwork and hard work.  Coach Jim Schafer says, “It has always been rewarding to coach a team that is representing Portage rather than separate schools.”

Junior Kate Diamond says, “People should join water polo because it’s an incredible sport that people don’t normally have an opportunity to play.  This means being a total beginner isn’t going to hold you back one bit! You just have to be willing to give your all at practice, which isn’t hard when you have as much fun as we do.”  The pre-season for water polo has begun, but the team is still accepting members. Interested students should come to practice Monday March 5th or Wednesday March 7th at 3:30 at the PC pool to see what water polo is all about.