Looking back on my youth, opportunities to compete and play water polo seemed endless.
I was blessed to have an accomplished water polo player as a father, who would regularly play in Sunday scrimmages with his college buddies and local polo enthusiasts that I could tag along to and get some extra game time on my days off. It was like a pick-up basketball game, with high schoolers and solid 40 & 50 year old players. These scrimmages truly forged my love of the sport.
The Premier League gave me another opportunity to practice with the Cal and Stanford team’s as a 17-18 year old. It was an absolute gift to be practicing in the same pool as these elite collegiate players and to be learning from John Vargas and Kirk Everist as a youth. It was an eye opener for me about the focus, intensity, and competitiveness with which these elite programs prepared.
High school eligibility requirements are having unintended consequences on athletic development, potentially hindering the growth and progress of young athletes in sport. While these rules are designed to maintain “fairness” and ensure student-athletes prioritize staying with the same teams, they are creating challenges for players striving to excel in sport.
None of what I mentioned above would be allowed in the current high school sports environment.
I was recently informed by an athletic director that high school volleyball players got “dinged” because they went to play volleyball at an open gym, and because their coach showed up to watch, this was considered a potential violation. I asked the AD if pick-up basketball is allowed for basketball players. He couldn’t give me a clear answer.
Which begs the question, How can you own a game? We’ve gotten so bogged down with rules that kids are risking their eligibility every time they engage in their respective favorite activity. Sport needs to be recognized for what it is, a vehicle for human development. It should open doors of opportunity that were previously closed, and there is a pretty simple formula for getting better, which is play more often, against better competition.
Uneven Application of Transfer Rules
The rules and their application in water polo programs across California have created a further disparity between Southern and Northern California leagues, particularly affecting Northern California’s competitiveness. This discrepancy in rule enforcement puts the already less competitive Northern California water polo programs at a further disadvantage.
While the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sets statewide eligibility requirements, the enforcement and interpretation of these rules can vary between sections. The Southern Section, which covers much of Southern California, has been perceived to have a more lenient approach to transfer eligibility, especially in sports like water polo. In contrast, the North Coast Section tends to adhere more strictly to transfer regulations. This disparity creates an uneven playing field, where:
Southern California programs may benefit from easier player movement between schools.
Northern California teams, including those in Marin, face more restrictions on transfers, limiting their ability to build competitive rosters.
I’ve seen first-hand on multiple occasions now of adults getting in the way of kids playing sports. It is my pledge as a coach to only help athletes get better and provide more opportunities for them, regardless if they are a competitor or friendly. The sport grows and gets better, more people play and watch. More clubs in disparate locations get founded and off the ground.
Administrators and coaches serve the sport best when adopting an “athlete development” first mentality. Closing doors on opportunities to play increases the likelihood of athletes becoming discouraged, losing interest, or getting into trouble. Speaking from experience, if I didn’t have sport as an outlet as my brain was still developing, there is a very real possibility that I would not have ended up a productive member of society.
I do understand the reasoning behind the rules and regulations, but from my perspective, each athlete decides to go where they are likely to grow and learn the quickest and should be entitled to seek out team’s that fit their goals as an athlete. I’m a water polo maximalist and a water polo capitalist. Play the sport to the best of your ability through honoring the game in your preparation, and if you want to compete as a coach or club, provide the best product possible to the market.
We live in a world where professionals and D1 athletes move between teams regularly without blinking. I contend that the NCAA rules that disallow athletes to get more playing time opportunities are overbearing as well. Again, the best way to improve in a sport is to play the sport more. How would Kobe Bryant react to being told he couldn’t get extra practice or scrimmage time?
Impact on Water Polo
The stricter application of transfer rules in Northern California exacerbates the challenges faced by programs:
Talent Retention: Northern California schools may struggle to retain top talent, as players seeking more competitive environments face hurdles in transferring within the region. Why send your kid to a school that will punish them if they see a better opportunity to improve or play with their friends?
Program Development: The limited player movement can hinder the growth of emerging programs that might benefit from incoming transfers.
Competitive Disadvantage: When facing Southern California teams in regional or state competitions, Northern California teams may find themselves at a disadvantage due to the disparities in roster flexibility and lack of depth.
The uneven application of transfer rules between Southern and Northern California water polo programs creates another hurdle for Northern California teams to overcome. This disparity, combined with strict eligibility and play requirements, poses challenges for player development and program competitiveness in the region. As the sport continues to grow, addressing these inconsistencies in rule application and providing the most driven players further opportunities to improve becomes crucial for ensuring elite competition and opportunities for all water polo players across the United States.
Administrators who have never played the sport and do not understand the immense amount of time it takes to prepare, sacrifice involved, and the razor’s edge that separate victory and defeat in our sport should not have such an outsized role in how and when you are allowed to play a game. It takes too much power away from players and coaches that are at the pool for hours every day, pouring their hearts and souls into getting just a little better. We should be granting more opportunities to play, not actively limiting player and coach involvement.
Would love to hear any thoughts on this.
Catch you poolside!
In Murfeesboro Tennessee there is a legitimate 24 hour fitness style pick up water polo game sponsored by a county facility. Admission is $4, they provide cages and balls-and it has allowed youth players to in some cases double their play hours, and we have seen several dozen players who did not know about the sport until adulthood-fall in love with the game and continue playing for years.
Great post 👍