Since fall, the ASU water polo team has endured grueling conditioning and intense practices. Now, the team feels it’s about time to bring on the competition.
“I think we’re ready for next week’s game,” coach Todd Clapper said. “I like what I see. They’re chomping at the bit to play games, particularly the ones that have been here since the fall, because they’ve trained without any games to look forward to.”
Senior Mariam Salloum echoes this sentiment.
“This season’s been a lot better in terms of team dynamics. We’re a lot faster and our team is a lot stronger,” she said.
“Hustling” was the word Salloum chose to describe the effort and dedication each player put forward in preparation for the season.
“We have a variety of players that can have an impact and we have great depth,” Salloum said. “We’re also in really good condition. We’re running a lot and swimming a lot, so we’re fast and fit and in good shape.”
Clapper expressed that complacency is not an option.
“The level of practice is higher, so I think from a conditioning standpoint, it’s a lot more demanding from regular practice because of the speed,” he said.
Overall, Clapper agrees each player has been a contributor, and he is impressed with the team’s work ethic.
“In terms of the personnel that we have, I think that we have more shooters and a lot more depth in our speed,” Clapper said. “I think from a standpoint of other teams, there are a few things that this team brings to the table that we haven’t had in the past.”
The veteran coach was pleased to say the team did not need to make any major adjustments in their practice routines.
“There have been a lot of nice benefits without me having to change a ton of things,” Clapper said. “Every year, we try to look for the little things to change, to try something that might work.”
Several things that have not escaped the reality of change are the addition of new players and the perspective of the season.
Almost half of the team is freshmen and more than half are from different countries.
The team’s focus is changing gears as well.
“In terms of our philosophy of the season, we’re changing some things, having different blocks where we focus on one part of the game,” Clapper said.
Each month, the Sun Devils will tackle new tactics and focus their efforts on improving their game.
“Our focus is on defense and counter-attack, and at the end of the day, the team that plays the best defense is the team that wins, in my opinion,” Salloum said. “In that way, our preparation has been really good.”
Although the Sun Devils appear optimistic about the upcoming season, they realize they will inevitably face difficulties. Clapper noted there are two players that will most likely out for the season due to injuries, but players have been stepping up.
“There are little bumps and bruises, but they’ve healed quickly, which has been good,” he said. “You’re always going to have a little bit of ebb and flow, but we’ve been working really, really hard.”
Clapper also emphasized that it’s essential to take one game at a time.
“It’s important not to lose sight of what we need to do now, to put ourselves in a position where we’re playing our best polo in April and May,” he said. “That needs to be the focus. Focus on getting better every day, preparing for the game right in front of you, and playing your best polo at the end of the season.”
The Sun Devils will head to Santa Barbara, Calif., this weekend to open their season with the UCSB Tournament.
Reach the reporter at fawade@asu.edu
