Mission High school students now have the opportunity to take part in a new aquatic sport thanks to the launch of a UIL Water Polo Team.
Though Mission High School Swimming & Diving Head Coach David Colunga has incorporated water polo with his athletes for the last few years, getting the opportunity to have them compete under UIL is something he's been working toward.
“Practicing water polo motivated them and I saw the positive impact it had on the swim team,” Colunga said. “I knew I had to do it more because water polo makes them excited to be in the water and continue with water sports.”
Water polo was originally played through the Texas Interscholastic Swim Coach Association (TISCA) as a regular aquatic sport. However, TISCA coaches have been pushing for water polo to become an official UIL sport for more than five years.
“The coaches and I who are in the organization have been talking about it and have given our feedback about water polo so when the vote finally went to Texas principals, it helped get the sport recognized,” Colunga said.
Once the news became official, Colunga began to spread the news across campus in the hopes of creating a team. Colunga held tryouts on Feb. 15 and any student on campus was able to try out, regardless of their skill level.
“I didn’t want to close the door to any student and not give them all the opportunity to try something they find interesting,” Colunga said.
Water polo is not just a sport, Colunga shared, but an opportunity to improve a player's communication skills and encourage them to be team players.
“It definitely opens up doors for them,” Colunga said. “They get exposed to a team sport to get more interactions with their teammates. It also encourages growth, provides new experience and life lessons.”
Veterans Memorial High School has also launched their Water Polo Team and are looking forward to starting the season, which takes place from August through October.