Water polo may not be one of the most talked-about sports at Mount Carmel, but players say it quickly becomes one of the hardest once the season starts. This year’s team is working to improve chemistry while facing strong competition early in the season.
The team entered the season knowing that replacing experienced seniors would be one of the biggest challenges, with several new players taking on larger roles.
In the second year leading the program, water polo coach Mr. Kevin McCluer believes that one of the biggest changes this season has been the number of new athletes joining from different backgrounds, including freshmen, transfers, and players from other sports.
“I actually got a lot of new players this year,” Mr. McCluer said. “We’re just still learning. We’re getting it together.”
Early competition has also been difficult because of several opening games against some of the strongest schools on the schedule. Currently, their record is 1-5. He explained that facing high-level Catholic League opponents early can be difficult for a team still building chemistry.
“The Catholic League is a pretty difficult league to compete in,” Mr. McCluer said. Early competition has shown how much adjustment is still needed across the roster.
For some players, that adjustment has been even bigger because they are learning new responsibilities while still gaining experience in the sport. Junior Jack O’Neill has taken on the goalie position during his first season playing water polo, which puts him in charge of reading the offense and helping organize the defense during possessions.
“There’s a lot of pressure, especially when someone is standing right in front of me, and I have to stop it, and no one else is helping,” O’Neill said. “The goalie runs the defense.”
The position requires constant awareness because the goalie often sees developing plays before other players do. That also means communication becomes one of the most important parts of staying organized during games. O’Neill said the early games helped show the level the team needs to reach as the season continues.
“We played some rough teams early, like Brother Rice and Fenwick,” O’Neill said, “but as we go through the season, we’ll get better, and we’ll play some teams that are more our level.”
Roster changes have affected nearly every part of the team this season. Junior Nicholas Par-Vicente said one difference this year is that the large number of players has created more growth opportunities, even while the team continues adjusting.
“We did lose a lot of seniors this year,” Par-Vicente said. “We grew a lot in numbers, and I’ve seen a lot of improvement with some of the other guys.”
More players also help create stronger practices because drills can run more efficiently, and game situations feel more realistic. That extra depth could become more important later in the season.
Several players joined the team this year, adding new perspectives as the group continues to adjust. For many of them, learning team chemistry has been one of the biggest challenges. Junior Christopher Castro said joining this season meant learning how to fit into a group still developing its rhythm in games.
“We still have to improve a lot,” Castro said. “Our chemistry isn’t that good since a lot of our senior players left.”
He said one important goal this year is helping teammates stay connected during difficult moments instead of letting mistakes affect how the team responds.
Coach McCluer also said water polo often surprises new athletes because of how demanding it becomes physically once games begin. Unlike many sports, players must stay active in the water at all times.
“It’s not as physical as football,” he said, “but it’s a lot more conditioned.”
Senior players say leadership becomes more important during seasons where many athletes are still learning. In a sport that depends on endurance, quick reactions, and constant movement, experienced players often help keep the team focused when games become difficult.
Senior captain Anthony-Michael Clemons said he believes the team still has room to improve as players continue gaining experience.
“I think we’re looking pretty good,” Clemons said. “I feel like we can still do more and still do a lot better.”
As the season continues, players say the main goal is to keep improving with each game and to make sure the team keeps building toward better performances later in the schedule.
“It’s a very fun sport,” Coach McCluer said, “and I think once someone tries it, they’ll like it.”
