Senior Kindred Paul gives fans an insiders look at the Cal women's water polo team throughout the 2018 season.


May 10, 2018

Welcome back, Bears fans!
 
It's that time of year again, and that means the Bears are in L.A. and ready to play our final tournament together as a team. This blog entry will be sentimental in contrast to previous ones because this weekend marks more than a few "lasts" for me. 

This week marked my last practice as a player at Spieker, my last trip to National Championships as a Bear and my last week as a senior with our team. This year has certainly been one to remember with our team, with highs and lows and a lot of laughs along the way. We went through a minor melodrama in Hawaii, discovered new life passions on Engine No. 5 of the Berkeley Fire Department, hosted MPSF and were given a tragic reminder of how precious life is.

With so many lasts occurring in my life right now, it is challenging to think that this will be our final weekend playing together as a team. However, perhaps the short nature of our time together is what makes it so special. We have nothing to save up for or hold back until; we only have the moment in front of us, and this weekend that is how we will all be playing. This year we have actively tried to make Cal polo about playing in the moment, and as Carla would say - having fun.

The gratitude I have for this team and this program is twofold from what I could ever put into words. Writing this blog has been a privilege because it have provided me the opportunity to try and express to others just how great it is to be a member of this team. I hope that I have been able to convey that to whomever reads this blog.



The tone of this blog entry has come off as more of a good-bye than I had intended, but our team is far from done with the 2018 season. Each time we suit up this weekend, we will play with a love for water polo, a love for each other and pride to be a Golden Bear.
 
Thank you so much for reading this blog over the semester, and thank you to everyone who has helped each and every one of us get to Cal. It's a once in a lifetime experience that none of us will ever forget.


April 27, 2018

Hello again, Bears fans!
 
Here in Berkeley, as our school year starts to wind down, our polo season is really starting to heat up! This week has been our final week of classes for the 2018 Spring semester, and this weekend we will be hosting the MPSF conference tournament at our very own Spieker Aquatics Complex. MPSF is always a competitive tournament, with the top four teams in the nation all vying for the conference title and an automatic bid into this year's NCAA tournament. This year is no different, and the Bears are beyond excited to host the tournament and play some great water polo.

This year, we head into the MPSF Tournament with the No. 2 seed, meaning we have a bye until the semifinal game Saturday. Last weekend, we were able to make the trip out to UC Davis and play one final game to help prep us for this weekend, along with this week of practice. As always, we look forward to the chance to put all of our hard work on display with a game, but even more so our team is looking at this weekend as an opportunity to continue improving before our ultimate goal of NCAAs. It's quite an amazing opportunity to be able to host the tournament, and have our fan base out to support us. Many of the girls remember the men's NCAA run two years ago, and the atmosphere at Spieker was unbelievable.

Our own Heather Petri remembers when Cal hosted the MPSF Tournament in 1997, her freshman year playing at Cal. Petie told me that although she couldn't remember the details of playing, she did remember that they got to stay at the Claremont for two evenings, which is quite the step up from the dorms for a freshman. Although we won't be staying at the Claremont this year, the excitement of hosting is still palpable. Cal hasn't had the opportunity to host a big tournament for women's water polo since I have been here, and as all sports fans know, there is nothing quite like a home atmosphere for big games.

The history of Spieker is a large part of its allure. Spieker is one of the oldest aquatics complexes in the MPSF and plenty of championship games have been played in our pool.Heather and Head Coach Coralie Simmons both remember big games they played at Spieker, and this weekend we follow in the footsteps of other great athletes who played in Berkeley. We look forward to seeing our friends, family and fans this weekend and another opportunity to play Bear Ball at home!


April 12, 2018

After wrapping up MPSF conference play last weekend at USC, our team has a bye week, allowing us to hone in on certain aspects of our game that we continue to improve upon. With no game this weekend, I decided to use this week's blog entry to reflect on a tragedy that has made worldwide headlines and tore a hole in my heart.

Last Friday night, a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos to a junior hockey league playoff game collided with a semi-trailer truck on a Saskatchewan highway. The crash killed 16 and sent 11 more to the hospital. The tragedy has left the hockey world, and all of Canada, in mourning. For myself, the news hit very close to home. Like many of those young men, I grew up on the Canadian prairies and even in the same small town in Alberta with a few of them. Like those hockey boys, I traveled thousands of miles by bus across western Canada to competitions, making memories to last a lifetime along the way. I'm sure the Broncos bus was like every other bus carrying young athletes, filled with the typical mix of players sharing their hopes and fears, lost in their own thoughts, catching some sleep, practical jokers keeping things light, and even a few actually trying to do homework.

Seeing photos of the Broncos team was much more emotional than I anticipated. Canadians know the excitement when the boys on your hometown junior hockey team dye their hair blonde, because that means it is playoff season and hockey just got real. I remember the buzz around school when the hockey team would show up one morning with garish yellow hair. In the team photo I saw, every Bronco had blonde hair. And that's who hockey boys are, consummate teammates who are one, right down to the color of their hair.



Perhaps the near-sacred status of hockey in Canada makes the tragedy more gut-wrenching. Back home all the guys you grow up with have tried to play hockey at one point or another, and the ones who aren't very good are often the biggest fans. I know more hockey players than I can count. Blonde dye jobs, bus road trips and junior hockey are ingrained into life, especially on the prairies.

Tragedies like this are agonizing because those are the boys we went to school with, the kids we coached, young men we raised and the budding superstars we cheered on in the final seconds of the third period. They are our neighbors, boyfriends, brothers and sons. The boys on that bus were so Canadian — quiet and for the most part modest, willing to roll up their sleeves or dye their hair to get a job done. Sure, they might talk a little smack on the bus going to the other town's "barn," but they don't do a lot of bragging after the game is done.

And hockey boys are tough. One of the Humboldt survivors was left without the use of his legs. He underwent seven hours of back surgery and when the surgeon told him that he would never walk again, he looked at his father and said he would concentrate on helping Canada win the Paralympics sledge hockey gold medal.

The accident not only resonated with me as a hockey-crazed Canadian, but also my identity as an athlete on a team. It's impossible to not form bonds with the people you have banded together with in the pursuit of a common goal. With our team here at Cal, we spend hours each day competing against one another, supporting each other and rallying behind the idea of a championship title. Every team has a unique bond that forms over hours on buses, late nights in airports and hours practicing and competing against one another for the same roster spot.

Our team takes a charter bus to and from the airport or into other parts of California whenever we travel for games. Current Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid spoke of the atmosphere on the team bus: "You never think that anything bad was going to happen; you thought it was a haven, a safe space." All of us feel that same way, and the story of the Humboldt Broncos is a sobering reminder of just how unpredictable life can be.

This week's blog entry was rather daunting, as I wanted to write something that would honor each of the victims, which included players, coaches, the bus driver, the team's athletic therapist and a media person. The lives on that bus were lost or forever altered far too soon, and words cannot encompass the depth of such heartbreak. Cal women's water polo players are sending their thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, and we Bears will cherish every moment we have left together as a team.



As a tribute to the Broncos, hockey sticks are standing at the front doors of houses all across Canada and even down here in the U.S. I've included a photo of my front yard back home. With this photo, Cal Women's Water Polo is supporting #putyoursticksout for Humboldt.
 

April 6, 2018

Welcome back to Kindred's Korner!
 
This past weekend was an exciting one for our team, with Senior Day being celebrated on Saturday before our MPSF matchup against San Jose State. It was a fun, memorable and laughter-filled day celebrating the six seniors who will be graduating this spring. The six of us were even able to all get in the water for the start of the fourth quarter, although I nearly ruined that by getting two ejections in the first three quarters! Carla and I were able to save our flowers from the ceremony and spread them throughout The Jungle, which added to the variety of non-human living organisms we cohabitate with. Hopefully, we weren't feeding our rodential roommates; we never thought of that! On behalf of all of the seniors, I would like to thank our families, friends, coaches and teammates for the contributions and support they have offered that allowed us all to get to where we are now.  Graduation can put one into a rather retrospective mind space, and we are all so thankful to those who have helped us along our journeys.

With our previous and somewhat sentimental game behind us, the team is now looking forward onto our next challenge and opponent, USC. This coming weekend the Bears will be traveling to Southern California to face the Trojans in our final MPSF conference game, one that is sure to keep the crowd invested from start to finish. Our team is always looking forward to our next big game under the lights in an opponent's pool, so this week in practice we have been brimming with energy in anticipation of Saturday. The matchup is sure to test us as USC is always a formidable opponent, but the Bears are ready for the challenge.

The combination of school and sports pressures can become a bit overwhelming at times, but this week's blog is all about how the Cal Gals relax! It probably won't come as a shock, but it would appear that sometimes the best medicine is a few hours of streamed television. This week, I investigated a bit deeper to find what exactly the members of women's water polo watch when they need a dose of stress relief.

First up is senior Anna Illes, who told me that her favorite shows include Grey's Anatomy, Friends and Gilmore Girls. From the selection, it would appear that Nusi is somewhat of a romantic when it comes to her television preferences. She also mentioned that she loves a good drama, too. Although Nusi may come across as a no-nonsense girl, her Netflix choices indicate the opposite! There is nothing like fictional love-life drama to help you forget about assignments you haven't quite got around to yet!

On the flip side, sophomore Lauren Barrett says her go-to show is The Office. Lauren said she likes the comedic premise set in a workplace. She even told me that her and fellow Chicagoan Catie Wallace quote the show quite a lot. She promptly shared multiple GIFs with me, which would suggest she already had them saved on her phone.

Freshman Georgia Bogle surprised me by singing the praises of Naked and Afraid! Geo said: "something about people who are in their birthday suits and stranded in the wild is very captivating." To each their own I guess!

Finally, I have been obsessed with Peaky Blinders ever since it came out. I was even able to convince junior Lauren Charter into starting the series from the beginning after the fifth season was released this Christmas. For a month afterward, Charter can attest that when I asked her to do something, it was occasionally followed up with "by order of the Peaky Blinders" in an embarrassingly-bad Birmingham accent.

Although this week has been demanding in the pool and out of it, rest assured that our team found ample time to get in our required Netflix rehab.

The Bears are heading into the weekend excited, prepared and not too stressed, thanks to our favorite shows. We leave Berkeley today with our final conference game in our sights, and the first-ever undefeated MPSF season for Cal within our reach. Check in next week to see how our final MPSF game plays out as well as another enlightening Kindred's Korner!


Mar. 30, 2018

Hello, Cal fans!
 
Our Spring Break has been quite a busy week, with a training trip to Morro Bay and two games being packed into what feels like a very short week. We were lucky enough to have a quick getaway to Morro Bay to fit in a couple trainings as well as a game against San Diego State University. The team was honored to be able to bring a NCAA Division I game to a smaller town, and we were pleasantly surprised by a huge crowd for our game! The parents of the Morro Bay High School were generous enough to set up a post-game barbecue, and then the next morning we celebrated two birthdays, junior Sarah Spieker and freshman Gerogia Gilmore.

As I'm sure most of you already know, the upcoming game against San Jose State University will serve as our Senior Day for 2018. The senior class graduating this year has gone through quite a few changes since our first year here at Cal. We finished our freshman year with four in our class: Carla Carrega, Kacey Avalos, Lauren (Lolo) Silver and myself. Dora Antal and Anna Illes had both come to Cal a year before the rest of us, but would eventually join our ranks as juniors after taking an Olympic redshirt year in 2016. Multiple times we have spoken about this, and we all agree that it worked out perfectly for all of us to end up spending our final year at Cal together. After years of playing, living and studying together, we have become more than just teammates, and have already promised to spend a winter in Canada, spring in Hungary, alumni weekends back in California and basically anytime we can in Italy because it is perfect there - according to Carla.

It's hard to condense four years of plane rides, games and early morning weights sessions into one blog, but I'll be damned if I don't try. I've decided to share my favorite memory of each one of our seniors from my past four years at Cal as well as a preview into what each one of us plan to do post-graduation.

I remember flying to Berkeley for the very first time with butterflies in my stomach thinking about just meeting, let alone playing with, with Dora Antal. It's hard not to be intimidated by a woman who can pull off as bold of a haircut as Dodo had my freshman year. Along with that, but still secondary to the haircut, Dora had already competed in one Olympic Games and was set to attend more. Despite my initial trepidation around Dodo, I feel beyond lucky to have become teammates and friends with such an amazing and inspiring individual. One of my best memories with Dodo actually happened just a few weeks ago during the Big Splash. Following the conclusion of the game, Dodo and I just happened to be the closest to one another, so we came together to hug and say "good job." In that moment, I had somewhat of a surreal realization that I was hugging Dora Antal, and that we had fought side by side to win our final Big Splash. In that moment I saw the fire in her eyes and her excitement was palpable. Often, when I am around Dodo in the pool, she doesn't know it but she reminds me why I love water polo. Be it laughing while we shoot at practice or hugging after a long battle in the pool, Dodo is a small reminder of what inspires me, and why I love to play this sport. Following her graduation from Berkeley, Dora is planning to move back to Hungary and although she has no firm plans in place she told me that she just wants to take the opportunities that life gives her.

I had the pleasure of getting to be roommates with Kacey my freshman year, and I know for certain that my first year at Cal would not have been the same if I had not shared room 809 with Kacey Avalos. There are so many memories from the past four years, but one of my favorites occurred the first weekend I met her. I came to Cal a week late because I had been competing at Youth World Championships in Madrid. The same weekend that I arrived in Berkeley, we also had our first recruiting weekend of the year. I was beyond overwhelmed, didn't own any bedding and was trying to figure out how to pronounce "Sather Gate." Kacey most likely sensed my stress level, and graciously offered to take the recruits for the day to allow me some time to get somewhat settled into our humble abode. Although this may seem like a small moment, whenever I think of Kacey this is one of the first memories that comes to mind. Kacey truly will do anything for anyone, including trying to control two recruits on a gameday by herself (which is much harder than it sounds) just to give her new roommate time to get some sheets. Kacey is one of the most selfless people I've ever met and anyone who gets the pleasure of being a part of her life will be better off for it. Kacey is studying environmental policy, and dreams of working for an environmental NGO that builds capacity for communities that are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In the short term, she has already planned an extraordinary backpacking trip with her sister Kelli this summer that will span from the Lost Coast Trail to Yellowstone National Park.

From my very first roommate here at Cal to my current floor mate, next up is Carla Carrega. Carla joined our group in January of freshman year and although she is only a junior academically, she is a senior from a water polo perspective. Carla is our Italian Stallion and my favorite memory of her actually occurred in Greece, rather than at Cal. The summer after our freshman year Carla and I both went to Junior World Championships in Volos, Greece. One afternoon we met up in the lobby of our hotel to catch up and talk about the tournament. Halfway through the conversation Carla mentioned a nickname that I was unaware I had garnered at Cal – "The White Lizard." Somewhat confused and hurt, I asked Carla again what the nickname was, and she was adamant that the team had been calling me the White Lizard at school. After a couple days of trying to grasp that I was referred to as a reptile behind my back, Carla realized that she had accidentally mistranslated "Maple Syrup" to "White Lizard". Despite the incorrect translation, the White Lizard has remained my nickname with Carla and often we joke about whether or not the white lizard has applied sunscreen before practice. As previously mentioned, Carla is only a junior academically, so she will be staying at Cal next year to complete her degree. Post-graduation, Carla doesn't have any set plans for the future, but as all of us on the team know, whatever she does she is going to have fun.

Before coming to Cal, I had never met anyone as eccentric as Lauren Silver. Lolo has her own bikini business, frequents Jimmy Buffet concerts and is the proud owner of multiple chickens who live behind her Berkeley apartment. Close to all of my fondest memories with Lolo have involved the two of us, a great view and a cup of coffee. My favorite though was at her godparents' ranch in the Sierra Nevada mountains. We woke up early one morning, poured ourselves a coffee and looked out over the ranch at the mountains and just talked about where we saw ourselves ending up in life and the dreams we wanted to reach. Often, when I think about the perfect morning, that memory comes to mind. Lolo plans on moving to Mexico following graduation and working at an organic farm to table restaurant in San Jose del Cabo. If that wasn't off the beaten path enough, she also plans to spend that time converting a van into a camper to venture up theCalifornia coast all the way to Alaska with her golden retriever, Zizi.

Our last, but not least, senior is Anna Illes. Similar to Dodo, coming into CaI I was quite intimidated by Nusi. Nusi is an individual who never does anything 50%, and brings passion to everything she does – water polo and otherwise. Nusi and I started swimming by one another this year, and everyday she gives little pieces of encouragement during a hard swim set, tough legs circuit and intense games. My favorite memory of Nusi even happened during a game. We were at home playing a game earlier in the season and I had just missed a field block that resulted in a goal. I heard Nusi call my name and all she said to me was "Kindred, you're better than that." Although this may seem somewhat harsh, it was what I needed in the moment and I often see it as one of the kindest things Nusi has done for me. In that moment, Nusi believed in me more than even I did, and her belief in me didn't waver after one missed block. Each day Nusi is there to help me through the hard times as well as encourage me during the good times and it is something I truly appreciate. After Cal, Nusi plans to move back home to Hungary and spend lots of time with her family and her dog, Keksz, to make up for lost time these past four years.

As for myself, I will be taking one extra semester at Cal to finish up my thesis. Following graduating from Cal, I am planning to take a year off to train for the 2020 Olympics with the Canadian National Team before applying to medical school back in Canada.

Although our game against San Jose State is by no means the end of our season, it is an opportunity for a few of us to reflect back on our time at Cal and a reminder for all of us to enjoy every moment because I can attest that four years can go by pretty fast.
 

Mar. 23, 2018

Hello, Bears fans!
 
The California Bears returned from Arizona with another MPSF win under our belts, a light toasting in the sun and In-N-Out burgers provided in the airport by the very generous Avalos family! The past three weeks have been very busy and challenging for our team, so we are looking forward to a period of time without games to give us the chance to refocus for the final stretch of MPSF play and then into our conference tournament right here at Cal during the final weekend of April. This coming week is also our school Spring Break, so the team is headed for a short trip to Morro Bay for training and one game against San Diego State University.

Without any upcoming games, I was at a bit of a loss for what to write in this week's blog, so I took a little inspiration from the impending visit of my father and sister, who are coming down for our senior game against San Jose State on March 31. This week's blog will be a tour of Berkeley given by the best guides you could ever hope for — Cal Women's Water Polo!

So, climb on the bus, open the handy  "Bears Bests of Berkeley" app on your smartphone and get the most out of your visit to the Berkeley/San Francisco Bay area.

Truly Unique Accommodations:
Although there are plenty of beautiful, historic and classy hotels in the Bay Area, no trip to Berkeley is complete without staying in what has become known as "The Jungle." The Jungle is a three-story home off campus that has become the women's water polo house here at Cal. We have managed to fit 10 girls into the house, equipped with four fridges, three bathrooms and three rat traps that we got from an exterminator who felt bad for us. Although the house most likely is not structurally sound in the event of an earthquake, it is still standing and provides an interesting wave-like experience when the ground does move. The exterminator is not the only service we have befriended, as Engine No. 5 from the Berkeley Fire Department is well aware of The Jungle due to a minor gas leak. That legacy will most likely continue when sophomore Hannah DeRose joins the Berkeley Fire Department ranks. It may not be the Ritz, but The Jungle will certainly give you an eye-opening perspective on college housing and benefits of close living quarters on things like team bonding. Believe me, nothing brings people together quite like the shared challenge of vermin control!

Best Views:
Our tour guides recommend that while you are in Berkeley you get those legs moving. Always remember to remind yourself that they "aren't hills, they're undulations!" In Berkeley, Inspiration Point is the place to go. This hike offers amazing views of the Bay and Berkeley Hills, and is a go-to spot for our team mascot Zizi, the golden retriever of Lolo and Dodo. However, I asked our resident hiking expert, Kacey Avalos, for the best views in the Bay, and she did not disappoint. Kacey recommends Alamere Falls in Point Reyes National Seashore. "The trail leads to a waterfall that cascades over a 30-foot cliff onto the sandy beach on the Pacific coast. It's the perfect day trip if you just want a little escape! And on your way to the trailhead, you pass through Stinson Beach!" In true Bay Area fashion, Kacey also sent along a John Muir quote to top it off: "Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt."

Best Campus Buildings:
If you're like my father and love to wander in beautiful buildings full of smart people, then a tour of campus is the perfect Berkeley activity for you. There is something for everyone on our campus, and each building has its own unique feel and story to tell. Rachael Lewin loves Haas Business School because of the modern architecture. On the opposite side of the spectrum, my favorite building is Hearst Memorial Mining. It was originally built for the mining majors here at Cal, but is now home to many other classes. The interior of the building was designed to resemble the inside of a mine, so it has a feel unlike any other building on campus. Sophomore Jackie Sanders said the spot she takes her parents to is the Campanile. The Campanile offers the best view of the Bay from campus, and as Lauren Charter once told me, was designed to slide right down the hill into the Bay in the event of an earthquake. Another favorite is the Doe Memorial Library reading room. For any visitors who want to feel the true university experience, a trip to the reading room is a must. It is a majestic setting and you feel like you must have added five IQ points just by walking in!

Best Sunset:
And how could a day spent touring Berkeley be complete without taking in a sunset that end each day in our little slice of paradise? For me, the best spot to watch our beautiful bay turn orange and gold is down at the Berkeley Marina. This spot offers the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the skyline of San Francisco and you are right on the water. Berkeley has some of the most beautiful sunsets, and each one is a little reminder of how lucky we all are to go to Cal.
 
Hopefully you've enjoyed your tour with Cal Women's Water Polo, and make sure to check in next week to see how the Bears fare in Morro Bay, as well as a special preview on the upcoming Senior Game!
 
Go Bears!
           
             
Mar. 16, 2018

Welcome back, Bears' fans!
 
Women's water polo here at Cal had another victorious weekend, with the Golden Bears taking our revenge against UCLA in a 5-3 MPSF win at Spieker Aquatics Complex. UCLA hung on to beat us two weeks earlier and we were an ornery bunch of Bears back in our lair. We quickly scored the first goal of the game on a power play, but the rest of the first half was a close battle and we were down a goal at half. We pulled it together and re-focused for the second half, holding UCLA to zero goals in two quarters, which allowed us to establish our offensive presence and take the win.

Even though we came out on top of this matchup, our team knows that we need to continue improving and growing in order to reach our final goal this season. Our next challenge is a travel trip to play No. 6 ASU in Tempe. An advantage of MPSF games is that they allow us to spend a full week focusing on each game and opponent, fine tuning our tactics and skills in order to best prepare ourselves to play specific teams. This past week we have been honing in on ASU, watching video to highlight areas of improvement for ourselves, as well as parts of the game we can exploit to our advantage. We are excited to travel to the Arizona desert and take the next step in this season's journey.

The UCLA game wasn't the only exciting event going on last weekend. Our very own sophomore, Hannah DeRose, took part in the Berkeley Fire Department Ignite Academy. The Ignite Academy is an initiative run by the fire department to recruit women into the ranks of firefighting. One day we were lucky enough to have a female firefighter come to our weights session and speak to us about becoming a firefighter with the Berkeley Fire Department. Hannah was intrigued, so she decided to give it a try and signed up for both a ride-along and the Ignite Academy. Hannah told me that during her ride-along, her unit was answering calls from the moment she arrived at the fire house until she left. The ride-along shifted Hannah's view on a career (she previously was interested in teaching) because she absolutely loved the experience, and began counting down the days until this past weekend when she could take part in the Ignite Academy.

The Academy is a weekend event that runs the female participants through a series of evaluations that are completed on a regular basis by firefighters as part of their training. Participants were led by a firefighter, who taught a variety of skills necessary in fighting fires. Hannah had the opportunity to chop a few tree trunks with an axe, wield a chainsaw and climb an aerial ladder that extended 100 feet above the truck. I get woozy on the top of the diving tower and I can't imagine hanging onto my lunch from up where Hannah was. The weekend culminated with the "Firefighting Olympics," which consisted of three teams tasked with running up three flights of stairs in full turnouts, boots and 100 feet of hose over one shoulder (just to increase the fun factor). It was no surprise to any of us that Hannah's team won, seeing as she is a beast in our cardio sets during weights.





Hannah was joined at the academy by recent Cal women's water polo alumna Genevieve Weed, and luckily we got a photo of our two polo stars in their firefighting gear! Hannah told me that the ride-along and Ignite Academy changed her own vision of the future, because she realized she loved everything she did and didn't want either experience to end! Although she always knew she wanted to end up in a physical job, becoming a firefighter is the perfect fit because it also allows her to help people, which is something she loves and is very good at. This coming summer, Hannah will be taking the first step in her post-grad career by going to EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) school.



It's an amazing opportunity for all of us to be on this team together and watch our teammates discover their passions and goals. Hannah's enthusiasm for her experiences is infectious for all of us, and she hasn't stopped spouting off details and facts all week in the locker room. College is a very influential time in all of our lives, and luckily, we get to share these moments with one another!

This weekend we are back to business with another important MPSF game, but we look forward to the challenge ahead of us!

Check in next week to see how we fare in Tempe and if another member of our team discovers their path in life post-graduation!

Go Bears!


Mar. 9, 2018

Welcome back, Bears fans!
 
What a weekend! As I am sure many of you already know, this past Sunday brought quite the adrenaline rush to all of us Bears. Our team came together for a great, hard-fought performance against Stanford and we won in sudden-death triple overtime! Stanford is a formidable opponent every year, and this year was no different, as evidenced by the three overtime periods we played in order to come out on top of this matchup. This is the first time that I have beaten Stanford in a Big Splash game in my time here, and it is also the first-time Cal has been ranked No. 1 (tied with Stanford) in 18 years!

The excitement carried on into our week, as junior Madison Tagg was named MPSF Player of the Week and freshman Kitty Lynn Joustra was the chosen MPSF Newcomer of the Week.

Following Kitty's phenomenal performance on Sunday, I thought it was time for Bears fans to get to know Kitty Lynn Joustra a bit better.

Kitty Lynn is our Dutchie dynamo from a small village outside Amsterdam called Purmerland. According to Kitty, she practically grew up on a farm with three older brothers, Sven, Kjeld and Rick (Rick sounds less like an outlier when Kitty says it with her Dutch accent). She started playing when she was 6 or 7, and has had plenty of time to perfect her skills as a center. Even though Kitty calls Amsterdam the biking capital of the world, she broke her elbow trying to ride her bike without her hands. Kitty made sure to tell me that all the hills in Berkeley have made it hard for her to continue her biking lifestyle, and the biggest shock when she arrived in the United States was how far she had to walk to get anywhere.

Kitty Lynn is not only an amazing center and math genius, but she is also a closeted farm animal midwife. Over FaceTime, she told me that she has helped one cow and multiple sheep give birth on her farm. Kitty and I are more connected than I once thought, because my Grade 9 class once had to leave school early to help a farmer wrangle a baby calf back into its pen.



The farm girl in Kitty has adjusted very well to life in Berkeley and California. Her favorite foods here are egg bagels with avocado and bacon, Acai bowls and the white mocha from our unofficial team headquarters, Blue Door Café. 

While Kitty was killing it in the offensive end on Sunday, Maddi was a beast in our goal and was a huge part of us coming back to tie the game SIX times before some truly crazy stuff in the third overtime period. Every time Stanford scored, we answered and displayed the kind of heart that defines Cal water polo.

Sunday evening was the type of game that athletes love to play. A battle from end to end, under the lights in a rival's pool, and three overtime periods bring a whole extra layer of drama to a game. Those games don't come around often, and we were lucky to face that kind of challenge. Perhaps the greatest memory that our team can take from that game was the energy we put into every minute in the water. Believe me, the team is aiming to approach every game with the same energy we brought to the Big Splash. Under the lights in big games is when our team thrives. No doubt, our home game tomorrow against UCLA will bring an energy of its own and we are excited to see all of our Bear fans in the stands!
 
Go Bears!
 

Mar. 2, 2018

Welcome back, Bears fans!
 
This week, the team is diving head first into two Ms — March and MPSF play. With the beginning of March comes another M. …midterms. Many of the girls on the team are banding together to study, relax, stress out (at least a little) and drink copious amounts of coffee. And although most of us would happily do without midterms, the upcoming Big Splash is something that we are all eagerly anticipating.

For those who don't know, the Big Splash is the yearly MPSF game between Cal and Stanford. All of Cal sporting events against our rivals from across the Bay are "the Big (enter sport phrase here)." We have the Big Game (football), the Big Spike (volleyball), and the Big Row (Crew). There is nothing better than playing a serious rivalry game under the lights, which is exactly what the Bears will be doing this Sunday at 5 p.m.

Although the water polo history between Cal and Stanford is long and eventful, my introduction to the tradition came three years ago. These past three years have seen plenty of games against Stanford, and each one adds fuel to the fire that burns between these two teams. Some games have been wilder than others, but perhaps my most memorable game as a Golden Bear against Stanford occurred in my freshman year at our MPSF Tournament.

We had already beaten Arizona State to earn a semifinal game against Stanford on the second day. We hadn't beaten Stanford all season, but losing wasn't our mindset. We won the game, with our old assistant coach Matt Flesher jumping into the pool fully clothed as the final buzzer sounded. I later learned that Matt had never won a game against Stanford while coaching at Cal, and that made the win all the more memorable.



Matt wasn't the only guy to get a little excited about that win. My dad was in Stockton watching my older sister's final conference tournament and people were keeping tabs on the Cal-Stanford game around the pool deck. When our game ended, he waited until her team bus started the drive back to southern California and promptly hopped in his rental car for an all-night drive to Tempe to watch us play UCLA the next day. He told me it was like being a hockey dad following a team around the Canadian prairies, but on ice-free roads and with the option to put the window down without freezing to death!

Memories like those are the ones that our entire team will get to enjoy during our time at Cal. Many of the seasoned veterans have had the chance to play in multiple Big Splash games, but our bright-eyed, bushy-tailed freshmen get to experience their very first Big Splash this weekend. In keeping with this, I thought it would be interesting to see how our freshmen were getting ready for their first Big Splash, as well as how the seniors are approaching the marquee event for one last time.

Freshman Georgia Gilmore told me that she feels Cal's rivalry with Stanford every day on campus, from "Beat Stanfurd" shirts, to tree chopping ceremonies on Sproul. Georgia told me that to have the opportunity to be on one of the sports teams and go head to head against Stanford is awesome.

Another one of our freshman, Kelly Doherty, told me that the reason she is looking forward to her first Big Splash is because she thinks it's the perfect opportunity to see how far our team has come since fall, but also show off all the hard work we have been putting in during practice. Another freshman, Aubrey Milham, mentioned that she had always dreamed of coming to Cal, and when she got here she bought in to the rivalry right away.  
When I asked my fellow seniors how they feel about the upcoming game, Nusi, a woman of few words, simply replied: "Chop the tree."

All six of the seniors are appreciating every game we get to play this season. This is our final Big Splash, but it is also really nice to share the night with our freshmen who are getting their first taste of this very special event.
Go Bears!
 
 
Feb. 22, 2018

Welcome back, Bears fans!

This past week treated the Bears rather well, with Monday off for the holiday. While this past Monday was President's Day here in the United States, it was Family Day back in Canada!

Keeping with that theme, I have decided to dedicate this week's blog to the most important people in our lives — our families. Many of us have had the great fortune to come from athletic families that have supported us in our pursuits, both athletic and otherwise. We have learned so much from our parents, and this week we will hear some of the best advice that parents have given us Bears about sports, school and life in general.

First up is senior Dora Antal, whose mother Bianka played competitive basketball back in Hungary. Dora's mother didn't sugar-coat anything when it came to athletics and told Dodo that she would have to work extra hard to succeed because of her smaller stature. Bianka told Dodo that talent is not enough by itself, and that if she wanted to be successful, she would have to work extra hard to compete with her larger opponents. Although Dora's mom pushed her to succeed in sports, she also made sure that Dodo knew if she ever felt that it was enough, her mom would understand and support her throughout it.

Similarly, sophomore Claire McDowell's parents always helped her push her to be her best. Claire's father Derek was a student-athlete who played football at Darmouth, so he totally understands the demands of being a college athlete. Claire told me that her father's best advice has been the example he sets with his own actions. His patience, level-headedness and great work ethic are the attributes that Claire strives for in her own sport.

"Not cutting corners, just constantly grinding through whatever comes your way," she says. On the flip side, Claire's mother Julianne, was a debate team star, and told Claire that debate taught her how to organize her thoughts into strong arguments that are rational rather than emotional. Claire noted that she usually tries to avoid being on the opposite side of an argument with her mother because she is a fierce competitor when she has the floor.
 

Our other Miami native, junior Sofia Rivas, has learned important lessons from her mother who still plays tennis. Sofia told me that her mother Liana taught her that whenever she starts something, she needs to follow to the best of her ability. When things get tough, that's when you get the opportunity to work twice as hard and that persistence is what builds character.
 

Persistence is something that sophomore Daily Hartmeier's father has taught her. Mike Hartmeier, a four-time bowl game winner with UCLA football, has helped Daily to work through the challenges of balancing school and water polo. Daily said that her father reminds her that he knows it can be tough, but that if she pushes through, she can do just about anything. This small encouragement means a lot to Daily, because knowing that her father went through the exact same thing means that he knows what it takes to accomplish such a challenging task. It's not every day that you are able to get advice from such an accomplished athlete, and it reminds us how lucky we are to be surrounded by the support system we have.
 

Another very accomplished athlete who learned from her family is sophomore MacKenzie Davey. Her grandfather, Don Rose, was a baseball pitcher for Stanford before he was drafted by the New York Mets in 1968. He would return to the Bay Area to play for the Giants later in his big-league career. Mack told me that her grandfather is her biggest fan and has come to almost all of her games and competitions, despite the fact that she is a Bear and he was a Cardinal. Mack's grandmother and great-grandmother also played various sports including soccer, track and tennis, but because of the lack of funding before Title IX, were unable to play past the high school level. Mack told me that both her grandmother and great-grandmother are so excited that she has the opportunity to play Division 1 sports at an amazing university because that opportunity was not available to them.
 

It's no surprise that with such amazing family members surrounding and inspiring us, we have been able to all accomplish our goals and end up playing water polo at Cal. The lessons our parents learned through athletics have been passed on to us and no doubt shaped us into who we are today. As we continue learning and adapting through our college years, the character built through athletics will be something we can always touch back on and help us continue striving for excellence in everything we do.
 

This weekend we are headed to a challenging tournament in Irvine, but in the stands will be our parents, family members and friends who are constantly supporting us in our endeavors.
 
Thank you parents and families, and Go Bears!


Feb. 15, 2018

Hello, Bears fans!
 
This past Saturday, Cal women's water polo hosted the first alumnae game since I have been at Cal. Although we have previously had alumnae brunches, the game was an exciting chance to see some of our amazing former student-athletes in action! Even though the seniors still have a semester of collegiate water polo left, we prematurely began our careers as Cal alumnae by playing with the members of Cal polo with completed undergraduate degrees. The alumnae were victorious this year, defeating the current Bears in dramatic fashion after a last-second shot by freshman Brigit Mulder was deemed to have been released after the final buzzer. Granted, the alumnae team was playing with seven people in the water (with one always staying safely on defense), but as Carla Carrega once told me during a swim set: "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying."

The seniors were lucky to once again play with one of our old Cal teammates, Victoria Williams, who was a senior when I was a freshman. Trying to prepare myself for becoming an alumna next year, I asked Vic how it felt to be back at Spieker. "The alumnae game was full of nostalgia." she told me. "I couldn't believe it, but I forgot what it was like to step on the pool deck, suit and cap in hand. It was amazing having that flashback with generations of Cal alumnae. I'm so happy I went back and us alumnae are already planning our next return. Go Bears!" It was great for all of us to meet the women who paved the way before us, and following the game we were given the chance to spend more time with a lunch together down at our new pool, Legends Aquatic Center. A big shout-out to the Lewin family for putting together the lunch.

During the lunch, Emma Wright and I were lucky enough to meet the very first Canadian woman to play at Cal, Kaliya Young. Kaliya spoke with us for quite a while but one story certainly stuck out in my mind. Although we weren't lucky enough to get all of the details, Kaliya mentioned that she had been involved in the World Trade Organization protests in 1999. Now I'm not positive if it was due to the WTO protests or not, by Kaliya told us that she went AWOL for about a week during this time, and when she finally showed up for practice she nearly lost her scholarship. But was able to win her coach over and remain on the team. For better or worse, I guess you can't accuse Cal polo alumnae of being apathetic when it comes to current events.

Spending the afternoon with the alumnae also gave our team a much better picture of how supportive our family is here at Cal. Sophomore Claire McDowell was lucky enough to speak with Lynn Wittstock, who evaluates the referees at our home games. After mentioning her interests in public policy and legal studies, Lynn was kind enough to offer to connect Claire with Courtney Johnson, another former Bear who became a lawyer after graduating from Cal. Our team is incredibly lucky to have such support and guidance of our alumnae, and I am certain that we will take full advantage of our connection to the amazing women who belong to the program. Claire was also able to meet Cal legend Alisa VonHartitzsch, who holds the school record for most goals scored in a single season. Apparently not only is Alisa a legend for scoring goals in water polo, but she also a superior billiards player. Claire fancies herself a natural talent when it comes to pool, and although they weren't able to play a game this past week, Claire is going to make sure they face off the next time they meet.

Without a doubt, this past weekend was a memorable one for all involved. Although we didn't play any official games, our team was able to touch back into what it means to be a member of the Cal women's water polo family. I can personally attest that four years at Cal goes by in the blink of an eye, but being a member of Cal women's water polo doesn't end after those wonderful years. All of us will always be Golden Bears, and I am excited to become an alumna and follow the future Golden Bears that leave their mark on Cal polo.
 
Come back next week to catch up on our return to competition!
 
 
Feb. 8, 2018

Hello, Cal fans!
 
A quick update on this past weekend at Stanford: Our team came out of the weekend with three wins and a loss against Stanford. Our game against Stanford was a great experience to play under the lights in Palo Alto, and who doesn't love a rivalry game? Every game is a chance for us to learn something about ourselves, and this game was no different. We have already had two video sessions this week, which are always helpful to target the areas of our game that we can improve upon in the next two weeks before we travel to Davis for more games.

Following a busy weekend at Stanford, this bye week is giving the team more free time than usual. I'm sure our parents love to hear that because it means we have no excuses to not be catching up on schoolwork. Sorry Brent and Cori, but instead of learning about statistics and the Regression Effect, I have been interviewing the team about the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang!

Growing up in Canada, the Winter Olympics are a very big deal. I remember playing in a game at a water polo tournament, and instead of the score being on the scoreboard, the gold medal hockey game was being played. My fellow Canadian, sophomore Emma Wright, remembers her coaches giving real-time updates on hockey games during her practices. Although both Emma and I dream of one day competing in the Summer Olympics, we both feel more excitement and pride watching the Winter Olympics. Although for Emma and I the next couple of weeks will be revolving around hockey scores, our two Dutchies will be avidly following the speed skating.
 

Both Kitty-Lynn and Brigit told me that some of their favorite Winter Olympic moments have happened on the speed skating track. Kitty mentioned that she even cried when Sven Kramer was disqualified in the 10-km race in Vancouver in 2010, but he is competing in the 10-km again in Pyeongchang! Hopefully for Kitty (and Sven Kramer), this Olympics will have a happier ending. Similarly, Brigit said her favorite moment came from the last Winter Olympics in Sochi, where there was a Dutch medalist for every speed skating event. Very impressive! Although the Dutch dominate in speed skating, Brigit said that if she could play any sport in the Winter Olympics, it would be ice hockey! Emma and I will have to show Brigit the proper way to yell during a hockey game so that she sounds like she's been doing it all her life.

After speaking to my fellow sisters from the North, I checked in to see how girls from warmer climates were anticipating the upcoming games. MacKenzie Davey is a sophomore from sunny San Diego who loves the Winter Olympics and is "freaking pumped that they start on Friday!" This Olympics, Mack will be watching the snowboard cross, which is a relatively new event but one that involves skill and precision, as well as the ability to take contact. What Mack and I both agree on is that skeleton is by far the craziest sport in the winter games.
 

Junior Grace Morgan from Newport Beach recalls traveling to Utah once as a child. Grace vividly remembers standing at the top of the ski jump ramp at the Olympic Park and thinking "You must be crazy to launch yourself off such a steep jump while attached to skis." Despite her questions of sanity, Grace is looking forward to watching the snowboard half pipe and the skating events because she "couldn't even stand on the ice in Union Square over Christmas."
 

Speaking of Utah, our assistant coach Chris Lee is a Salt Lake City native. One of Chris' favorite Winter Olympics memories was watching Kristi Yamaguchi win gold in figure skating at the 1992 games. Chris said, "I was pretty young, but I will never forget being able to watch an Asian-American athlete win gold representing Team USA." Although Chris personally likes to ski, he will be cheering on snowboarders Chloe Kim, competing in her first Olympics, and "The Flying Tomato" Shaun White in his fourth Olympic games.

For those of you who aren't "freaking pumped" for this Friday, I recommend the 1992 classic Cool Runnings to get you into the Winter Olympics excitement. Not only does this film offer timeless 1980s fashion, but it's set in my home province of Alberta, Canada!
 

Despite where we grew up, the entire team is excited for the 2018 Winter Olympics to start. It's always inspiring to watch the best of the best compete in their respective sports, and while we all have our own countries to root for and sports to watch, these Olympic games provide the opportunity for all of us to come together because of sport.

Tune in next week to see how our alumni game this weekend will bring the past and present of Cal women's water polo together!


Feb. 1, 2018

Hello, Bears fans!
 
Another busy week here in Berkeley means our team is back to hitting the books hard and getting after it in the pool. This past weekend saw some milestones including our first (and hopefully last) chipped tooth! Freshman Georgia Gilmore was the lucky gal to get a trip to the dentist after chipping off a considerable chunk of one of her chompers. Georgia braved through the experience like a champ, and posed for photos on the bench. Thanks to a great Bay area dentist, Georgia is back in the water with a toothpaste commercial smile and a new mouthguard to protect it.
 

All jokes aside, senior Dora Antal is poised to record an historical milestone. This past weekend, Dora tied the Cal career goal-scoring record by notching 15 goals in 3 games. Although it would have been extra special to set her new record in our home pool, Dora said it best when she told us: "This is something we shouldn't force." Dora may have had a point, seeing as our two back-to-back timeout plays centered around her were thwarted by Fresno State. With history waiting to be written, I would like to help Bears fans get to know our own history-maker a little bit better.
 
Not many people may know that the previous record holder, Emily Csikos, actually played for the same club team as I did back in Canada. When I was younger, Emily Csikos was the hero of our club. She was the best player on the Canadian National team and she was a star here at Cal. I grew up idolizing her and dreaming of playing water polo at Cal and on my national team. When she would come home for the holidays, all of my Calgary Renegade teammates hoped she would come to practice just so we could be in the pool with someone who was larger than life in our eyes. By the time she finished her amazing Cal career she held the team goal-scoring record. For me, just wearing the same Cal uniform as Emily was a thrill. And then I got to play with Dora Antal, who sometime this coming weekend will score her 217th goal and break Emily's career record.
 

 
Although Dora is only one goal away from setting her own new record, she is the proudest of the larger goals in her career. When I asked Dodo if she could remember a goal in her career that brought a smile to her face, I meant a literal goal, as in a ball whizzing past a helpless goalie. Dodo, however, thought I meant a life goal that she is the proudest of, which made me realize that was a much better question and she maybe should be conducting the interview. Dora told me: "I think what I am the proudest of is going to the Olympic Games and both times getting into the Final Four. I think both of those Olympic Games had a huge effect on me and determined my life. So I am proud of representing Hungary two times at the Olympic Games." Dora's answer reminded me that while she is a double Olympian, she is down to earth, humble and approachable.

Even though Dora didn't tell me her favorite goal, I have my own Dodo moment. Who can forget the goal Dora scored to send the 2012 Olympic bronze medal match into overtime? If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend finding it on YouTube because it will take your breath away. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de3vXb0pyF8 fast forward to 1:17:40, with the replay at 1:19:12).
 
Since breaking school records doesn't happen every day, it seemed obvious to ask Dodo how she feels about leaving her mark on Cal and setting a new record for others to aspire to break. Her response reflected Dodo's love of both water polo and Cal. "I never thought about any records. I did not know that there was a scoring record until the end of last year. That was never my goal to be a leading scorer at Cal. I always fight for the team because I want us to win. If I can help with my goals, then I will try to score as many I can in order to be champions. But of course, I would not score this much without my teammates and more specifically without their assists. But I am glad I can leave my name in the history books of Cal women's water polo. It is huge for me because I always wanted to come here and it is an honor to play for the Bears."
 
Dora doesn't only want to be remembered for her goal-scoring abilities; she also hopes to leave her mark on Cal in ways that cannot be tallied on a stats sheet. "I hope I can help my teammates as much as I want and I want them to remember me as a good teammate when I end my water polo career here at Cal. I think this the most important for me and this is how I would like to be remembered."
 

I feel confident speaking for the team in saying that we are all beyond lucky to have had the chance to be teammates with Dodo because she exemplifies what it means to be a great player, teammate and Golden Bear.
 
Our athletic trainer, Ann Caslin, is one of the few people to watch both Emily and Dodo set career-scoring records. Ann was kind enough to respond to my text about what it is like to watch two Golden Bears set school records. "I think it's only fitting that Dora is on the verge of breaking Emily's scoring record. Having had the pleasure of working with both of these student-athletes, I know first-hand that they share many of the same characteristics that make them successful both in and out of the pool. Throughout their respective careers, they have both spent countless hours honing their craft, demanded excellence from themselves and their teammates, and ultimately played to win! In addition to their international success, they helped bring Cal Water Polo to national prominence. They have both left an indelible mark on this program and have raised the bar for all those who follow."
 
Given the excitement bound to come this weekend, the Stanford Invitational is shaping up to be a special event. Not only will the Golden Bears be setting new records, but we will be in Cardinal territory which never fails to stoke the competitive fires.
 
Don't forget to check in next week for more updates on Cal Women's Water Polo!


Jan. 25, 2018

Alooohaaaa!
 
We are back from Hawai'i with three games under our belts and one collective sunburn. Our Hawaiian getaway was a successful trip, as our team went 3-0 for the weekend, including a decisive win over No. 6 Hawaii. Our three games in Hawaii were a great chance for the team to execute what we had worked on over winter training and for everyone on the team to get quality minutes in the water. Three of our great goalies had the chance to play - freshman Cassidy Ball, junior Madison Tagg and senior Lolo Silver. Not to mention, our team had twelve different scorers over the three games.

Outside of the pool, Hawaii gave our team the opportunity for some serious bonding, because instead of staying at a hotel, we rented a house for the weekend. Although 25 twenty-something girls in a single house may sound like a nightmare to some, to us, it was the Spring Break extravaganza we never had. It goes without saying that our Spring Break house was much tamer than most, with lights out around 10 p.m. every night and the mornings spent drinking coffee while doing stats homework on the balcony. However, the weekend did not proceed without our fair share of drama; we even had our mini-episode of MTV's The Real World on Saturday evening. The plot of this episode was that freshman Georgia Gilmore sat on the wrong couch at the wrong time. As it turned out, junior Lauren Charter had converted that specific section of the couch into her bed for the weekend, but when Charter returned from a conversation, all she was met with was a "You move it, you lose it" from Georgia. I am still unsure as to how exactly everything transpired, but by the end of the night sophomore Hannah DeRose was backing up Charter so vehemently that there was a noise complaint from the girls on the lower floor, and Carla Carrega had to dramatically flicker the lights in order to let everyone know that the tiff was over because she was ready for bed.



Despite the malevolent actions of Georgia Gilmore and the complete overreaction by Lauren Charter, our team was able to mend these burned bridges and play well in our final game the next day before we headed to Waikiki for a day in the sun.

Following the completion of the business side of our trip, our team was able to enjoy the vacation aspect of Hawaii. It's not surprising that our team decided to spend our one afternoon off in the water, but this time we traded the game caps and water polo balls for surfboards and bikinis. We were rotating on and off the surfboards and paddle boards that senior Lolo Silver's family was kind enough to rent, as well as floating in the ocean on inflatable tubes. When we weren't in the water, we were filling ourselves with island food staples like poke, fresh fruit and Hawaiian shaved ice. Our day at the beach gave us the chance to soak up some sun and enjoy every last minute in Hawaii before our red-eye back to Berkeley. All in all, Hawaii gave our team great coffee, great sunrises and more than enough solo beach pictures holding coconuts; a la Junior Sarah Siepker.



Now that we are back in Berkeley, we are already looking ahead to hosting the Cal Cup this  weekend. Once again, our team will have a weekend full of water polo, playing four games in two days. Although we were successful in Hawaii, we also uncovered areas for improvement in our first games of the season. This week will provide us the opportunity to tweak a few components of our game in order to improve before we can test ourselves again in our home pool!



On a final note, congratulations to sophomore Emma Wright and freshman Elli Protopapas for sweeping the MPSF awards for this past week!

Make sure to check in next week for a recap of our first home tournament as well as an update on The Real World: Cal Polo!


Jan. 19, 2018

Hello, Bear fans!

My name is Kindred Paul and I am a senior on the Cal Women's Water Polo team for the 2018 season. I'm from Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada and I am an Interdisciplinary Studies Major focusing on the community health implications regarding limited access to obstetric healthcare on Native First Nations reservations in rural Canada. This will be my last year suiting up for Cal, and I'm very excited to have the opportunity to write this blog and give everyone a peak of the 2018 season!

We have just finished up our "Hell Month" here in Berkeley, which consists of double-days every day for about two weeks to start off our spring season with a bang. Hell Month also brought in three new additions to our team. Freshmen Kitty Lynn Joustra and Brigit Mulder from The Netherlands and Elli Protopapas from Greece all joined the team in January and fit in right away. Kitty and Brigit already knew one another, having played together on the Dutch National Team, and we are very excited to see the chemistry they can bring to the team. Elli arrived in the United States a bit earlier than necessary, but was able to stay with junior Rachael Lewin and fit in some sightseeing and a quick trip to Los Angeles before heading back to Berkeley and meeting the rest of the team.

Over dinner one night, Kitty and I realized that we had played against one another a handful of times internationally, including one tie game at my last Junior World Championships. I think I speak for Kitty that we are both excited to be playing for the same team now rather than wrestling against one another in the pool.

We were able to break up the training a little bit with an outing to a bowling alley one afternoon rather than another three hours in the pool. This was senior Carla Carrega's first time bowling, and even though she was a newbie, her talent from the pool transferred to the pins and she was a star. For the games, we were split up into six teams including one coaches team. The coaches dominated and ended up winning the competition. However, rumor has it that assistant coach Chris Lee was "reading the grains" to give him an advantage over the rest of the less-experienced bowlers. Not to cast doubt on the win, but reading the grains sounds a little like counting cards to me, and we all know where that gets you in Las Vegas.

This coming weekend our team is in Hawaii for our first games of the season against Hawaii, Marist and LMU. Not only does Hawaii offer a sunny getaway from the rain in Berkeley, but our team will have the opportunity to test ourselves in three tough games following a rigorous training period.

On top of our first athletic trip, this week also marks the beginning of spring semester. Our team is starting off the new semester with a few straight-A students, including junior Lauren Charter, sophomore Daily Hartmeier and freshman Claire Sonne. Our team is also branching out and taking some interesting classes this semester including Sport as an Institution, The Secret Life of Plants, and Environmental Justice: Race, Justice, Equity and the Environment.

Not only is our team balancing academics and athletics, but multiple girls on the team are involved in incredibly exciting volunteer opportunities. Junior Hannah DeRose will be taking part in a literacy-based program where she will be working with three elementary students each week to work on reading and comprehension skills. Junior Sarah Siepker is spending her extra time volunteering at a comprehensive cancer unit. And finally, I have been working with an adult literacy program through the Berkeley Public Library as well as leading a writing group for low-income seniors at an affordable housing unit. 

Our team is excited for the upcoming season and this Hawaii trip is just the beginning! Tune in next week to see how Hawaii treats us and stay updated with your Golden Bears!