Making a Splash
Young water polo team builds fan base

One needn’t have a full understanding of something to enjoy it.

Good thing when it comes to water polo. Typically a sport casual fans pay attention to once every four years during the Olympics, it’s also a sport in which Arizona State University is making a name for itself.

The Sun Devils finished their fifth season as a varsity program in May with a 15-13 record and a No. 6 national ranking. What’s more, their two offensive leaders, Rowie Webster, of Victoria, Australia, and Addison Doud, of Laguna Beach, Calif., were both freshmen.

“It’s great down the road just to have those players for three more years to build, to bring in some other players,” Coach Todd Clapper said. “Those are explosive players that could be playing on any team in our conference, any team in the country. Those are players who are going to help us take the next step – winning the national championship.”

A lofty goal, to be sure, but the team has come a long way in a short time. The addition of Webster and Doud certainly helped.

“I think the potential has been there,” Clapper said. “I think a big part of what the team had was some really good role players. The addition of these two really strong offensive players has really launched us into the top group.”

Indeed, Webster was selected second-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the league in which ASU competes, and to the federation’s all-freshman team. Clapper, meanwhile, was chosen in May as the head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Youth Team.

And yet to a great many at ASU, water polo remains a mystery.

“Most people will say, ‘Yeah I kind of watch a little in the Olympics, it kind of seems like they’re just wrestling around in the water,’” Clapper said. It’s not that this is an inaccurate description; it’s just that there is also more strategy going on than just that.

“You can be pretty physical with someone, but it’s not a dunk-fest,” Clapper said.

Getting people to the games is key. It helps that the team hands out a brief rules guide at the games, to explain what’s going on more clearly. It’s not a bad idea, and the way things are going for the Sun Devils, it might be smart to start studying up.

--By Bill Goodykoontz