Can you tell us a little bit about your sport?
Waterpolo is fast paced sport mixing elements of hand ball and swimming. Each team has 6 outfield players and a goalkeeper. Players swim around the pool passing the ball and try to score a goal at the opposite end of the pool. You can’t touch the floor for the entire match so it involves a lot of swimming fitness and as it’s a contact sport it’s very physical.
Why is water polo the sport for you, and how did you get into it?
Water polo is everything I love in a sport. It’s fast paced, really physical and challenging at times and heavily relies on team work meaning you make lots of friends through the sport and really bond as a team the longer you play together.
I joined my local team in Liverpool when I was 11 after becoming bored of training at my swim club. Water polo allowed me to carry on swimming but also develop new skills like passing and shooting and I loved how physical and exciting the sport was.
What does Varsity mean to you?
As a student who had their first year in lockdown and missed out on Varsity last year I’m so excited to finally have the proper experience. I love the rivalry between Beckett and Uni of Leeds and I’m excited to be a part of Varsity this year!
How are you and the team feeling about the match?
Both me and the team are feeling confident, we’ve played Beckett twice in the league already and won both times so hoping for a third time lucky!
Who’s the one to watch on your team?
Amelia Spinks is a fantastic fresher who joined the team this September and has been a standout all year. She’s great in pit defence but also has an excellent shot so I’m hoping she’ll score a few good goals against Beckett.
And how will you be preparing for the match?
Training will be focusing on tactics and match play skills in the lead up to the game. We’ve definitely upped the intensity of the training sessions in the run up to Varsity to make sure everyone is back to full fitness following the Easter break.
