Summer For SCU Men's Water Polo

Posted: Aug 01, 2012

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – When it comes to summer vacation, many people take advantage of the weather by going to the beach or pool for fun and relaxation. However, for the Santa Clara men's water polo team, they are taking this summer time seriously, and have been practicing hard in the water. Jimmy Moore (JM) shared with SantaClaraBroncos.com (SCB) what the team has been doing this summer and his hopes to get more students to come to their home games. The Broncos' season kicks off on September 2nd at Cal, and their first home game will be held on October 19th as they host their annual Rodeo Tournament.

SCB: What have you been doing this summer?

JM: I have been in the Santa Clara area this whole summer so that I could practice with the team. We try to have as many players as possible stick around during the summer because it can be an important time for improvement in both individual and team play.

SCB: Have you been training for the upcoming water polo season?

JM: Our summer training is a fun and exciting time before pre-season. We get to play in some of our first exhibition games since last season. We played in a few tournaments and even got to host a few home games. It really helps to get the younger players some experience and this high level of water polo is a good start before the actual season in the fall.

SCB: What are you looking forward to about your upcoming season?

JM: I think it will be a very exciting season coming up. I'm mostly excited to see the players that get an increase in playing time. After graduating some of our important players, we are looking for the younger players to really step into their roles. Also, we've had a pretty exciting summer, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can do when all of our off-season work can really pay off in the fall.

SCB: What are the things you are hoping to improve this year?

JM: We would like to improve our ability to adapt. Some of the NCAA rules have changed (Shot clocks are shorter; Pool is 5 meters shorter), and we are hoping that we can use these to our advantage. Also, keeping in mind that we are bringing in upwards of 9-10 freshmen players this coming year, we would like to continue to improve upon our existing team chemistry. Personally, I would like to step up my defensive positioning and hopefully become more of an offensive threat.

SCB: What do you think you can bring to the team?

JM: As one of the older players on the team, I try to bring a sense of leadership to the team by sharing my experiences from the past two seasons. I also hope to make more of an impact on the offensive side of the ball this season.

SCB: What are your expectations from the team for the upcoming season?

JM: As always, we are looking to improve our standings in our conference, the WWPA. Winning our conference tournament at the end of the year would be a huge step up for our program.

SCB: Is there anything you would like the SCU community to know about your team?

JM: We absolutely love it when we can get crowds at our home games. The Bronco support from the bleachers helps us to play to our full potential!

Go Broncos!