In a close game on March 22, between 20 players and 12 teachers, the water polo team came out victorious with a score of 13-9. The event was the team’s first fundraiser, and it raised over $500 from ticket sales.

“I really enjoy the sport because it’s not swimming just by yourself,” sophomore and team player Luka Rainusso said. “It’s a team, but it’s also a game. In swimming, you are just focused on getting a faster time, but water polo is like basketball or soccer. It’s a game where you have to score points.”

As a unique sport, water polo was a new experience for the teachers like HADV English teacher Katie Eccles who was motivated to learn it and have fun.

“I was pretty excited to try something new,” Eccles said. “I’m a soccer player, so I was eager to experience a new sport that reminds me of the one I know and love. The team did a good job of giving us an overview of the rules, but once we started playing, I realized I had several more questions.”

To level the playing field, the water polo team may have had tubes added as a balance between the student and teacher teams.

“The tubes definitely slowed us down,” Eccles said. “But they also equalized the playing field between the teachers and students and kept things much more safe.”

Using tubes added new difficulties for the student players because their movements were much more limited.

“The tubes really messed us up,” Rainusso said. “The flamingo tube especially because whoever played in it was screwed. That tube was so big. You couldn’t move in it.”

However, despite the obstacles, sophomore team captain and game referee Nicole Dibos still managed to have fun during the game.

“I think it was entertaining,” Dibos said. “It was funny when somebody fell off. So overall, it was positive.”

Floaties also allowed some new game strategies for the teachers as well as additional amusement for the crowd.

“Some of the teachers would grab the tubes and wrestle, which was really fun,” Rainusso said. “It looked stupid and funny, and I think the crowd liked it because whenever someone fell off, they would all start laughing.”

Other than the crowd enjoying the game, both players and teachers also had a memorable time.

“None of the teachers knew how to do it, but the experience was awesome,” Rainusso said.