When senior Betsy Wall rises out of the water with the ball in hand, all the shot-blockers and goalies want to duck and cover. When Wall gives her shooting face, nothing stops her from scoring: cross cage high, skip shots, set sweeps, her list of water polo shots could fill a page. Though the season has yet to begin, there is no doubt that last year’s Rookie of the Year will be a star this season on LGHS’s water polo team.
What most spectators find surprising after watching Wall score goal after goal is that she did not begin playing water polo at the high school level until her sophomore year. She spent a summer earlier playing with the fourteen and under’s at West Valley College, but her real playing did not begin until her sophomore year where she was almost immediately elected captain of The JV team.
Wall’s leadership in the pool is undeniable, and her skills as a leader come naturally. She always helps the less experienced players and makes friends with everyone on the team.
“I grew up watching water polo and loving it. My dad and three brothers all played,” Wall commented. “My favorite part for sure is being a part of the community. From the players to the coaches, everyone is awesome.”
Wall’s favorite part of the game is offense. “I love scoring goals,” she stated. “I like taking perimeter shots the best, but I also love to take shots from set, like sweep shots.”
Her goal for the team this year is to beat Gunn and to make it to semi-finals at CCS. “Our team definitely has more potential this year. We have a lot of skill on the team, and everyone has a lot of respect for each other. As a team we have the drive to do well this year if we work together.”
Wall’s water polo career will most likely not end with high school. “I have been talking to college coaches to try and get my name out there,” she said when asked about her future in water polo. “There is definitely a good chance I will play out of high school.”
Categories: Sports