Image from: Lily Spivey. Top: Wandlinger coaching a summer league game.
After a disappointing 2023 season that came to a bitter end at MVAL semi-finals, the new boys water polo coach, Calrissa Wandinger, hopes to help the team have a much more successful year. Wandinger is a Washington High School alumna and was the girls water polo team’s Most Valuable Player her senior year in 2018. That same year she broke a WHS record swimming in the 200 yard freestyle relay. Later she went on to play Division 1 water polo at San Jose State and was the team captain in 2023. Now that her own polo career has come to a close, she’s decided to give back to the community that fostered her love of the sport.
Wandinger has been coaching the West Valley Water Polo girls 16 and under A team since graduating in 2018. When asked about how she felt switching from coaching girls to coaching boys she states, “It’ll be a big change, but I think It’ll be fun.” Members of the girls water polo team have long had the opinion that what the boys team needed to succeed was an experienced coach that would give the team more discipline. When asked her opinion on the change in coaching staff, one of the girls varsity captains, Ava Huggins, stated, “I’m really happy for them because their last coach didn’t have a lot of experience with water polo, and this coach does.” She also stated that she was happy with the discipline Wandinger was bringing to the team, a sentiment a member of the boys water polo team, Owen Oviatt, shared. When asked how things on the team have changed he stated that, “practices have been harder and more strict. The swim sets have been longer and harder but they are good for everyone to improve. The drills are at a higher intensity but are explained very well to allow everyone to improve.” These harder practices have been extremely beneficial in helping the team grow, something that was clearly seen when their game against the highly ranked team Castro Valley ended much closer than the game had in previous years. The harder conditioning has made the team look more coordinated and strong.
Another major change in the team since Wandinger took over as head coach is the team’s mindset and morale. For the last few years, their old head coach often left the team hanging which fostered an atmosphere of bitterness and mistrust instead of one based on mutual respect. At a JV tournament last year, the head coach didn’t show up for a game, forcing players to borrow caps, balls, and a coach from the opposing team. Additionally, the team was frequently disorganized and unprepared at important games. With the coaching change, the boys have more confidence in Wandingers ability to bring out the best in them. Oviatt states, “the game plans have been more about the drills we have practiced compared to last year, where there was never a direct plan.”
All these changes explain why the team has gotten much stronger overall. They work harder in practice and are motivated by their coach. At a practice while talking to the team Wandinger said, “I know this team has the talent to win MVALs, but you have to apply yourselves.” The change in coaching has so far proved to be a change for the better, so far the teams overall record is 3-2, but 3-1 with Wandinger as their coach, whereas last year their record by this point in the season was 1-4. Ultimately, by MVALs, which takes place at the end of the season, the players believe that they will be ready for the challenge of facing off against the other strong teams in the league.
Lily Spivey is a junior at Washington High School and has lived in Fremont her whole life. This is her first year working on The Hatchet and she hopes to cover current events, pop culture, and student life. Lily spends most of her free time reading, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. She’s also been on the varsity swim and water polo teams since her freshman year. In the future, she hopes to become a pediatrician and have a house near the coast.