Varsity Water-Polo Captains reflect on their roles as the season arises

By: Ayla Barton and Hannah Johnson

The varsity girls and boys water polo team captains introduce themselves as they prepare for the upcoming season and leadership responsibilities.

As the water polo pre-season concludes and players share their enthusiasm to begin the official season, team captains have been decided among the varsity teams. Joseph Ross ‘23 is this year’s boys varsity water polo team captain. Hannah Kempf, ‘23, and Eliza Howard, ‘23 are this year’s girls varsity water polo captains. 

Ross has been playing water polo for six, going on seven years. Being the only captain for the boys varsity team, he says that “it’s a big responsibility for a team that has a history of winning a lot.”

Ross plays the wing position in water polo and initiates plays. He role as captain includes “making sure everyone works hard.” 

Getting ready for water polo season is no easy task, especially with the scorching temperature recently. According to Ross, “we practice pretty much all summer long.”  The team went through what is known as “hell week” which consists of extreme conditioning.

Inspired by his middle school friends, Ross says that they motivated him to try out for water polo in the first place. “I came out to practice with them and have been playing ever since.” 

Ross’s biggest influences are his coach and past teammates, “They push me to be the best I can.” He is an inspiration to his teammates and influences them to “work hard beside [him] and set the example.”

The varsity team went to the Long Beach tournament over Memorial Day weekend, leaving Friday, September 2nd, and returning Sunday, September 4th, bringing home the victory. “We really came together well as a team. We are ready for the season.” 

Ross is looking forward to the remainder of the water polo season and competing in upcoming tournaments and competitions.

Hannah Kempf, ‘23, and Eliza Howard, ‘23 are this year’s girls varsity water polo captains

Kempf has been a varsity player for all four years of her Redwood career. She has played a total of six years, two prior to Redwood.

Outside of Redwood polo, Kempf is a member of the Fresno Bulldogs and has been with them for two years. She plays for the Visalia Club SOVA.

Throughout the time she was playing with Sova she would also play with Exeter. 

As this year’s season starts, Kempf plans  “to always be positive I try and make sure that we are ready for any team.” 

“I was very honored and happy. I love my co-captain and my team. I feel like we are very close, so it’s just a lot of fun. It’s not really a captain role, more of a leader role.”

Hannah Kempf, ’23 regarding her role as captain

Kempf has been preparing for this season by, “all summer I played high school and club so I practiced four hours a day all summer, and then I did as much as I could just to get ready”

Kempf talks about how her position as a center defender reflects on her work ethic around her team “My position is more of a defensive position so it’s a lot about seeing where the other team is at and knowing their team really well and it just has me be more aware of seeing what they do.” 

Girls varsity’s other captain, Eliza Howard, ‘23 has been playing for a total of four years. Howard has been on varsity for two years and began going out to practice during her sophomore year, but due to covid, did not get any playing time.  

Howard’s position as captain and a varsity teammate pushes her to “work and keep working harder so that I can be an example to other people.” 

Howard takes on her role of being co-captain by “being a positive influence on the girls and make sure that everyone is motivated and that everybody knows that they can do things because water polo is pretty hard we definitely have to keep up the positive energy.”

“In general, I think it would be awesome if we can win the championship towards the central section just as a team. I feel like we are a strong team right now and just to see growth in our team is all that I want.”

Howard regarding goals for the team this season

Being part of the Redwood polo team, Howard says how she feels about being a captain this season, “I was really honored that my team wanted me to be a captain with Hannah and I am really grateful to be co-captains with Hannah cause she is awesome and has played water polo longer than I have so she has a bit of a broader knowledge on that but I just felt really honored.” 

Howard’s position as a utility player can be challenging for she plays both defensive and offensive and mainly plays on the wings.

After their last tournament, Howard gives inside on how it went “we have a lot of things that we can work on but we have a good break to be able to work on those things so I think that by the time league starts we will be a really solid team.”

She adds, “Hopefully we will be the team to beat in our league. We are hoping to make it to the playoffs for the central section so that will be exciting.” 

Tags: ayla barton, hannah johnson, humansofredwood, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, redwood sports, redwood water polo, rhs, varsity water polo, visalia ca, waterpolo