Despite the loss of the water polo coach and majority of its players from last year, the boys team will live on. At first, it was thought there would be no team since only two boys showed up to the first practice. However, this year the team was able to find eight players, slightly exceeding the minimum needed of seven. One of those new players was freshman James Fenner.

Fenner, unlike many of his teammates, has had previous experience in the sport. “I have played one year of water polo competitively,” he said. “I have also been swimming since 2008.” This gives him the advantage of being able to out-swim his opponents, ultimately creating more scoring opportunities for his team.

Like Fenner, Coach Michael Bria is new to Stagg. Fenner describes him as someone who knows when to put his foot down and is straightforward. “He’s very instructive and will tell you if you’re doing something wrong. He’ll make sure to help you fix your problem.” This gives the team a better chance at having a successful season

The sport is very enjoyable to Fenner. He looks at it as something he can learn lessons from. “It’s a really good experience and taught me to not let anyone push me around,” he said. “I like how you get to be aggressive, and it’s taught me to be strategic while aggressive.” Practices consist of push-ups, sit-ups, a half hour of swim sets, and an hour of passing and shooting.

Fenner plans to be involved in water polo for the rest of his high school years. He enjoys the sport for its uniqueness and what it has to offer.