Origins at Shorecrest

In 2019, Coach Mira Ho made her return into the world of water polo to coach Shoreline’s Girls Water Polo team. Previously, Mira Ho played for the University of Washington, leading the team as captain and club president, and then coaching as a recent graduate. She reflected on her entry to the program saying, “I came on with an already established strong group of half Shorewood, half Shorecrest with about 15 athletes total. We were very competitive yet didn’t have many games, and couldn’t compete in championships because we were a combined team.” 

Wanting to push her athletes to their full potential, Mira fought for the separation of the team by their respective schools to enter “a more competitive division in the league.” This was not done without a large effort from both Shorecrest and Shorewood students, and their prospective coaches. Eliana Harrick, class of 2023, was the force behind the establishment of Shorecrest Water Polo. For the 2024 season, team captains Hannah Lee and Jackie Deiparine had to find a new coach, as Nick Maxwell, the former coach, had moved away. The coaching position is very time-consuming and pays very little, so Hannah Lee started looking for a coach months before the season started. “This year, getting a coach was a huge struggle and was a big concern of mine all preseason,” Hannah says. 

After reaching out to Mira for help, Hannah got two contacts for prospective coaches. “I reached out to Thor Tyson and Eric Joy, who both initially said they were unable because of the huge time commitment.” Around January, Thor accepted part-time coaching, but Hannah was still in search of the head coach. Days before the season started, Eric finally agreed. “I was unsure if it was the right fit for me. I’ve been a head coach for swimming but never for high school, water polo, or an all girls team. I didn’t know what to expect going into the season,” Eric says. This 2024 season was his first coaching water polo, but he played in high school and was a swim coach for Innis Arden’s swim team. 

After leading the team in a great season, Eric Joy plans to coach again next year. “I found a group that was welcoming and appreciative. The atmosphere on the team is special; this is the best group I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching.”

“Not” a Sport

The standard fee to participate in a sport at Shorecrest is $200. However, because water polo is not currently a sport sanctioned by the Washington State Interscholastic Activities, it is technically a club, which means that the finances are more unstable. The cost of pool rentals, equipment, and league fees are split between the players and organized by parent volunteers. Because the team has been a club for two years, it received some funding from the Shorecrest Boosters. The cost per player would be approaching $415, and to lower the cost, the team works hard to fundraise. 

The club’s success is owed largely to the determination of the players and the parental support. The team and their supporters host fundraising events in the community like face painting at Sheridan Beach, trivia night at the Drumlin, a car wash event, and selling concessions at their games. Thanks to fundraising and the support of local businesses, the team was able to get fees down to under $300 per player. At every game, parents help out, running the scoreboard and shot clock and supporting the team from the bleachers. 

An Uncertain Future

The current Shorecrest water polo team is composed of one senior, ten juniors, and one freshman. Coach Eric is pushing for the recruitment of enough players for the 2024-2025 season to be recruited to fill a complete varsity and junior varsity roster to help combat the uncertainty after the current juniors graduate. 

This year, the recruitment was in the hands of Junior Captain Hannah Lee and Senior Captain Jackie Deiparine. Recruitment for water polo is in the same season as track, the largest sport in the school, as well as girls’ tennis, and girls’ golf, making recruitment difficult. At the club info meeting for girls’ water polo, “we had all the players from last year talk to girls on the swim team and tell them to come,” says Hannah. “It’s hard because water polo is a small sport and people are often intimidated to join.” At the informational meeting, three new players showed up. Out of the three, only one joined. 

However, having a small team, despite the uncertainty in the future, isn’t all bad. The team has grown very close throughout the season, with regular team bonding activities, ranging from sleepovers, to fro-yo before practice, to simply spending time outside together. 

Captain and sole senior Jackie Deiparine plays an instrumental role in the team’s success, “I have leadership responsibilities and act as a role model for others, but it’s also a situation where I need to encourage behavior from my teammates, and be civil and firm when any team issues come up,” she says. The team celebrated Jackie’s time on the team and will miss her very much. “Jackie really held our team together. She was always there in the pool as a player and out of the pool as a friend,” says junior Ceci Twito. 

As Coach Mira says, “Shoreline water polo is a force to be reckoned with. While participation may ebb and flow over the years and requires motivated students to keep the programs going, Shorecrest and Shorewood are established teams with strong athletes and endless potential!”