Thea Ulsamer '22 Recruiting Profile

My first water polo practice was just over four years ago; looking back now, I can't believe how far I've come. Jumping into the pool at that first practice was one of the most nerve racking days of my life. At that point I had never seen the water polo before, and watching kids my age play this complicated sport, amazed me. To be honest, I hated water polo until one day somebody suggested for me to tryout a high performance practice. After that night I have never looked back, I fell in love with water polo. Witnessing a team working together and focusing on every aspect of the game to perfect it, mesmerized me. I wanted to be part of that team, I wanted to learn everything there is to know about water polo and I had a thirst to help my team be the best we could be. I step onto the pool deck everyday with that same drive, however some days are harder than others. 

This past year has been the most challenging year of my life, and was extremely difficult to pursue my passion. However I did not let that stop me, I still went to practice and jumped into the freezing water everyday, and instead of letting this all take me down, I learned how to stand up and developed a larger understanding of the people around me as well as allowing me to connect with others easier. 

Now that I've passed this tough time I have noticed that water polo has taught me an infinite amount of valuable lessons ranging from learning from  mistakes, to understanding that we cannot succeed without mistakes. My love for water polo has allowed me to meet people from around the world, play with and against some of the most talented players, but most importantly, has allowed me to make connections with coaches and team members that will last a lifetime, and I am so excited to make those connections with you and your team.