Cascade Stensland '22 Recruiting Profile

Currently, I am training full-time, at the Maggie Steffens/Tony Azevedo 6-8 Elite Water Polo Academy.   It took grit to continue to train for water polo during the pandemic; I swam in the Willamette River, Lake Oswego and backyard pools in Portland, Oregon.  I gained core strength at an outdoor fitness bootcamp (HIIT) and I was fortunate to be able to play in Utah & Texas tournaments with family friend's teams over the winter.  It's been an adventure and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to train and learn from Tony and Rico Azevedo along with many other top coaches this summer.

My HS season stats demonstrate my strong work ethic and determination (highest in all categories; scorer, assists, steals, as well as most forced ejections), and received both League and State recognition, every year.  My coaches will describe me as talented and driven, but compassionate, and a fun-loving leader who makes everyone enjoy playing polo together.   My team-building approach and attitude elevates my teammates, both in and out of the water.  I am a good listener and I am very coachable.  

I'm looking for a NCAA D1 college program that can challenge me both academically as well as athletically.  And a visionary coach who can inspire our team to succeed together.

 I am a strong all-around player, with mature game awareness, excellent defense, (steals and forced ejections) and both a strong and accurate shot. I was selected for the 2021 USA Water Polo ODP Youth regional (PNW) team, as well as every ODP regional team since 2017 (5 years in a row).

My ultimate goal is to be an Olympian; my drive to succeed started at a young age. When I was 10, I played on PNW 14U team at JO's, so I struggled, but I swam fast and played several quarters in those games.  I never gave up and I kept learning.  Over the years, some kids quit because we had demanding coaches. Other kids dropped out because they lacked mental toughness in competitive environments.  I have travelled to Texas, Utah and California to play in as many games as possible, each season.   I never quit because I know I will have to persist, with grit and humility, to become a NCAA-D1 athlete and an Olympian.