Tate Oliva '23 Recruiting Profile

I am an engaged and driven teammate, student, and person, and I am dedicated to playing polo and learning both in and out of the pool!

I joined the Varsity Water Polo Team on a whim my freshman year after years of elite soccer and was met with the most rewarding individual and team experience I had ever had. I learned perseverance, integrity, grit, and communication and fell in love with being in the pool as part of a team after a lifetime spent in the water rafting the rivers of the Pacific NW with my family and friends. I have now competed at the ODP Regional and National levels and this last year my team won the Oregon 5A Girls Championships. 

What I love most about water polo is the reward of practicing a new skill, move, or play for hours in practice and then the satisfaction of executing it successfully in a game. My biggest motivator during practices and games is my teammates and I've come to appreciate how hard I"m willing to work for a coach and teammates I respect. For me, playing polo is all about learning and getting better with every session in the pool, as well as the shared experience of working successfully towards a common goal. 

In college, I am determined to work hard and learn in the pool as well as pursue my interest in climate change research, marine conservation, and environmental science. I am looking for a school with a rigorous curriculum and a positive, hard-working, supportive team environment.