By Rick Assad
In Harrison Siegel’s mind, he was going to play baseball at Burroughs High and he did as a freshman on the junior varsity.
Then his thinking perhaps changed somewhat, and he switched to a different sport.
“I started playing water polo for the recreational league at the Verdugo pool. I initially played baseball but decided to take up water polo during my freshman year,” said the senior who plans on attending one of the University of California campuses and major in biology. “I made junior varsity for both baseball and water polo in the fall but decided to pursue water polo as it was a new experience, and I felt like I could grow more in water polo.”
Looking back, Siegel, who is one of the leading players on the water polo team that is 15-4 and 3-0 in the Pacific League, very likely made the right decision.
“I think I’ve flourished playing water polo because I like the physicality of the game. When I started playing, I hated that anyone could grab you and you couldn’t do anything about it,” he said. “However, I came to realize that I had to accept it in order to grow.”
Siegel, who intends to try out for the men’s water polo team in college, added: “I started noticing everything that people would do in games that helped them and started to implement it into my play style,” he said. “By watching other kids on my club [team] and high school team, I was able to develop my own style of playing water polo.” 
Being physically fit at six-feet tall and 170 pounds, this has helped Siegel shine in the water the last several years.
“I think the best part about my game is my endurance,” he noted. “I try my hardest in practice to make the most out of every swim set. Knowing that I won’t have to worry about being tired allows me to play with full effort.”
Being cognizant of what has worked in the past has also helped Siegel on the day of the game.
“Before a match I usually don’t try to think about it [the match] too much. I like to spend time with my teammates and joke around,” he said. “I’ve stopped listening to music because it can distance me from reality.”
Siegel continued: “I view every game the same, with the simple intention of winning,” he said. “By changing my perspective because of the team or circumstances, I compromise my ability to play to my best abilities.”
Last year’s final match was a difficult pill to swallow for Siegel, but it’s unforgettable.
“The biggest match I’ve played in was for my club, however, for high school it would be our CIF Southern Section Division IV opening round game last season against Santa Monica,” Siegel recalled. “We lost 12-9 and I remember it was on Halloween, so that made it even more memorable. We played a hard game and even though we lost, I thought it was a great finale to the season.”
Knowing ultimately someone has to win and someone has to lose is smart and also realistic.
“If I don’t meet my goals, I try not to dwell on them too much, however, I do take time out to think about what I could’ve done differently,” Siegel admitted. “If I complete a goal in one game, I go into the next with the exact same mentality, unaffected by the past.”
Making friends on the team’s that he’s been a major part of has given Siegel a closeness with them.
“The biggest benefit of playing water polo is the bond I’ve created with my teammates,” he said. “Water polo is a pretty physically demanding sport, and the practices can be tough. But sticking together and pushing through the rough times only makes our friendships more rewarding. Also, it’s nice to be able to eat as much as I want and not have to worry about gaining weight.”
Is all the hard work, practice, and dedication worth it?
“The feeling I get seeing my teammates score in a game triumphs all the hardships we face during practice,” he said. “The image of the crowd cheering, fists pumping, and pure excitement in the expressions of my friends is my favorite part of playing water polo.”
Siegel will also cherish his time in and out of the pool.
“I will be satisfied. I came into this sport with little prior knowledge. I found a sport I enjoyed playing, watching, and learning about and pushed myself to be the best I could be,” he said. “Maybe I could’ve scored a couple more goals, but stats are insignificant compared to the passion I’ve developed to push myself to get better every day.”
Would Siegel do anything different?
“To say I don’t have regrets would be lying, however, I can’t say that the things I would change in the past affect me at all today,” he said. “If I had to choose one, it would be not pushing myself harder in the past.”
