W. water polo blazing path to top

W. water polo blazing path to top

First-year varsity team leads way in growing sport

By Emmanuelle Ejercito

Women’s water polo is a fast-growing sport and UCLA plans to be
at the front of the move forward.

This is the first year the UCLA women’s water polo team has
existed on the varsity level. In the past, the women’s water polo
team was an on-again, off-again club sport.

UCLA women’s water polo is not an NCAA sport because there is no
NCAA championship it. When the Bruins play in the national
championships in May, it will be a collegiate championship
tournament and not an NCAA tournament.

Water polo is, however, among the nine sports that the NCAA has
targeted as an emerging sport for women. The other sports include
archery, badminton, bowling, crew, ice hockey, squash, synchronized
swimming and team handball.

The criteria for becoming an NCAA sport is that 7 percent of the
904 member schools (about 63 schools) must state an interest in
sponsoring the sport before the NCAA will create a championship for
it. Last year, only 11 schools expressed interest in participating
in women’s water polo, but the number is expected to increase this
year.

"(Interest in women’s water polo) was a new question on the form
last year," NCAA official Shirley Combs said. "So there might have
been a lot of people that missed it or didn’t pay any attention to
it. Maybe more will be indicated on this year’s form just because
it was so new last year being on the form for the first time."

Regardless of its NCAA non-status, women’s water polo continues
to grow at all levels. Before, when a woman wanted to play water
polo, she had to play against men. This year, however, a women’s
water polo league has been added at the high school level. In
Northern California, there are enough teams to mandate a CIF
championship for women’s water polo.

Before UCLA elevated it to a varsity sport in December of 1993,
there were only two varsity teams in the nation. The other two
teams were this year’s defending collegiate national champion UC
San Diego and Slippery Rock (Pennsylvania) University. Next year,
the number of varsity teams is expected to increase to 25 teams
including Stanford and California.

"UCLA adding (water polo) has gained a lot of attention for
water polo at a collegiate level," UCLA head coach Guy Baker said.
"There is a tremendous interest ­ 22 (varsity) teams have been
added in a year."

The growing popularity has induced the creation of a Mountain
Pacific Sports Federation conference for women’s water polo, which
will provide more structure to the schedule of games.

"We will have a conference championship," Baker said. "(The
conference) continues to add more credibility (to the sport)."

The difference between a club team and a varsity team is money.
As a varsity team, UCLA women’s water polo receives funds from the
university and thus can give scholarships out to attract the top
players in the country. Last year, top players like Jennifer Cady,
Jennifer McFerrin and Nicolle Payne were brought into UCLA’s
program. However, Baker is quick to point out that it is not solely
the scholarships that attract players to UCLA.

In fact, players receive only partial scholarships, as seen when
the team divided one full scholarship among five players.

"In water polo, there is no professional future so your
education is the most important thing," Baker said. "UCLA is an
extremely attractive university for high school students from an
educational, athletic and social standpoint."

There have been obstacles for Baker, who feels this first year
has been a continuous learning process.

"At the competitive standpoint, you are a little bit behind
everybody," Baker said. "It’s difficult being a first-year program
and knowing that you’re not quite there with the top teams.

"You spend a lot more time evaluating players in a first-year
situation. There’s a lot more learning and trying to figure out
things in the first year."

The future looks bright for UCLA, however, with the availability
of scholarships. The Bruins, whose current team is comprised mostly
of walk-ons, will be able to recruit top high school students.

"It’s a stepping stone," said Baker. "The program will continue
to try to fall in line with the tradition of UCLA athletics. We’ll
be the leader in women’s water polo. If not next year, then the
following year. We’re still young, but we’ve got a number of great
players coming in."