By Houlton McGuinn

Senior Sophia Bailey is excited that the sport of water polo is available at PA. Bailey said that she likes the teamwork aspect of the sport: “I like how you kind of like bond with people you may not have met before.”

Twenty-some players attended the inaugural water polo practice at the beginning of October at Bayside Recreation Center.

The Water Polo Club had its first scrimmage last Monday. The club played four short, six-minute games. Water polo is played with seven players per team, six field players and one goalie.

After a short warm up, the team practiced passing and learning the numbering system the sport uses for shooting.

The Water Polo Club is coached by a PA parent, Josh Sill. Christopher Hakim is the faculty sponsor. Hakim said that he is helping to get the club off the ground and bring water polo to the area.

Water polo is currently designated as a club. “The idea is that it’ll be a fall sport,” said Hakim. “Roll into swimming, and roll into recreational water polo in the spring and then roll back into high school water polo club in the summer and fall.”

Bailey said that where she used to live in California, water polo is a fall varsity sport with a longer, three-month season.

Cox, Kellam, and Ocean Lakes are also in the process of starting their own water polo clubs.

According to Hakim, on Fridays the club has intrasquad scrimmages between themselves and the other schools.

Princess Anne and Cox will practice together at Bayside Rec Center.

Hakim said that the club is planning a trip up north in December to play another high school club.