It's been almost a year since I started the Creighton Water Polo Club (CU Polo) and our club team is already looking forward to starting our inaugural season in the American Collegiate Water Polo League. We have had a few bumps in the road starting with finding a league, getting enough players, funding, equipment, and many other issues that come with forming a brand-spanking new aquatics club that doesn't even have a pool to practice in. However, we overcame these obstacles and now what lies in front of us is a goal to make it to the "Top 3" in our league.

Our first obstacle came with finding an aquatics facility that would allow us to practice year-round. We originally pondered the thought of using the YMCA however it was too small and shallow of a pool for us to use. And due to their schedule, we would only be able to come in to do swim conditioning.

Then with the help of University of Nebraska-Omaha, we were given permission to use of their aquatics facility. All-deep, 25-meters, the perfect facility for us to practice. If I were to describe how I feel about having a great aquatics facility to practice at in one word, it would be "blessed."

We originally started out with four players during the spring, not even enough to fill an entire team. Yet, last spring we still pushed through with practices and eventually got to scrimmage our cross-town rival, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Although we were only a four-man group borrowing two of Lincoln's players, we held our own and showed that we will grow to become a force to be reckon with.

Now, we have grown to be a full and diverse team with players coming from many backgrounds across the US, ranging from a past-time swimmer of the Pacific Ocean on the beaches of Hawaii to near professional/collegiate-level players from top level high schools in California.

For our inaugural season, we have a dedicated and experienced group of freshmen ready to lead the charge this upcoming October. Two of them being from Southern California so the team chemistry is just already outstanding and another freshman from De Smet. Our upperclassmen crew consists of three California native players including myself and a swimmer from Kansas.

Nonetheless, I can't explain how excited I am to compete with this amazing group. We have a lot of talent coming onto this team with a great mix of upperclassmen and Freshmen and a lot of potential for the next few years to come.

This fall, we will be participating in three tournaments in the American Collegiate Water Polo League with a few scrimmages on the side.

The first two tournaments decide our seeding for our championship tournament, which falls on December 3rd and 4th at Iowa State. Our first 2 tournaments are: October 8-9th at Palatine, IL at Harper College, just 30 minutes away from Chicago, and November 5-6th at University of Minnesota. If you find yourself in any of those areas during those tournaments, feel free to swing by and cheer us on!