Just five seconds after getting in the pool, senior Maddie Dawson was kicked in the sternum during the girls water polo game against Maine South on March 16. 

“When we’re starting the game or just treading, I would say we appear more graceful,”said Dawson. “But what you see above the surface is completely different than what’s under the surface.”

In games, there is so much going on physically, and there is almost always some sort of illegal maneuver that happens underwater, Dawson said. 

There is alotof swimsuit-grabbing in water polo, and sometimes people grab the legs of someone in front of them, making it look like a swimming stroke to prevent referees frommaking a foul call, Dawson said. 

According to junior Kelsey Motherway, a typical game is very hands-on and has its fair share of suit grabs, kicks to the abdomen, shoulder pulls, hand grabs and scratches. 

Players are not permitted to touch the bottom of the pool and are either treading or constantly swimming.

“So just like in basketball where you run the whole game, having a swimming background has helped with endurance,” Motherway said. 

One treading technique is the eggbeater, during which players move their legs in circular motions while keeping their feet arched and angled.

The team has lots of talent, and head coach John Fournier’s goal is to finish with a record of at least .500 on this season, he said. 

The team has some fast swimmers and good offensive movement, but it has struggled with passing this season, Fournier said. 

“If we can get that locked down, I think we can do pretty good,” Fournier said.

According to Dawson, the team has been working primarily on passing and movement in the water. 

“We’re working on always moving because in the first game, we stood in the water like buoys,” Dawson said. 

As of April 5, the Spartans are 4-7 overall and 1-3 in conference.

“I want us to be known as a team that plays hard but doesn’t play dirty,” said Dawson. “We win because we are good, not because we know how to dodge some of the rules.”