Annabelle de St. MauriceWhen we sat down with water polo co-presidents Andy Rice and Steve Bourque, Rice warned us that the two “have the attention spans of five-year-olds.” Indeed, during the interview, Bourque was everywhere but his chair: he even fixed a loose bike seat, walked on his hands, and ate some raw spaghetti noodles. In the midst of all this, we still managed to find out the scoop about WU water polo, including how the team qualified for nationals, what really goes on during a water polo game, and why you won’t ever want to swim in the Millbrook pool again.
Q: How long has the water polo team existed?
SB: This is our third year of competition, it was just a fun recreational club before then. We joined the collegiate water polo association three years ago.
Q: How has the team been doing this year?
AR: Very well. We have a regular season record of 10-1. We finally beat our rival western school western Illinois.
Q: What other schools do you play?
SB: We only play Division I schools. We’re the only DIII school in our region. We beat Mizzou in our final to win the Great Plains Regional championship
AR: Which gave us the berth into the nationals.
SB: Berth, what does that mean? Why didn’t you just say qualify?
Q: So when are nationals?
AR: Nov. 8-10 at California Polytechnic State University.
Q: How do you guys know each other?
SB: We met on our freshman floor.
AR: He’s been tagging along with me every since.
Q: Who’s the goofiest guy on the team? Can you tell me any stories about him?
AR: He’s in the room with us, unfortunately (looks at Steve). He’s just always loud and obnoxious.
SB: Also, we’ve got some good stories about Nigel [Davies] and Ross [Bright]. Nigel does an amazing dance to Kylie Minogue (Steve gets up and dances).
Q: How did you get started playing water polo?
AR: I just started in high school, then I continued from swimming to water polo.
SB: I got into it because I had never played in high school, and [Andy and I] were friends freshman year, and he started going to practices at night, and I got bored because I didn’t have any one to hang out with, so I started going. I retired from competitive swimming when I was eight-years-old after a very successful career.
Q: What’s up with those hats that water polo players wear? Do they do anything?
AR: Of course they do, you gotta protect the ears.
SB: And they make it so you have a number.
AR: And we look hot in them.
Q: Do you have a favorite water polo player?
AR: Mike Murphy is my favorite.
Q: Isn’t Mike on your team?
AR: Yeah.
Q: What’s the harder sport: swimming or water polo?
(In unison): Water polo!
AR: Cause water polo incorporates swimming and then some. And you don’t get your nuts grabbed in swimming:
Q: How much time do you guys put into practicing/playing?
AR: We practice three times a week, eight hours a week.
Q: Describe the best game you guys have played this year.
SB: The first game against Western. It was the first time anyone in our conference had beaten them in the regular season in the last three years. It came down to the really last second. Hawaii passed Murph the ball, and he tips it in, one second left, they were devastated. They argued the game.
AR: I had to go over and argue the game and tell the fan to shut up.
Q: Where do you guys see yourselves in ten years?
AR: Hopefully my brother will be rich, and then I can be his lawn man.
SB: He’s gonna be homeless because he’s an environmental studies major.
AR: And he’s going to be like the blind leading the blind and be a psychologist.
Q: If they made a movie about you, what movie star would play you?
SB: What’s that guys name, Lorenzo Lamas, from
“Renagade.” He also played Tom in “Grease.” How I know that, don’t know. I’m a big Lorenzo Lamas fan.
Q: Do you think being a water polo player impresses the ladies?
AR: Uh, no.
SB: I’m very available, looking for some ladies.
AR: Can we put in his phone number? Actually just put a link to his webpage.
SB: Shut up dude, that won’t get me any chicks.
By Lisa Goldstein
[email protected]
When we sat down with water polo co-presidents Andy Rice and Steve Bourque, Rice warned us that the two “have the attention spans of five-year-olds.” Indeed, during the interview, Bourque was everywhere but his chair: he even fixed a loose bike seat, walked on his hands, and ate some raw spaghetti noodles. In the midst of all this, we still managed to find out the scoop about WU water polo, including how the team qualified for nationals, what really goes on during a water polo game, and why you won’t ever want to swim in the Millbrook pool again.
Q: How long has the water polo team existed?
SB: This is our third year of competition, it was just a fun recreational club before then. We joined the collegiate water polo association three years ago.
Q: How has the team been doing this year?
AR: Very well. We have a regular season record of 10-1. We finally beat our rival western school western Illinois.
Q: What other schools do you play?
SB: We only play Division I schools. We’re the only DIII school in our region. We beat Mizzou in our final to win the Great Plains Regional championship
AR: Which gave us the berth into the nationals.
SB: Berth, what does that mean? Why didn’t you just say qualify?
Q: So when are nationals?
AR: Nov. 8-10 at California Polytechnic State University.
Q: How do you guys know each other?
SB: We met on our freshman floor.
AR: He’s been tagging along with me every since.
Q: Who’s the goofiest guy on the team? Can you tell me any stories about him?
AR: He’s in the room with us, unfortunately (looks at Steve). He’s just always loud and obnoxious.
SB: Also, we’ve got some good stories about Nigel [Davies] and Ross [Bright]. Nigel does an amazing dance to Kylie Minogue (Steve gets up and dances).
Q: How did you get started playing water polo?
AR: I just started in high school, then I continued from swimming to water polo.
SB: I got into it because I had never played in high school, and [Andy and I] were friends freshman year, and he started going to practices at night, and I got bored because I didn’t have any one to hang out with, so I started going. I retired from competitive swimming when I was eight-years-old after a very successful career.
Q: What’s up with those hats that water polo players wear? Do they do anything?
AR: Of course they do, you gotta protect the ears.
SB: And they make it so you have a number.
AR: And we look hot in them.
Q: Do you have a favorite water polo player?
AR: Mike Murphy is my favorite.
Q: Isn’t Mike on your team?
AR: Yeah.
Q: What’s the harder sport: swimming or water polo?
(In unison): Water polo!
AR: Cause water polo incorporates swimming and then some. And you don’t get your nuts grabbed in swimming:
Q: How much time do you guys put into practicing/playing?
AR: We practice three times a week, eight hours a week.
Q: Describe the best game you guys have played this year.
SB: The first game against Western. It was the first time anyone in our conference had beaten them in the regular season in the last three years. It came down to the really last second. Hawaii passed Murph the ball, and he tips it in, one second left, they were devastated. They argued the game.
AR: I had to go over and argue the game and tell the fan to shut up.
Q: Where do you guys see yourselves in ten years?
AR: Hopefully my brother will be rich, and then I can be his lawn man.
SB: He’s gonna be homeless because he’s an environmental studies major.
AR: And he’s going to be like the blind leading the blind and be a psychologist.
Q: If they made a movie about you, what movie star would play you?
SB: What’s that guys name, Lorenzo Lamas, from
“Renagade.” He also played Tom in “Grease.” How I know that, don’t know. I’m a big Lorenzo Lamas fan.
Q: Do you think being a water polo player impresses the ladies?
AR: Uh, no.
SB: I’m very available, looking for some ladies.
AR: Can we put in his phone number? Actually just put a link to his webpage.
SB: Shut up dude, that won’t get me any chicks.
Q: Any pre-game superstitions?
SB: During tournaments, we don’t change our underwear, but that’s more convenience. I don’t even bring underwear. actually I do, in case I have an accident.
Q: What actually goes on under the water during games?
SB: Just for the record, about 20 percent of that pool is pee. I peed four times at practice.
Q: Any pre-game superstitions?
SB: During tournaments, we don’t change our underwear, but that’s more convenience. I don’t even bring underwear. actually I do, in case I have an accident.
Q: What actually goes on under the water during games?
SB: Just for the record, about 20 percent of that pool is pee. I peed four times at practice.