City College Athletic Director Ryan Byrne has announced that women’s water polo will be offered in the Fall of 2014.
Through student interest surveys taken over the past three years, Byrne said that women’s swimming and women’s water polo were the highest level of interest for sports not offered.
The women’s swim team has already made quite a splash in its inaugural season that began this February. In the team’s first intercollegiate event, City College’s roster was the largest amongst the eight participating schools. Byrne believes this interest will be similar this fall when the water polo roster will be made.
“It’s such a strong aquatics community,” Byrne said. “Every high school locally is really strong and there is a lot of local interest and interest in general.”
Rocio Fesembeck, a freshman out of Santa Barbara High School, is a current member of City College’s swim team and is eager to begin playing her favorite sport in the Vaqueros red and black. She also is a member of the Argentinian national water polo team and plays in various tournaments around the world.
“I can’t explain how awesome the opportunity is,” said Fesembeck. “It will open up a lot of doors for many women.”
She is now able to stay in shape and be on top of her game and the addition of the water polo team will allow her to compete at a high level.
“I wish it wouldn’t have taken so long to create the teams but we are so fortunate that it is up and running,” continued Fesembeck. “They [Argentinian National Team] expect a lot from me and I can’t let them down!”
Brian “Chuckie” Roth who also serves as City College’s swim coach will coach Fesembeck and the rest of the women’s water polo team. Roth, in an interview with City College’s Sports Information Specialist Dave Loveton, believes the team could be competitive in its first season.
“He brings an infectious, positive energy,” Byrne said. “He is an amazing person and we couldn’t be luckier to have him as our coach.
The team will compete in the Western State Conference against Ventura, Cuesta, Citrus, Santa Monica, L.A. Valley and L.A. Pierce. Home games and practices will be held at San Marcos High School but Byrne is hopeful that the city and the college can come to an agreement to give the aquatics team a pool closer to City College.
