Boys water polo ½ side attacker senior Nathan Wang has his arms up mid-throw, rising out of the water, ready to shoot at the net. Wearing a white cap with the number three, he scored the goal that broke the school record on Oct. 15 against Ayala High School.
Breaking the school record of 325 goals since 2020-2021 when Brandon Fabrega broke it, Wang has influenced the water polo team to have more inspiration to play better because he has set high standards for his team. He has motivated his teammates to push themselves more because of the achievements that he has been recognized for. With all his achievements throughout his high school career, first-team all league, most valuable player (MVP) in Hacienda league and MVP in Palomares League. The continued achievements and growing progress, such as becoming two-time team/coach MVP, offensive player of the year and athlete of the month has led him to seek success for his team.
“My goals this season were to beat the school record, keep improving for college and win the league with my team,” Wang said. “To build chemistry with my team, I open up and start chatting with them and explain what our team is like to make people more comfortable around us.”
While he is also learning how to improve individually this year, his achievements have affected the team more because Wang always tries to push his teammates to be the best players they can be. This has led Wang to motivate himself harder to set a very high standard for himself and his teammates to push themselves more because of the achievements he’s recognized for. He’s not just aiming to beat the school records, but to build chemistry with his teammates in order to make a more comfortable and easing environment.
“I try to lead by example to push my teammates to be their best version of themselves, while I am actively trying to become the best version of myself every day too,” Wang said. “Leadership means setting the standard through my effort and attitude every day. I try to keep the spirit up, so everyone can keep achieving accomplishments.”
Wang spends at least two and a half hours aside from school practice per day working and perfecting his shots, so he can see his efforts pay off during games. He dedicates himself by staying late after practice to shoot at the nets. His goals this season are to work towards improving himself before playing at the collegiate level.
“One thing I really admire about Nathan is his discipline and consistency. I’ve really seen how dedicated he is to everything he sets his mind to,” ⅘ side attacker senior Joshua Rovira said. “He doesn’t just talk about his goals – he puts in the work every single day to reach them. Even when things get tough, he never gives up.”
Whether it is bonding with his teammates or listening to music, Wang emphasizes the importance of continued achievements. The stronger the bond is and the more confidence there is, the better they are going to do well with each other. Wang has emphasized that it depends on trust and commitment to them.
”I bond with my water polo team by supporting each other in and out of the pool, and I value teamwork because our success depends on trust and commitment. I feel excited and ready because of all the adrenaline, but I’m also focused and determined to win,” Wang said. “I’d tell myself to be confident, trust the process, and not to overthink anything that might affect my performance.”
Wang has drawn a wide range of admiration beyond his achievements who were his coaches from both high school and club. He found ways to get water polo to generate interest by the intense gameplay, bringing teammates closer and allowing Walnut to be a firm competitor within the league games.
“He achieves higher than others. When things get rough, he just stays determined and he’s really good at overcoming obstacles,” center junior Anderson Tsai said. “With a good mindset, he pushes himself to be better, by putting extra shots after practice.”
For Wang, water polo isn’t about the physicality, treading water and winning, but rather about the leadership that he has shown his teammates. The practice that he has been working on has been influenced by many of his teammates. For all his hard work, putting in the time and effort after practice turns into the bonds of his teammates and breaking the school record.
“I am actively trying to become the best version of myself everyday. Improving my speed everyday by swimming and working on my shots to better my shooting accuracy,” Wang said. “Waterpolo can generate interest to other people by the intense gameplay and our teamwork, friendship and bond in and out of the water.”
