Boys’ varsity water polo is consistently ranked as one of the best teams in the Bay Area, having won two out of the last three Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) and North Coast Section (NCS) championships. However, this season, they’ve reached another level, ranking 15th in the country and eighth in California; this season marks their highest rank since MaxPreps began tracking water polo scores.
Leading the Giants into uncharted territory are their senior captains, Ossie Joplin and Sawyer Goldberg. Since Joplin moved from Texas to Marin County after his freshman year, the two have played alongside each other in the water year-round for both high school and club, cultivating a bond that has culminated in incredible success for the Giants.
“We’ve been the duo on almost every team we’ve played for. Every hotel we stay at, we stay in the same room. We stayed together on a water polo cruise; we’ve [practically] lived together for the past four years. We know each other in and out and know what each other will do before [it happens],” Joplin said.
Varsity head coach Rudy Kardos has coached both captains throughout their club and high school careers and has witnessed their chemistry.
“If Sawyer is passing to Ossie in the center, [Sawyer] knows exactly where [Ossie] likes the ball and they read the defense pretty well,” Kardos said.
This camaraderie has played out this season, as the Giants currently sit at 20-2, with wins over La Jolla, College Park and the Menlo School, all top 25 teams in the nation. Yet, their victory over Campolindo stood out the most to Joplin, as they rank seventh in the country and have historically dominated the Giants.
“Beating Campolindo just last week for the first time in Redwood history was pretty special,” Joplin said.
However, Joplin’s journey to becoming a captain didn’t start like most others. He had a late start to the sport, with no exposure to the sport until he began playing his freshman year in Texas.
“I lived in Texas before I moved here, [and] water polo wasn’t [very popular] there. [One day] I saw a poster [and] thought to try it out because I was getting hurt playing football. It’s just stuck ever since,” Joplin said.
Despite Joplin’s inexperience, both captains started on varsity as sophomores, a testament to their talent and athleticism from a young age. However, their leadership skills have also grown as they’ve gained experience and learned from previous captains.
“[We’ve] learned from the captains that came before us and taken what they taught us [to become better leaders]. We’ve had some pretty good role models,” Joplin said.
In addition to transforming into a team leader, Goldberg shifted his skillset to score more goals and become a more significant offensive threat.
“I’ve moved from a more passive role as a passer and a utility player into more of an attacker,” Goldberg said.
While Goldberg developed his playstyle, Joplin adjusted his mindset and became a more intellectual player.
“My mindset about the game [has changed as I’ve gotten older], just thinking about the game differently and becoming a smarter player overall,” Joplin said.
As Joplin played in Texas, Goldberg was pulled up to Redwood’s varsity team as a freshman and left an impact from the moment he jumped in the water. Their accolades speak for themselves: both have made an MCAL first team, won two MCAL and NCS championships and will likely play water polo at the collegiate level.
When the time came for Kardos to choose his captains for this season, the choice was easy.
“These are just really nice kids,” Kardos said. “Since I’ve known them, they’ve always worked super hard and after years and years of [seeing] that, they are [our captains].”
Kardos assigns the captains many responsibilities, such as setting up the pool before practice and keeping the younger players in check.
“I delegate some of the work to them so they can develop even further [as leaders],” Kardos said. “ The [younger] kids respect them because of how they [lead] and treat their teammates.”
The senior captains must keep the team level-headed with such success this season and so many underclassmen.
“Us winning a lot can get to the [younger kids’] heads, and that was reflected in the Archie Williams game,” Joplin said. “As seniors, we have the experience of winning and being in that atmosphere, so we have to pass it on.”
Joplin and Goldberg exemplify phenomenal leadership both in and out of the pool. Setting an example for the underclassmen, as was set for them by past captains, they lead the team with determination. To cap off their high school careers, the duos’ dedication to the team and sport has led to an extraordinary season and will bring them closer to securing the MCAL and NCS championships once again.
