The Girl’s Water Polo season came to a bittersweet ending after record-breaking moments, tough losses, and countless small traditions.
Junior Fiona Salatka called this season “far and beyond the best year yet in terms of closeness and family,” even though the ending was “really sad,” as senior captains Lotte Lightner, Aileen Shin, and Katie Johnson have completed their high school water polo careers. That sadness comes after a season that also included a major accomplishment: breaking not just a program record, but a school record with eight consecutive CIF titles in open division.
Lotte reflected, “I think there couldn’t have been a better way to round out my high school career: making history eight-peat [winning CIF eight times in a row] with my best friends and the best team.”
Katie mentioned one game in particular that captured the team’s resilience. In their final state game, which the teams moved on to after winning CIFs, the girls were down by three goals in the third quarter. Instead of unraveling, they regrouped. “Even when something isn’t going well, we rally around each other,” Katie said, adding, “We use our hard work and preparation to finish the game strong.” The team came back fighting in the fourth quarter, a moment that Katie believes “just says something about our team.”
That resilience showed up all season long. Katie explained that sometimes it’s as simple as “coming together at a quarter break and mentally resetting.”
One moment this year that captured the team as a whole was during the Semifinal game. That same night, Katie was honored for a congressional appointment, and ultimately decided to attend the event with support from all team members. Katie explained, “I applied to the Naval Academy and I got a supporting nomination from Congressman Scott Peters.” Varsity Girls’ Water Polo Head Coach Ian Davidson said, “When the event ended earlier than expected, she rushed to the pool, arrived at halftime, grabbed a suit, and jumped in for the third-quarter sprint. It was an incredible moment. She could have taken the night off, but instead chose to show up for her team,” adding, “That moment captured everything about this group; commitment, selflessness, and the drive to be great both in and out of the pool.”
Gigi Paredez (‘27) described the team as “a family this year,” adding that “you can go to anyone on the team with anything and they’re always going to be there for you.” For the juniors balancing a stressful academic year, having seniors to lean on made a difference and helped “foster a really good space.”
Aileen shared similar feelings. “This team has meant everything to me,” she said. “The coaches have been there for me when I needed support, and my teammates are all my sisters.” Over four years, she learned the importance of sticking together and being understanding, no matter what, both in and out of the pool.
Lotte added, “The team is seriously like my second family. We spend basically every minute of every day together when we’re in season.”
As the seniors prepare to leave, the younger players are already feeling the shift. When asked how it feels to say goodbye to longtime teammates, both Gigi and Fiona said they feel sad about their departure. Gigi admitted, “It just feels like there’s a void.” Fiona acknowledged they will have to “fill some huge gaps” next season, adding, “but that’s also the fun part,” getting to see where every player will fit in.
Traditions like Coach Doug Peabody’s, Aquatics Director and Assistant Water Polo Coach, pre-game quesadillas, and team T-shirt days helped strengthen the bond beyond competition, reminding the team that their connection mattered as much as the scoreboard.
“I loved the way the girls embraced all the traditions we have in our program and fought to make those days special,” Coach Peabody commented, showing how the traditions aren’t just for the players but for the program as a whole.
When asked about what she’s learned about friendship throughout her four years on this team, Katie said, “It taught me that you can find it in some places that you might not have expected… I think just playing water polo on this team has helped show me that when you build really great friendships, they can last a long time.”
Additionally, Lotte described the girl’s drive and the effort they put into the team. She said, “I think what separates us from every other team in San Diego is that we train so hard, especially on the days that other teams don’t have practice. On Thanksgiving break, winter break, and random holidays…we are training three hours a day in the pool.”
Coach Peabody added, “For us as a coaching staff, the ultimate goal is to be the best we can be by the end of the season, and I believe that is exactly what we were.”
As the final whistle blows, what remains isn’t just the comeback in the seniors’ final home game or the eight straight wins in the record books. It’s the mid-game break, pep talks, and shared moments between the team.
Coach Peabody said, “I think the growth of the team was the most evident when someone outside of the team saw how the girls not only played for each other but rooted for each other,” adding, “I heard comments this year from people outside of the program who thought our girls played selfless and for each other and got along so well outside of the pool.”
When asked what he hopes the girls take away from this season, Coach Ian said, “I hope they take away three things: That they are deeply loved and supported by their teammates, coaches, and the entire school community. That they are capable of far more than they once believed, especially when they embrace the idea that the obstacle is the way. And that perfection is never the goal, being brave is.”
This team has taught all of the players so much over the years about the importance of resilience, connection, and friendship, as well as how to play the sport. Katie said, “I just want to say thank you to my coaches for all their preparation and for empowering all of us young women to be our best selves inside the pool and outside the pool. And I’m just grateful for my teammates for being great people first.”
