Dow and Coleman win gold

During the final game of National Junior Olympics Water Polo Tournaments on July 27, Freshmen William Coleman and Adam Dow splashed as they worked together to assist their teammates to score another goal. Eventually, their club team LA Premier won Gold in the 14 & Under Division Junior Olympics Tournament amid cheers from over a thousand people in Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford University.
“The winning game felt like a dream. I couldn’t believe it just happened because I have been wishing I would win ever since I started water polo,” Coleman said. “It was one of the most emotional moments of my life.”
Starting on July 13, Coleman and Dow helped LA Premier leap through the first few bracket rounds and started off their tournament with a high rank.
Though the team faced challenging rivals like Orange County Water Polo Club and Vanguard Aquatics, they were able to soar through the top 96 tournament. The bracket included strong teams from all over the U.S.
“Our team is very good at communication and teamwork, which I think is the most important factor of winning,” Dow said. “But also, all of us have our own specific skills that we are good at.”
Coleman and Dow started playing water polo around the ages of eight and nine respectively. Both of them began playing in the center position.
Over time, Coleman developed into a center guard while Dow found his strengths in playing attacker.
They joined the private water polo club LA Premier in May, where they received guidance from past Olympians, including the USC Women’s Water Polo Coach Sasha Bucur, and enhanced their skills through strenuous training at the swimming pool at the Harvard-Westlake School.
“The feeling I get when I play is unparalleled to anything else,” Coleman said. “It is rough and demanding, but that only makes winning the game so much better.”
As incoming freshmen, Coleman and Dow joined the Boys Varsity Water Polo practice in August. They bonded with their teammates and hope to contribute their greatest efforts in winning CIF tournaments.
“In high school, I really want to win as many CIF tournaments as I can for our team,” Dow said. “I also want to try out for the 16 & Under National Team next year.”