FHS junior Anna Koretsky has played water polo since she was 12 years old, three of which she has been on the FHS Girls Water Polo team.Koretsky plays attacker, meaning her goal is to go on the offensive and score.

Koretsky has a longstanding connection to water polo, as she had spent much of her childhood by the pool deck, with her brother who also plays water polo.

“I started playing because I really liked watching [my brother play],” Koretsky said. “I’ve been playing since I was 12 years old.”

This season, Koretsky aims to maintain an average of five goals per game, a goal that has helped their current 3-1 season record.

With school and sports, Koretsky has a tight schedule. She expresses that it can be challenging to be on top of her work at school with after school sports.

“I just want to have fun and to become a better player and a better teammate,” Koretsky said. “I think time management is super important for any sport. It’s really important that I utilize my time and try to get everything done as fast as I can so that when I come home from a practice or a game, I can use that time to recover and rest my body.”

Since water polo is a team sport, collaboration is not only a key part of being a great teammate but winning as well. Coach Erin Kaprelian expressed how Koretsky is a good team player.

“She is somebody who is not just looking out for herself but is also looking out for our younger players […] and developing themselves as players,” Erin said. “[Koretsky] is always looking to try and help them learn the rules of the game as well as learn different skills.”

As an attacker, Koretsky must make fast decisions while also being accurate in her throws. This level of accountability can come with a lot of pressure and is especially stressful during times when a single choice can significantly affect the team’s performance.

“When I’m under pressure, I try to envision the best possible outcome and try to stay confident and not to freak out,” Koresky said. “All our teams wins and losses, they all happen together so just winning as a team motivates me just so that everyone is happy and content with their results.” Looking towards the future, Koretsky plans to continue playing water polo after high school.

“I am currently in the process of recruiting,” Koretsky said. “My goal is to play Division 1.”