Tears came at practice this past week when senior Hannah Lee realized her broken toe might keep her from competing, but now Lee said she will dive in and play tonight to help her team defeat Lewisville Hebron.

The varsity girls and boys teams, along with the girls junior varsity group, will play the Hebron teams at the Lewisville ISD Eastside Natatorium. The JV begins at 4:15. Varsity girls go at 5:30 and varsity boys compete at 7, tonight, Aug. 30.

Lee said her toe, which she broke when she tripped over a friend in the weight room, will not keep her from playing tonight, and she said she’s overcome harder issues in preparing for games in the past.

Lee, who is also a Texas Thunder water polo player and a member of the Olympic Development Program, holds the only senior girl spot on the varsity girls team. She said her passion for swimming led her to join the water polo team at the end of her freshman year.

“I definitely enjoy just having a team aspect, and being able to play a game, because going from being a swimmer, which is such an individual sport, to a game is like such a big switch,” Lee said. “I’m the only senior, but I’m also the only senior on the girls team in general.”

Lee plays the position of goalie on the Prosper water polo team led by coach Keenan Fogelberg, but she played with a different group before school started this year.

“Over the summer my club team, and I placed third at the Junior Olympics in the gold division, making that definitely a huge moment and a big accomplishment for the team,” Lee said. “I also have made the Olympic development team.” 

Lee is also going to play for USA’s international water polo team next summer in Israel.  

“The Olympic Development Program is kind of like this – I made it my second year, with all different stuff from a development program that’s through USA Water Polo, that’s a funnel into the national team,” Lee said. “I made the national championship. That’s one step away from being picked for the camp where they picked the national team members for the next thing in Israel that is called the Maccabiah games. It’s the second biggest sporting event other than the Olympics. It’s bigger than the Winter Olympics.” 

Lee said she’s focused on helping the Eagle teams right now, though.

“So it’s me, and then a lot of the varsity guys that will be graduating together,” Lee said. “But I just think, they’re always going to be there for you when you’re ever having a hard time. I will always have my community.”

Lee’s role on the team consists of commanding the pool and blocking shots. Lee said her teammates have supported her throughout the season to succeed as a whole.  

“Since I had been a synchronized swimmer for six years previously,” she said. “I had really good leg strength and a solid egg beater (a style of kicking) already.”

The water polo team trains twice a day in the morning and afternoon.

“I’ve never actually played another position besides goalie,” Lee said. “There are times where in a club, they put me in the field – being a field player, but the position that I do play is goalie.”

Lee said she also will pursue her career in water polo after high school.

“We train in the mornings from 6:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. doing swim and conditioning,” Lee said. “Then our second practice, which is in the afternoon, consists of a swim warm up and then we go straight into water polo.” 

Hannah will be playing water polo internationally in the summer of 2025.

“Water polo has automatically given me a community of people,” Lee said. “I’m so grateful to be on the team with such amazing girls supporting each other, and then the boys on the teams are basically like my brothers. I love them all so much.”

The water polo season started on Aug. 10. Lee said she has experienced many memorable moments during her time in the water polo program, including some that made her stronger.

“I would say mentally having perseverance, just believing that you can push through whatever obstacles you’re facing, whether it’s missing your shot or maybe you didn’t drive in on a play. Just not dwelling upon what had just happened,” Lee said. “Physically having overall strength, being strong enough and being conditioned.”

After the Olympic Development Program selected Lee, she said she went through a wrist injury and started doubting herself. 

“I was getting a lot of information from many different coaches,” Lee said. “It actually caused me to sort of lose the way that I normally would play, so I got thrown into this mental block. I wasn’t playing normally how I usually play, and I was struggling with blocking shots, which threw me off for five months making me feel not motivated since everyone, including my teammates, was talking about it.”

But, Lee said she forced herself through the tough thoughts.

“Getting over that  – it’s taking a lot, and sometimes there are times where I catch myself like maybe not starting to slip back into it, but sort of going back to like old habits, and then I kind of remind myself: ‘Okay, this is what I need to do to not fall backwards.'”

Lee said overcomes each negative thought with specific action.

“I just remind myself to keep my hands very light in the water while I also move my legs really fast while going for the ball – instead of just sort of sitting and waiting.” Lee said “For the actual mental block aspect, I sort of remind myself to kind of tune into the game and get out of my head with my own thoughts.”

Throughout her time being on the water polo team, Lee said she’s gained experience, knowledge of sportsmanship and improving her skills in water polo.

“I want to make it to the playoffs,” Lee said. “The goal would be – really just to make it to the playoffs, and pass the first round. I really think our girls are very strong this year, and I believe that we can work towards that.”

This story was originally published on Eagle Nation Online on August 30, 2024.