Stepping out of the pool, water dripped from her swimsuit compressed to her body. 

It was a regular swim meet — complete her usual routine, then leave. Instead, this was where she would meet her future passion: water polo.

Sophomore Kinnick Kooken has been swimming at Texas Ford Aquatics since she was 7 years old. At age 12, she decided to pursue water polo full time, joining the Texas Mavericks water polo team and USA Olympic Development Program. Now, she is training for the Junior Olympics held July 24-27 in California.

“Having a team sport that was in the water was amazing, and [since water polo] was new in Texas, it gave me [a] whole bunch of opportunities,” Kinnick said.

Head water polo coach Donzie Lilly met Kinnick when she was 10 years old through the Dallas Area Water Polo League at the LISD Eastside Aquatic Center during a swim meet. There, he spoke to her about joining the water polo club.

“She’s developing [those] leadership skills: how to incorporate a lot of athletes, how to bring in new athletes [and] how to get them up to speed [to] compete,” Lilly said. “[She’s] fostering the team’s identity.”

In the past, Kinnick has tried volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. She started playing for the Texas Mavericks water polo team in 2019 after switching from swimming.

“When I joined Mavericks, it was automatically a close family,” Kinnick said. “I was the only girl at the time, so that has made me [a better player] in the long run. Competing against boys has made me mentally and physically stronger and more aggressive when I go against girls.”

Kinnick made the all-state team this year and the national team for Southwest Water Polo for the past four years.

“It’s great to do something you love,” Kinnick said. “I stay passionate knowing water polo has given me leadership positions, friends and a place for colleges [to recognize me].”

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the club team practices from 5-7 p.m. Over summer break, they practice five days a week. Kinnick has been training to compete in tournaments and the Junior Olympics, the biggest water polo tournament in the U.S. in size.

“I try to keep a consistent schedule and plan out my day,” Kinnick said. “I try to study and go to bed early so [that] I can do it again the next day.”

In December, Kinnick founded the Athletic Leadership Council with the help of principal Dr. Amy Boughton, co-leading it with other captains on the Hebron athletic team for girls. Together, they promote positivity and leadership within student-athletes. Teammate and sophomore Amber Cho said that Kinnick loves to do spontaneous things and is an outgoing person.

“She’s really out there with her friends and people in general,” Cho said. “As an athlete, she’s dedicated to her work [and] what she needs to do.”

Kinnick said she plans to pursue her water polo career after high school. For now, she hopes to continue making all-state while furthering her attempts for the Junior Olympics.

“[Water polo] clicked [for me] when my coach and teammates believed in me,” Kinnick said. “Something about swimming keeps me in the right headspace and makes me feel confident in myself.”

This story was originally published on The Hawk Eye on May 13, 2025.