By Nicole Lee (26S05A) and Nithilan Balachander (26A01C)

Photographs courtesy of RIAC

Upbeat music blasted through the complex as elderly women engaged in their routine classes—the tranquil ripples of the first pool contrasted with the heavy splashes of the other. Next to the seemingly wholesome Zumba class, a whole different league of water sports, Water Polo was taking place.

Aggressive wrestling was followed by a minute of silence as players took aim at each others’ goals, making sudden shots at the corners of each net. 

When we entered the arena, our noses were stung by the heavy scent of chlorine, a stark reminder of the match that lay before us. The Boys’ water polo team was wrapping up their semi-finals, and the girls team was warming up in the pool next to them.

On the bleachers were student supporters for the opposing team, yelling at the top of their lungs for their fellow compatriots and friends; it set the mood for everyone walking in to watch the girls’ match, especially when the councillors started applying face paints and rehearsing the cheers. 

And then came the pre-match preparations.

The team stepped into the pool with an air of gusto. Balls were seamlessly flung about, caught and tossed, almost as if the routine had been gone over a thousand times; an indicator of the endless behind-the-scenes work the team had poured into the match.

This year’s NSG marked an uncertain path for the team, which had stepped into the arena unaware of what challenges lay ahead of them. Last year, the team clinched silver with heavy stakes in a bid to climb up the rankings; This year, expectations are high as they continue their journey to the top. With such a legacy, the team was in for a rocky season. 

Diving Into the Match 

Tensions ran high as both teams settled into their respective places in the waters, a silent standoff as the referee readied himself to commence the match.

Having just won a match against the Singapore Sports School and the Anglo-Chinese JC team, the RI water polo girls’ team was about to face their last game against Hwa Chong, the final contender for the NSG championship this year. With things going in their favour, the team had won every match thus far, placing them in an optimum spot for the season.

Last year, they clinched silver. This year, they fight for gold. 

Right after the sharp signal from the referee, both teams dove into action—the game started off rough with HCI possessing the ball, rapidly closing into RI’s goal. In a stroke of luck, the time of possession elapsed just as HCI was about to land a goal. Seizing this opportunity, RI bounced back into offense, reclaiming charge of the game. The next few rounds featured intense tussling among players, with the team scoring 8-3 in an impressive lead from Hwa Chong. 

Players 4 (Audrey, Vice Captain) and 5 (Claire) delivered constant blows to the opponent’s goal, carrying the morale of the team in the first quarter. On the bleachers, onlookers yelled with raw excitement, their cheers echoing through the massive arena. 

Mixed reactions came from both sides of the pool—A heavy atmosphere hung around HCI‘s team as their coach paced up and down the sidelines..

On the other side of the arena, the RI team seemed unusually relaxed. The coach slumped onto the backrest of his seat, overlooking the game with his calm yet focused gaze. The team’s calm demeanour seemed almost like an assuring motivation to each player on the front line. 

We can’t imagine how much effort was put into this match alone, much less the entirety of the NSG season. But it was clear that they’ve carried themselves well throughout the season, placing complete trust in each other in the matches. 

The match proceeded smoothly in RI’s favour as players 6 (Lin) and 10 (Riley) chimed in to bring the score up to 11-3, all while the goalkeeper (Ze Xuan) created an indestructible defence as she guarded her post tightly, blocking any incoming shots despite the other team’s numerous attempts.

Shortly after the 11th goal was scored, the first quarter came to an end and both teams withdrew to take a short break. After a quick game plan, everyone got back into the pool and readied themselves for the second quarter. 

This round saw a more aggressive approach from the opponent team, yet also shone a spotlight on the rising stars from the latest Y5 batch. Although HCI went all out in surrounding RI’s goal, their attacks didn’t go through as the Y5 goalie, along with the defenders, fought hard against their sharp offense.

The latest batch has produced a good number of promising players, from fresh rookies to seasoned veterans—each of them displaying an impressive performance for their first NSG. 

The second quarter drew to a close as the team pushed hard to keep their lead, ending it off at 17-4.

Alas, the final quarter.

Stakes are high as this marks the final stretch for RI, the final shot for HCI. As the referee circled around the perimeters of the pool, the arena went silent as students and players alike waited in bated breath for the whistle. This round featured the entrance of senior players, including Zhi Yun (Captain) and Gladys (Vice-Captain).

Both had crucial roles in the continued success of the team’s performance from the last round, as everyone fought to maintain an overall lead against Hwa Chong. 

As the round progressed, the opposing team sped up their pace, eager to close in to score as much as possible. This time, they were especially close to RI’s goal, with attackers inching closer to the net before each attempt.

Despite the pressure, the RI defenders and goalie did not break contact with their positions and matched their defense to that of the opponent’s offense. After a few lucky blocks and failed passes, the round concluded to a resounding blare from the horn, signalling the triumphant end to the team’s match. RI had won by 31-12. 

They were set to move up to the spot of champions. 

Behind The Curtains

As we descended from the grandstands to the pool to conduct the interview, the mood was as joyful as you would expect. The team had just cruised to an exemplary win, with their hard work and struggles propelling them to their champion title.

For one, there are only three teams even competing. One would think that it makes the task of winning easier, but Zhiyun and Audrey say it only adds more uncertainty to their preparations, since they didn’t really know what to expect from the other two teams.

Despite the uncertainty, RI’s efforts certainly paid off—the team won every single match it played, and decisively, too. 

The coach seemed pretty proud, too. “It’s very important for a young group to be adaptable and to switch accordingly… And that’s something they did well today.” For him, winning only means so much. “My message to them was always to play the best they can, regardless of results,” he continued.

Behind RI’s domination, however, lay dedication. Being such a small CCA, the team faced more than their fair share of challenges along the way. Since Year 5s made up the majority of the team, and there are no ‘B’ or ‘C’ division Water Polo NSGs, there was a stiff learning curve for the juniors.

Lim Zexuan (26A01C), for example, only started playing water polo one month ago. She described her first NSG as a “really exhilarating” one, but she knows she can do better. 

Even for those with previous experience, this NSG season still brought lessons. “One new experience for me was working with a different team from what I normally work with,” Claire, who is on the youth national team, reflected. “Learning how different people play differently, and adjusting myself to the team—it was a challenge, but one that brought us closer.”

The limited size of the CCA has also fostered a lot of camaraderie. As the season went on, their friendships only strengthened, Audrey says. “For the last two games, it was more about enjoying it, having fun and working together as a team to achieve the result we wanted,” she shared. “We got really close together, bonded really well. It was more memorable.”

Passing it on—carrying the legacy 

This season meant more to the players than just winning. Claire, for one, didn’t go in with the expectations of winning but rather her own individual goals.

With graduation looming for the Year 6s, this was also a bittersweet end of a journey. “We definitely feel very nostalgic… We’ll probably not be training or playing with our batch or juniors again,” Audrey said. “But I hope that they had fun with us as seniors, and that they’ll miss us.”

So what do the Year 6s hope to impart onto their juniors? What legacy do they wish to leave? Perhaps Claire put it best: “There’s really two parts. One is obviously the results—the gold medal. But the other is carrying on the CCA culture… how bonded we are, how we look out for each other… That’s the part of the legacy we can control.”