It’s 9:30 p.m. on a Monday in the dead of winter, most students at Michigan State are calling it a night. But for the women’s club water polo team, it’s another night of practice.
Even after long days of class and work, the team still finds the energy to compete and laugh together.
Namika Page, the club’s vice president, explained her motivation for showing up despite the cold and fatigue.
“Honestly, I mainly do it to move my body, especially in the winter, it can be hard,” Page, a senior center, said. “Sometimes it does really suck— practicing from 7 to 10 p.m., it’s cold… I just ate dinner. In my head, this is the last thing I want to do right now, but I always feel good after practice.”
The Spartans have finished in the top three of the Big Ten for the past three seasons, proving they can consistently compete for a conference title. That success is especially notable given the structure of the program. Female students are welcome to join the club no matter their experience level.
Alexandra Kraft, in her fourth season coaching and third as head coach, emphasized the team’s openness to developing players new to the sport.
“In the past, we have had folks that haven’t had that much experience playing, but we’re always open to trying to teach,” Kraft said. “But most of the time players that join do have at least a little bit of experience."
Page believes that the 30-player roster, made up of 19 underclasswomen, will help shape the future of the program.
“We have a big senior class and we also have a lot of freshmen,” Page said. “I’m really excited that this year a lot of the girls are continuing to stay with the program, especially considering how many seniors we have. The underclassmen can carry traditions onto a new generation of the club.”
The club has become a place for community and connection. Late night practices are where friendships form and last well beyond the season. Spending time together outside of the pool has only strengthened those bonds, whether it’s studying, hanging out or going to eat together. For Page and others, those friendships are a major reason players return to the club.
“My favorite thing about the club is the people I meet,” Page said. “I met some girls freshman year here who I’m now roommates and best friends with.”
Challenges remain despite the team’s closeness and success. Their current pool at IM West is out of regulation, meaning tournaments held at home do not officially count under the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) standards. They also practice in that same pool, limiting their ability to train in standard pool dimensions.
“It is kind of hard with our pool because it is out of regulation, but we do with what we have,” Page said.
The team remains hopeful, as a new Student Recreation and Wellness Center is underway, said to have a 50-meter pool that meets regulation standards. However, Michigan State has not guaranteed access for the team, only stating that the pool will “support simultaneous uses.”
That uncertainty extends beyond the water polo club. Other MSU club aquatics programs, like the swim and dive club, have faced similar challenges fighting for support, funding and efforts to become a varsity sport.
“My understanding is that we’ve successfully fought for pooling at the new athletic centers… I’m hoping that still pans out,” Kraft said. “I mean, it’s a shame. We are one of the only schools in the Big Ten that don’t have functional aquatics locations or support of aquatic sports in general. We have almost 30 girls that want to compete and participate at that level. It’s frustrating."
These challenges have forced the team to adjust, yet their focus and determination for this season remains unchanged.
Practices require creativity. The first hour is dedicated to swimming focused conditioning, including a variety of different swim strokes to build endurance and stamina. Then the team transitions into drills and skill work.
“One of our goals this year is to remain competitive…we won’t go down without a fight,” Page said.
This mindset is shared by the team, influencing both its performance in the pool and the support for each other out of it.
“We’re always competitive,” Kraft said. “We always have to have fun, but also, it’s a great time to win games. So we try to keep it balanced. I want folks to come in, learn, have fun and win games.”
