Taking Names, Breaking Records
Water polo team captain, junior Eric Nishimura, added another accomplishment to his name by breaking the Peninsula record for most overall goals scored in a season. On Oct. 20, by scoring four goals in the first game of the Central Orange County Boys’ Varsity Tournament against St. John Bosco High School (SJBHS), Nishimura moved to the top of the scoring list with a total of 150 goals. The last person to set a new record in this respect was Connor Ryan, who scored 127 goals in the 2013-14 season, however, Nishimura’s 150 goals surpassed this previous record by a long shot, raising the bar. Although the team played fewer games this season due to an absence of California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoff matches, Nishimura was still able to exceed the previous record for most goals scored in a season. Nishimura expresses how honored he feels and how special it was to make history in the program.
“I feel very proud that I have made a significant mark in the school’s program,” Nishimura said. “I am happy that all of the early morning practices, sleepless nights and strenuous practices are starting to pay off. My goal is to be a leader and translate my personal success to my team’s success next season.”
Along with his accomplishments on the high school boys’ water polo team, on Oct. 24, Nishimura was named in the 2022-23 Academic All-Americans list by USA Water Polo, a governing body for the sport of water polo in the U.S. In order to appear on the Academic All-Americans list, student-athletes need to earn at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale, which Nishimura exceeded, showing his staggering commitment to both school and water polo.
Throughout the past season, the team had a very rigorous game schedule to make sure that 28 games were played through the whole 9-week-long season. In order to improve their gameplay, the team practices five to six times a week in the afternoon and holds additional morning practices on Mondays and Wednesdays, during which Nishimura’s work ethic motivates the team to practice harder. As the season progressed, the team earned notable victories in their non-league matches against SJBHS and South Torrance High School, where Nishimura was the lead scorer with 7 and 6 goals respectively. Additionally, Nishimura impressively scored the most goals in games against Palos Verdes High School and Mira Costa High School, both Division 1 athletic teams. Senior Arian Arya explains how valuable Nishimura is to the team’s successes.
“From the moment I joined water polo, Nishimura stuck out to me,” Arya said. “He inspired me to push past many things which I thought were impossible to achieve. I strongly believe that he is a great leader for the team because he is the hardest working player, which everyone can learn from.”
The boys’ water polo team finished the 2023-24 season with a 11-17 win-loss record. The team is looking to win the Bay League championship, qualify for the CIF Championships and win the championship ring in the upcoming season. As a captain of the team, Nishimura is eager to defeat more teams in higher divisions in an effort to improve the team’s division placement. Nishimura hopes again to lead the team in his senior season and continue to grow as a player, improving his skills to aid the team. Boys’ varsity water polo coach Charles Kim looks back at the positive impacts created by Nishimura on the team and describes how excited he is to see his growth in the future.
“[Nishimura] has been our primary offensive weapon throughout the season; it is not a secret,” Kim said. “I love the intensity that he brings to the program and his attitude that he hates to lose more than he enjoys winning. We need that type of guy who wants everyone around him to get better, which will be essential for us next season.”
