EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Years after getting her start in water polo in East Grand Rapids, Abby Schulz is back home as a Division I athlete, joining her University of Michigan teammates to work with younger players and to help grow the sport.
Schulz, now a junior at the University of Michigan, has been swimming in the East Grand Rapids pool since she was 5 years old. She said she had not been back to the pool since high school.
“Yeah, it's amazing. It means a lot to me, and the opportunity to be here in the pool that I've been swimming in since I was five years old," Schulz says, adding, "I haven't been back since high school, so it's been great and lots of memories.”
A challenging sport
University of Michigan women’s water polo head coach Chris Vidale describes water polo as a hybrid of basketball, soccer and hockey. Players swim, pass, shoot and battle for position, all while navigating the added challenge of playing in the water.
“You could give me a Shaquille O'Neal, a Steph Curry, a Michael Jordan, throw them in the water, and they have no clue what's going on, and those are high-level athletes.”
Vidale said water polo remains a grassroots sport and that access to coaching, opportunities to practice and getting more people interested are important to its growth. He says one barrier to growing the sport in some communities is the need for access to equipment and facilities.
From East Grand Rapids to Michigan
Schulz first tried water polo after watching her brother begin playing in high school. A swimmer herself, she was looking for an opportunity to try something different and said she fell in love with the team and strategic aspects of the sport.
“At first, I was really bad at it, but I'm super competitive, and it kind of gave me an opportunity to try new things, like being in a team sport.”
That competitive drive eventually helped Schulz earn a spot on the University of Michigan women’s water polo team, where she is the only Michigan native currently on the roster. Schulz said other Michigan athletes played for the program before her and that continuing that tradition means a lot to her.
“I love being from Michigan and going to the University of Michigan, especially in a sport that is not represented. I know it means a lot to my hometown that kids here can see that that is a possibility if you work hard and believe in yourself.”
Vidale said making a Division I water polo roster is rare and that varsity teams are capped at 24 athletes.
Watch the video report
Bringing the sport back home
As part of a three-day community visit, the University of Michigan women’s water polo team traveled to East Grand Rapids to share its knowledge with younger athletes, give back to the sport and help it grow.
On Sunday, more than 80 young athletes took part in a hands-on clinic, practicing their skills and learning directly from Division I athletes. Vidale said some participants traveled from as far as California, Connecticut and Georgia, with others coming from Ohio.
Schulz said she and her teammates recognized themselves in the young athletes they were coaching.
“We actually all talked about that. I could totally see myself in those positions, and I would have loved to have the opportunity to have done that here at my high school."
For Schulz, the visit is also a chance to show young athletes from Michigan what may be possible through the sport. She said she hopes to see more children try water polo and more Midwest athletes represented at the college and national levels.
“I would love for more kids to try water polo. I think it's a really awesome sport. It teaches you so many life lessons and skills that you'll need.”
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
