With four years of experience, a few scratches underwater never stopped sophomore Amelia Sanchez from scoring goals.

Sanchez plays as a set for the Birmingham Community Charter High School girls varsity water polo team. After watching her three older brothers play from the bleachers, swimming for six years and being encouraged to try out by her mother, Sanchez knew her passion for water polo would continue throughout her high school years.

“I started playing because of my brothers, all three of them had played before so it got me curious,” Sanchez said. “I honestly thought I was just going to be swimming,”

Sanchez has a hard time balancing school with sports but manages to keep up her high GPA. During her freshman year Sanchez won “Rookie of the Year” but this year she is determined to be better than ever and ready to show that she is ready to play.

“My goal is just to do better than last year,” Sanchez said. “To be more involved and help the team.”

By having two brothers play the sport and one still playing, Sanchez definitely feels the competition but knowing that she is the baby of the family, she knows that she doesn’t have to live up to their expectation of the sport but she does not want to disappoint.

Winning against Granada Charter High School girls water polo team twice was the best moment for Sanchez and her team to experience, as well as making it to California Interscholastic Federation this season.

“I guess the best feeling is coming back,” Sanchez said. “Like when we’re down by two or three points and coming back and scoring all those goals and saying we won.”

Statistics:

Games Played: 24

Points: 73

Goals: 67

Shots:  72

Assist: 6

Steals: 20