As the school year starts varsity boys’ water polo players have more to worry about than playing a good season. For those who miss morning practices, players’ heads and appearances are in danger.

"The head shaving is an old tradition that the seniors are supposed to do," William Simon, a junior on the team said. "When ever a player misses practice without notifying the coach, then they get their head shaven as punishment. If they miss another [practice] then we shave it again."

This year, the first victim of the tradition was junior Ben Kellerman.

"I had skipped a lot of morning practices so far," Kellerman said. "So it was a consequence that had been coming for a long time. I tried to pitch my excuse that a power outage caused my alarm clock to not go off to the rest of the team and our coach, Reid, but nobody bought it."

With the team unconvinced by Kellerman’s plea, Simon and junior Michael Fortune readied their shavers.

"After a couple days of denying that it would happen, I eventually gave in and let Will and Michael shave my head," Kellerman said.

The result was not just a shaven head, but also a whole new hairstyle, complete with a new mohawk.

"I was sort of mad at first because I could tell they were doing a bad job," Kellerman said. "It got shaved way shorter than I expected and I still have some bald patches. At first I thought the Mohawk looked ridiculous, [but] my friends convinced me that it looked pretty badass."

Yet not everyone was as approving of the mohawk as Kellerman’s friends. Kellerman still had to go home, and show his parents his new ‘do.

"I kept [the Mohawk] when I saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, but after that my mom made me shave it off. My dad didn’t really care, but my mom flipped out and said it looked like there was a dead animal on my head."

Reactions around school have been a mix of approval and shock.

"I’ve been laughed at and called a skinhead, but that’s the worst I’ve gotten from my friends," Kellerman said. "People still come up to me and rub my head, which can be sort of awkward."

As for administrators, according to Kellerman, coach Reid Particelli looks the other way.

"Our coach makes a point to have ‘nothing to do with it,’" Kellerman said.

"I don’t advocate it [head-shaving] at all," said Particelli. "I allow it because they want to do it so much. It’s a student-run thing."

Even with such mixed reactions from such a haircut, most of the boy’s varsity water polo players agree that this is a tradition that is here to stay.

"Personally I love this tradition," Simon said. "Not just because we need everyone there [at practice], but because it will give kids the mind set that if they join a team then they have to follow the team rules."

Similarly Fortune agreed.

"It is an incentive for guys on the team to come out for practice."

As for the sport itself, not everything is all fun and games and prankster traditions. Although there is the infamous CCS party and according to Kellerman, a "groin stretch in Speedos," the players know that they’re on the team for the love of the sport.

"If you like a physical and hard game, play [water] polo," Simon said.

"I would encourage any students who like swimming or are interested in water polo to come and try out," Fortune said.

The Vikings’ first home game is on Wednesday, September 20th at 6 p.m. against Monta Vista at Paly.

"Our team is very young this year," Fortune said. "But I think that we have good chemistry and play very well together. This year we are the underdogs but we have the element of surprise on our side."

Even with a young team, Coach Particelli has faith that the experienced players will lead the team.

"It’s looking great," Particelli said. "It’s been a tough pre-season with tough teams. [But] we’ve got some good talent. There are no stars [on the team]. Everyone on the starting line-up is good. We have two seniors, Brian Huang and Paul Reamey, leading as co-captains. Our goalie Will Simon was also on Varsity last year. The team is well-balanced."

But boys beware, miss a morning practice and you may be missing your hair.

"I have to be careful about missing mornings [practices] now," Kellerman said. "Because apparently my eyebrows are next.