On a hot afternoon practice, after countless laps up and down the pool, the boys’ water polo team sets up its frontcourt offence. Their fatigue is evident, but head coach Giovanni Napolitano blows the starting whistle once more. Paly boys’ water polo is on the cusp of becoming a team to be reckoned with– a team that meshes well in and out of the pool, according to varsity player Jack Smale.

With only four returning varsity players, two of them starters, it is a team that has what Smale calls a “clean slate.”

According to Napolitano, it will be a developing year for a young team.

“My goal is to make CCS by next year,” Napolitano said.

Last season had its tribulations when the team started out strong and took control of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League by beating Gunn, and ended league play with losses to Los Altos and Mountain View. These critical losses came at a junction between leagues and CCS and thwarted the team’s momentum going into playoffs.

The inexperienced players on the team this year are looking to the few veterans, according to Smale.

“The leadership role is really important,” Smale said.

With the loss of powerhouse Tim Wenzlau to Princeton, senior captain Bobby Abbott now leads the team.

However, “it is the entire team’s responsibility to step up an play well,” Smale said. “We constantly depend and learn from each other.”

“Play like you practice, and practice like you play,” Napolitano said of the team’s work ethic.

“I encourage them to follow what I teach them but to make their own decisions on how to apply what they learn from me,” Napolitano said. They work each other hard to improve one another, with the general understanding that they are all learning, and learning together, according to Smale.

“We all have things to learn, and we guide each other,” Smale said. “We want to show other teams that we can hang with them.”

The team will meet their first test on Friday, Sept. 11 during the John Schmitt tournament. Game times and location have yet to be announced.