The RBAC kept my Water Polo Dream Afloat
~Yolotzin Subdias, Former Rose Bowl Water Polo Club Team Athlete
The year I joined the Rose Bowl Water Polo Club was just after the COVID-19 pandemic when most club teams, including mine, struggled to stay afloat financially. My team had to make budget cuts and I was in a tough spot where playing water polo seemed out of reach. For a while, I thought I’d have to give up the sport I loved just because we couldn’t afford it anymore.
Then Rose Bowl Aquatics Center (RBAC) stepped in. Their financial assistance program gave my family the support we needed and suddenly water polo was possible again. Joining the Rose Bowl Water Polo Club in my junior year was a game-changer, not just because I got to keep playing but because it sparked something bigger for me. Being part of a club team again, pushing myself in practices, and competing at a high level motivated me in a new way. I started dreaming bigger, thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could play water polo at a school like Caltech.
The RBAC community helped me believe in myself and gave me the confidence to go after this dream. I saw teammates who were pushing their limits and coaches who believed in our potential. It was inspiring and reminded me that I didn’t have to give up, even if things got hard. Without the RBAC’s support, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to pursue water polo at such a high level or even think about the recruitment process for Caltech. Now, as I work toward my goals in college, I’m so grateful for the chance that the RBAC and Rose Bowl Water Polo Club gave me – to keep playing, stay motivated, and dream bigger than I ever thought possible.
I hope you will consider supporting dreams like mine today!