What It Takes to Be a Water Polo Player: Enjoy the Pain

October 2025

The Pain is Real

"Pain is temporary, the strength it builds last forever."

Water polo is no walk in the park — it’s tough, demanding, and sometimes downright brutal. Behind every pass, every shot, every swim, are hours of effort, discipline, and quiet sacrifice.

The fight never rests.

For Emett and four other boys chasing the same dream, it’s not just about playing the sport — it’s about learning how to balance body, mind, and purpose at a young age. They push through sore shoulders, aching arms, and legs that feel like jelly. The pain is real — it shows up every day.

But as his dad, I’ve come to see this pain differently. It’s not punishment. It’s a teacher. Every ache, every struggle, is shaping them — not just into better athletes, but into tougher boys who don’t give up easily.

Together, their goal is clear: grow stronger through every challenge, fight for a place in the National Youth squad, and one day, wear the Singapore cap with pride. The road is long, but the pain is already pointing them in the right direction.

The Voices They Fight

"The hardest battles are in the mind, fought one thought at a time."

I’ve watched Emett in the pool, and I can almost hear the voices in his head:

“Stop lah, you’ve done enough.”

“Just one more sprint. Push okay.”

“No one’s watching, relax.”

“If you stop, someone else just overtook you.”

The truth is, sometimes other players improve faster. Progress can feel painfully slow. It’s not like a movie montage — it’s grind, sweat, and repetition. That’s why every weekend, we keep chasing that small, steady 1% gain.

Some days, that 1% is invisible. Other days, it shows up in small ways — one more minute of egg-beater rep in the pool, one more rep with a heavier dumbbell weight. It never feels like enough in the moment, but those tiny wins are stacking quietly, brick by brick.

And Emett isn’t alone in this. Four other boys share the same fight — pushing through the same whispers of doubt, chasing the same dream of pulling on a Singapore cap one day. Together, they are learning that greatness isn’t built overnight. It’s built in silence, in the unseen battles, in the decision to show up when it would be easier to give in.

Every lap, every drill, every rep is a contest between comfort and grit. They don’t always win. But they return, again and again. And over time, that persistence chips away at the wall. That 1% is not about glory. It’s about keeping faith in the work when no one is watching — trusting that one day, all those small, painful gains will make the difference.

Fueling the Body: Nutrients & Eating Right

"Strength isn't built in the pool alone."

You can’t train like a beast on an empty tank — or keep going if the body breaks down.

For the five boys — the “five warriors,” as I sometimes call them — learning how to eat and recover properly has become part of their daily life. They’ve started to understand that muscles don’t grow when you train; they grow when you rest and fuel up right. And recovery begins with what they eat.

Once in a while...kids

Breakfasts now start with protein — eggs, milk, protein, and carbs. Lunch must have enough carbs and good fats to survive the afternoon training. Dinner is for refuelling, and recovery snacks have become just as important as their drills.

Eating five to six meals a day is their new normal — not because they’re greedy, but because their growing bodies need it. Athletes can’t rely on three meals anymore. They need constant fuel to repair, recover, and grow.

Of course, there are cheat meals — a McDonald’s burger, a pizza slice, or some 4Fingers after a long week. That’s okay. Ninety percent of the time, they eat like athletes; the other ten percent reminds them they’re still kids. Those moments don’t hurt; they keep things real.

Between the studying and training lies fries.

Even after training, recovery doesn’t stop. Evenings are for revision, homework, and rest. They’re learning that sleep isn’t laziness — it’s part of training.

As I often remind them:“Eat like an athlete. Rest like one. Because your body is the machine that carries your dream.”

Building Strength: Weekends on Land and Beyond

"Strength built slowly lasts the longest."

Weekends are for strength, not rest. While others take a break, Emett spends his mornings on land — lifting, moving, and strengthening the parts of his body that keep him steady in the water. There are no fancy gyms, no spotlights — just resistance bands, kettlebells, and bodyweight drills done with quiet focus.

Every session focuses on what matters — shoulders for power, hips for balance, legs for endurance. It’s not about bulking up; it’s about control and preventing injuries before they happen and preparing the body for the next push.

I often tell him,“Water polo is a fight. You need to be strong before you even touch the water.”

But strength isn’t built by training alone. Outside the pool, Emett plays basketball with friends and trains in jiu-jitsu. Basketball sharpens his awareness, teamwork, and quick decisions — learning how to read space and react under pressure. Jiu-jitsu, on the other hand, builds his grip, body control, and calm under physical contact — lessons that mirror the constant wrestling for position in water polo.

Every movement, every drill, every crossover moment adds up. Because in sport, nothing goes to waste — every skill he picks up on land finds its way back into the pool.

As I remind him often,“Every sport teaches you something you can bring back to the water.”

Mental Strength: The Underdog’s Edge

"True strength isn’t in size or speed, it’s in the courage to keep fighting."

Emett wasn’t born the fastest swimmer or the tallest player. But he’s got heart. He shows up, listens, learns, and keeps fighting. Water polo isn’t just about skill — it’s about grit, resilience, and belief, especially when the game doesn’t go your way.

I often remind him, “You win in your head before you win in the pool.”

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These five thirteen-year-olds are proof of that. They’re young, but in the water, they play with courage far beyond their years. They’ve learned to stay composed, to fight hard, and to never back down — even when the odds are stacked against them.

At the recent TAR UMT U17 competition, they went up against bigger and older teams. But they held their ground — playing with heart, pushing through tough calls, and earning respect from everyone watching. The boys refused to fold. They stayed united, fought for every possession, and finished strong — earning not just a result, but respect. In that game, they didn’t just learn a lesson. They taught one too.

These boys have grown, lost, won, and learned together since the age of ten. Every season has tested their will and passion — but each challenge has also forged their character.

They also finished second at Pesta Sukan 2025 — disappointed but not defeated. The loss hurt, but it lit a fire in them. The kind that drives extra laps, sharper focus, and quiet hunger.

Different voices, one heartbeat.

Their story isn’t done. This October in Penang, they’ll take on the WAHOO Water Polo Champions League 2025 — this time, not just to play. They’re going there to make waves.

Training Overseas: Learning Beyond the Pool

"New waters, same fire inside."

For Emett, growth doesn’t stop at home — it stretches across oceans. Growth doesn’t stop in Singapore. It stretches across the world — to places like Athens and Japan, where the pools are the same, but everything else is new.

Different cities, same hunger.

Competing overseas isn’t about medals. It’s about exposure, learning, and testing yourself against the best. New teams, new cultures, new rhythms — all forcing them to adapt and think faster. Away from home comforts, they discover how much their mindset and belief matter — that confidence and respect travel farther than strength alone.

Train harder, return stronger.

When they train overseas, they grow tighter as a team. They share meals, rooms, and nerves. Sparring with older, stronger players has taught them not to fear, but to believe. Every session overseas reminds them that they belong — that their dreams are real.

These experiences build something medals can’t measure — belief. Belief in themselves, belief in each other, and belief that their journey has no borders.

As I often tell Emett,

“The world is bigger than your pool. Go learn from it and bring those lessons home.”

The Family Factor

"The loudest cheerleaders don’t wear caps, they carry snacks, bottles, and endless belief."

Behind every early morning, late-night recovery, and packed lunch box is a family quietly holding things together — parents who drive before sunrise, wait outside training halls, pack meals, cheer softly, and worry loudly.

For Emett and the boys, family isn’t just support — it’s the foundation that keeps their dream alive. They’re the unseen teammates who never enter the pool but power every stroke.

And when the team travels, the mummy-and-daddy brigade always shows up — a loyal squad of bodyguards who double as tabao aunties, logistics uncles, and part-time nannies. You’ll see them lugging snacks, 100PLUS bottles, and towels between matches, whispering strategies from the stands like, “Swim faster!” or “Pass the ball around lah!”

They’re a bit of a crazy bunch — loud, loving, full of laughter — but without them, this journey wouldn’t be the same. They’re the unsung heroes of every tournament, the heartbeat behind every victory, and the comfort after every defeat.

We’ve learned that success isn’t built alone. It’s built in carpools, in late dinners, and in the quiet smiles exchanged across the table after a long day. It’s built by parents who give their weekends, stretch their time and budgets, and keep believing — even when the results come slow.

As I remind Emett often, “Family doesn’t just support the dream — they power it.”

Closing: The Bond That Builds Boys

"Champions aren’t born, they are built."

Being a water polo player isn’t just about medals. It’s about grit, consistency, and believing in something bigger than yourself.

Every scar will define their story.

For Emett and the four boys beside him, this journey is more than sport. It’s brotherhood. It’s the shared laughter before a match, the quiet rides home after a tough loss, the unspoken promise to push each other forward.

They will grow taller, stronger, and sharper. But what matters most is how they’ll grow together — through pain, through setbacks, through every test that demands heart.

They may be thirteen now, but their story is just beginning. And somewhere between the long swims, the sore shoulders, and the endless drills, these five boys are learning the truth that every champion eventually discovers:

That real growth doesn’t just happen in the pool — it happens in the heart.

"Champions aren’t made overnight. They’re built through early mornings, silent sacrifices, and hearts that refuse to quit. These boys may still be growing — but their commitment is already bigger than the pool they train in."

Emett (UDA)