26 - Alumni Spotlight on water polo your development as a water polo player? I’ve had so many fantastic coaches, and Sean King is definitely on the list. As an athlete, along with most jobs, it’s hard to turn up every day super-motivated and ready to go, and many coaches have been there to motivate me on a day-to-day basis. Many of the best coaches don’t just coach when you are in the pool, but teach you how to be an athlete and the discipline needed.
What changes would you like to see in the development of water polo, particularly at the grassroots level? The biggest change I want to see is increased participation. I think that water polo can teach you so many water safety skills and it allows kids to learn how to tread water and be fine with being splashed or going under the water. I think it is a very enjoyable way to spend time in the pool. When you are in PE classes, you don’t just run, you play different sports, so I think it’s important not just to swim but also to do other aquatic sports.
What were some of the most memorable lessons you learnt from your water polo career? I think it would be about my mental health; when you stop enjoying what you are doing and that affects other parts of your life, it’s important to be able to recognise that something needs to change. For me, I struggled to ask for help, and learning that it’s OK not to have everything under control at all times and that you need help was important. I think that making sure you enjoy at least the majority of your daily job is important.
How has your experience in water polo influenced your life beyond the pool? I think the biggest influence on it is skills like discipline, determination, and the value of hard work. I hope that these skills will stay with me for life, because I know how useful they are in achieving any goal I set myself. Again, keep in mind that it’s important to enjoy what you are doing.
Freddie Pearson, Class of 2017
Since leaving Trinity, Freddie has gained a BSc in Business Management from the University of Manchester and has since returned to London to pursue a career in the creative arts. Freddie is a television/ film actor, model, and photographer, living between London and Los Angeles.
What initially drew you to water polo, and when did you start playing? I started playing water polo at the age of 12; I’d been thrown into swimming at a very young age, but scoring goals and taking part in the more competitive environment was more attractive to me than just repetitively completing lengths in a swimming pool. I joined Beckenham Water Polo Club through the swimming set up, and my older brother and I found ourselves playing every Sunday evening. It became a staple in our development as teenage boys. How did you balance your academic and athletic commitments during your time as a student-athlete? I’ve always had a work hard, play hard mentality - I’m incapable of doing one without the other. Competitive sport became a release for me mentally, and physically; I always had an abundance of drive and energy, so playing sport gave space for my academic endeavours. The discipline and time management skills required to succeed at international sport often overflowed into other areas of my life, including academia, so there was a knock-on
effect that definitely helped.
Can you share a memorable moment or game from your water polo career? My first international cap for Great Britain is a moment that I’ll treasure for ever. I was competing for my country against Romania in Bucharest, and it felt as if all the hours of sacrifice and dedication had been worth it for that one moment alone. I feel chills down my spine even now, having had the opportunity to sing the national anthem alongside boys from across the country that I’d known for most of my teenage years. My mum was also able to travel out and watch me play; she had sacrificed so much and dedicated an abundance of her time to get me there. That cap is as much hers as it is mine. What specific skills or attributes do you think contributed most to your success in water polo? I was never the most technically gifted athlete, nor the most intelligent - but what separated me from others was a relentless will to win and an engine inside me that would not stop. I wasn’t the fastest or the strongest, but I always felt like I had a point to prove - you’d have to drag me out of the pool if it wasn’t on my terms. Losing was never an option for me, and that mentality carried me through to many victories that may have looked as if they’d been in the depths of defeat. How did you overcome setbacks or failures along the way? I’m very fortunate to have two incredibly supportive parents. My dad worked very long, late hours and my mum would drive me to 5am swimming sessions and pick me up at 10.30pm training sessions before dropping me home, where dinner was already made. Being knocked back and giving up because of setbacks wasn’t something I ever considered, especially when my parents had sacrificed so much to help me pursue my dreams within sport. I’m also a big believer in the saying: you either win, or you learn. Therefore “failure” was only ever an opportunity to grow and learn. Can you describe the camaraderie