In 2011, a freshman named Paul Reynolds came into the storied UCLA water polo program and took it by storm.
On a team where it’s the norm to redshirt as a freshman ““ the nature of the sport is that players need a year or so to adjust to the intensity and strength college play demands ““ Reynolds was the lone true freshman.
“I knew right away, from the beginning of the recruiting process, that he was a player who would come in and have an impact on our program right away,” coach Adam Wright said.
In addition to being the youngest player in the pool, he ended the season ranked third in goals scored on a team that made it to the NCAA Championship game ““ only to fall to rival USC.
And his accomplishments did not end there ““ Reynolds’ 37 goals throughout the season were the most scored by a freshman in 10 years.
Reynolds isn’t flashy or loud about his stuff. He came out every week and performed solidly, scoring in 22 out of the Bruins’ 29 games.
Just skipping a redshirt year did not guarantee Reynolds tons of time in the pool from the start. On a team with an abundance of talent, it was not an easy feat for Reynolds to get noticed.
However, with strong performances in important games ““ an overtime goal in the MPSF Tournament finals and another in the NCAA semifinal that sent UCLA to the title match ““ he received as much attention as the team’s vets.
Rising senior attacker Josh Samuels was impressed by the way Reynolds was able to jump right into the Bruin team network, unafraid to wrangle the spots he knew he deserved.
“I’ve known and played with him for a long time, and with guys like them who are already talented, you want to see them come in and not be afraid to get at it, and challenge older guys on the team like myself,” Samuels said.
“You want them to fight and compete for their spot, and he did that, he wasn’t afraid to get out there.”
Doing so often gave Reynolds valuable playing time over other more seasoned players. While Samuels saw that the freshman felt bad about it, there was no question that the players who could contribute the most ended up with the most time in the pool.
Out of the 33 players on the Bruin roster, only eight skipped their redshirt year.
Redshirting is essential for most players in college water polo, making teams and players as strong as possible.
“In most cases, it’s about getting stronger. … It gives the kid another year to grow and just another year to be in our system and learn,” Wright said.
Samuels, like Reynolds, did not take a redshirt year, so he understood the challenges that came with the quick transition.
“They expect a lot from these guys … since they’re young, there’s room for more error; but there’s still a lot of pressure to compete not just on a higher physical level, but also a mental one,” Samuels said.
“The high school system and college system are very different, and he had to come in and learn ours right away. It was admirable that he was able to come in and learn it so fast.”
The jump from high school water polo to college is a huge one, and Reynolds easily perceived the differences between them.
“You come from high school, which is a really mixed bag of talent; and in college, everyone’s an All-American or an MVP or something or the other. It was really cool to play at the next level,” Reynolds said.
Wright saw acute mental abilities from Reynolds when it came to the sport, citing his ability to “read and understand the action before it happens” as one of the main reasons he was ready to play.
“It’s hard to find a player with such a clear understanding of the game, which really makes him a special player,” Wright said.
UCLA was a highly veteran team last season. The majority of its starters were juniors and seniors; not only did this make Reynolds’ frequency and level of play more impressive, but it also gave him the chance to glean knowledge from his peers.
His teammates helped him beyond just the pool, teaching him about the unique balance it takes to be a student-athlete.
“I got a lot of help in the water and (also with) a lot of stuff like time management, and how to handle it all,” Reynolds said.
“I didn’t know how to travel or what classes to take and they helped me with all of that.”
A closeness with his peers was another of the many factors that added into the success of Reynolds’ freshman campaign.
“I had played with a lot of my teammates in the past, in club and on other teams; it was that familiarity I had going in with them … that really helped with the transition,” Reynolds said.
In Reynolds, coach Wright saw a player that would not just play his personal best, but would do everything he could to help the Bruins reach their goal ““ an NCAA title ““ for all his years in Westwood.
“It’s a lot to ask of a freshman … but it’s about how smart the guy is game-wise. The expectations are there every year, and he has high ones.”