Amphibian of UCLA sports
Molly Barnes has competed in both soccer, water polo
By Emmanuelle Ejercito
One if by land, two if by sea.
No, the British aren’t coming. But when Paul Revere was riding
through Boston, maybe he was announcing which sport Molly Barnes
was playing  soccer or water polo.
Barnes, a sophomore from Cupertino, Calif., is a two-sport
letter winner for UCLA. Although the UCLA women’s water polo team
has several players that participate in two sports  Megan
Oesting and Jill Buckley both compete for the women’s swimming and
water polo team  Barnes is the only player who plays on both
land and in water.
Athletics has played a major role throughout Barnes’ life. At
Monta Vista High School, Barnes played five sports: field hockey,
swimming, basketball and of course soccer and water polo. She
received the Most Valuable Player award in swimming three years in
a row and was named her soccer team’s defensive MVP her senior
year.
"I was your typical tomboy," Barnes said.
After high school, Barnes went on to play soccer for California.
However, during her senior year in high school, Barnes suffered
from a near-fatal ruptured spleen. Because of her injury, she
decided to redshirt her freshman year at Cal to the dismay of her
coaches.
"I had an attitude where I needed to redshirt," Barnes said. "I
was released to play, but I wasn’t mentally with it to play. The
coach got on me for wanting to redshirt. He didn’t think that that
was a good attitude. He thought that I should just want to play
right away. He kept the injury hanging over my head and I didn’t
think he was ever going to give me a chance to play."
Knowing that UCLA was starting a new soccer program, Barnes
decided to transfer.
"Coming here I knew that it would be a perfect opportunity for
me to step up and play," Barnes said. "I figured that I had nothing
to lose and I wasn’t ready to give up soccer. I had to prove to
myself that I could play at this level."
Although her injuries  she has tendonitis in her knees
 hindered Barnes this season, she played a pivotal defensive
role during last year’s season. In 1993, Barnes started in all 17
of the women’s soccer games, and finished the season with the most
minutes played on the team by clocking in 1,553 minutes.
"Soccer has always been my first love. It has always been what
I’ve done, and I have always identified myself as a soccer player,"
Barnes said. "But I’m having a great time playing water polo. It’s
been a good change of scenery for me."
Barnes did not begin playing water polo until she reached high
school. With a strong swimming background, and a brother, Tony,
playing on the U.S. National water polo team, water polo was a
natural transition for her.
Hoping that playing a water sport would be therapeutic for her
knees, and with the urging of her brother and parents, Barnes
decided to play water polo at the college level. As a member of
UCLA women’s water polo team, she has proven to be a valuable part
of the team.
"She is one of our best defensive players in water polo," UCLA
head coach Guy Baker said. "She has a real good feel for the game.
She does a great job stealing the ball, and she swims real well
too. She’s an excellent defensive player."
Although the two sports are quite different, one is played on
land using one’s feet and the other is played in water using one’s
hands, Barnes the soccer player has helped Barnes the water polo
player.
"It helps me a lot that I have the game sense from soccer and
can bring it to water polo," Barnes said. "I’m really
inexperienced, but I can swim, and I’ve seen so much of water polo
that I know what’s going on."
However, playing two sports can be physically draining. Barnes
does not have an off-season to rest. When soccer finishes its
season, water polo is just beginning. However, with the tough
competition to make the soccer team, Barnes felt the need to
continue to train for soccer as well as compete for water polo.
"I knew that I had to play and prove myself during spring soccer
if I wanted a chance to play next year," Barnes said. "I tried to
do both and I was practicing five hours a day and I couldn’t do it.
I was miserable doing it."
After talking with the water polo and soccer coaches, Barnes
decided to stay with water polo.
"It may come to haunt me next fall, but right now I’m happy,"
Barnes said. "I made a commitment to water polo and I’m happy with
that choice. I’m going with it and I’m not going to look back and
dwell on it."
"It would be a big loss if we lost her," Baker said. "She is a
good quality athlete."
As for her future, Barnes hopes to continue her athletic
tradition.
"When college is over, as long as I can still play at the
recreational level, as long as I can go out there and kick a soccer
ball, or swim, I’ll be happy with that," Barnes said. "There will
be a time to move on. As long as they don’t take away the sport
from me, I’m happy with it."