The school day was over. All across campus kids were causing a ruckus. Sports teams were assembling for their respective practices, yelling to friends and being generally wild teens, but at the pool it was calm as coach Kevin Jauregui spoke highly of his water polo players. That day, he was extolling the virtues of Devon Garcia, a tall, likeable, soft-spoken young man who’s making his mark.
Garcia got into water polo as he was heading into his junior year and feeling there was something missing in his football focus. He described not being into the game at practice and deciding to try water polo. The decision to jump in the pool came from his love of swimming and some prodding from his boss at the pool where he lifeguards.
“It’s really physical, and it’s really tough,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know how tough it is until they get into the pool.”
Quitting football for polo didn’t sit well with his teammates. Garcia got the feeling they thought he was stepping down to something that was easier. Garcia, however, feels he was moving to something that challenged him in ways football didn’t. Plus, he had a great intro to the sport.
“The first game I ever played, the summer after my sophomore year, we were playing in a JV tournament and I scored five goals … ,” he said.
Like many athletes, Garcia plays multiple sports. Baseball in the spring, he believes, complements his time in the pool.
“[Polo] helps out with my arm. My arm’s never really tired during baseball,” he said. “Baseball helps out with polo … because I can throw the ball a lot harder than others.”
“I want a guy who’s big, strong, and who can swim fast,” Jauregui said about what he looks for in a set player. “He meets all three of those, and better yet, he’s got a good shot.”
Garcia comes from a very sporty family. Dad played baseball and basketball, Mom cheered, and Little Brother plays baseball. His parents have always driven him to play sports, and they were open to him replacing football with water polo, even if they never got to see him play a varsity football game.
While the team record isn’t champion status just yet, the players are doing some amazing things as a second-year varsity team whose most experienced player has three years in the pool (as opposed to other schools with players who can claim six years).
Garcia has already ground the school’s record for goals to dust. His 52 replaces the old benchmark of 22. He’s also played at such a level that he’s managed to draw opposing players into 25 ejections against him this year.
Garcia enjoys what he’s doing for what it is, and if a college were interested, he would definitely play that level of water polo, but his real interest is music. Ultimately, he’d love to obtain a business degree and work for a record label.
