Athlete of the Month: Erik Greene

After dedicating countless hours in the pool to become the water polo player he is today, Erik Greene (11) was named September’s male athlete of the month. 

“I started [playing] in eighth grade, so [now I have been] playing for three or four years,” Greene said. “[My dad] has always been trying to get me to play, so [one day] I finally decided that I would [play] and I ended up really liking it” 

Greene plays different positions, but mostly center, right in front of the cage or goal. He either serves as defense, or positions himself in front of the opposing team’s goal to receive passes from his teammates and score. His growth as an athlete is apparent to both his coaches and teammates. 

“[I have been] coaching [him] since he was a freshman and besides him getting physically bigger … he’s become a much more intelligent player,” Brandon Carmen, boys varsity water polo head coach, said. “He’s more aggressive, and he’s just playing [at] an overall higher skill level than he has in the past.”

Carmen awarded Greene”Most Improved Player” at the end of last year’s season. 

When not playing for the school, Greene plays with the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club. He practices five days a week at Mount Carmel High School with the school team during the August to November water polo season and practices with his club three to four days a week in Coronado for the rest of the year. On days he has a school meet, Greene travels to compete in Fullerton, Calif., Newport Beach, Calif., and even Northern California.

“We have to practice in Mount Carmel [High School’s pool] because we don’t have our own pool yet,” Greene said. “I usually leave my house around 5:40 p.m., have practice from 6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., leave practice and clean up and then go [home] at 9:00 p.m.”

Varsity utility player Lukas Andranian (12) described Greene as “driven, dependable and confident.”

“I [have] never noticed him slacking off in practice or games [and] he’s always putting it all out there,” Andranian said. 

Likewise, Carmen also sees how seriously Greene takes his time in the pool. 

“He trains year-round, nonstop,” Carmen said. “You can tell that he really wants to be successful at the sport. He doesn’t take any days off, he does it the right way, he doesn’t cheat drills [and] with his teammates he’s always completely there and all in.” 

Greene’s favorite part about being on the varsity school team is establishing strong relationships with his teammates.

“The friends you make and the bond you have from hanging out with them at tournaments, in between games or even [at] school is really special,” Greene said. 

To his teammates, Greene is an integral part of creating a positive water polo community.

“I still remember when I first transferred to TPHS and Erik wasn’t even [in] the position of captain, but he was still acting like one,” Andranian said. “Since my first practice, he has always made me feel super welcome and has not just been a great teammate but also a great friend … If I am ever slacking or not giving it my 100%, Erik finds a way to keep me in check without being a jerk about it, which I really appreciate.” 

Whether it is through improving his own skills or encouraging his teammates to reach their potential, Greene strives to become the best player and leader he can be. 

“I have stepped up every year [by] improving my scoring and passing abilities [as well as] my ability to play [well] with my teammates,” Green said. “[I love the dynamic] of being on a team and being able to play hard and motivate [others].”

Andranian recalls many instances of Greene reminding players to take pride in themselves, their team and their school.

“During swimsets, Erik always lifts up the team spirit by motivating all of us to give it all that we have,” Andranian said. “At tournaments where we are spending the nights in hotels, he ensures that everyone is respectful and that we understand that everywhere we go, we represent Torrey Pines.”

While Greene works to support his teammates, his own support system is always in the background. 

“My mom is always there and still [goes] to my games [and] when I didn’t have a car, she drove me to practice or to all these tournaments,” Greene said. “I can always talk to her, and that’s really special.”

Like most athletes, Greene has strategies that help him achieve the right mental and physical state for competitions and everyday practices. 

“If anything negative ever happens, I just try to think about what I did wrong and how I can fix that and then I [can] just block out everything bad that happened and start fresh,” Greene said. “[For competitions in specific] I make sure to eat before, stretch, get into the water [and] I always listen to music … usually Reggae but I also listen to “Umbrella” by Rihanna.”

He also faces the combined weight of an athletic load and academic expectations, which he manages through a balance of work and rest. 

“It’s just making sure I get sleep and always getting my work done, no matter how hard it is,” Greene said. “I try to get naps in and keep pushing through.”

One of Greene’s future goals is to play water polo in college. 

“I’m just waiting to see what happens,” Greene said. “Maybe [I would play] somewhere like Santa Clara or [UC] Davis or somewhere [on] the East [Coast], like an Ivy [League] … that would be the dream.”

The journey ahead requires perseverance and dedication, characteristics Carmen believes Greene has in abundance. 

“[He has] completely dedicated himself to being the player that he wants to be [and] really dictated his own future and that’s also given him opportunities to speak to colleges to go play at the next level,” Carmen said. 

Through working hard to achieve his goals, Greene learned invaluable lessons that are applicable outside of the pool.

“[The sport] has taught me communication, respect and to stay humble,” Greene said. “I’m really proud of myself, but I still have a lot of work to put in [but] I’m always staying focused and always [want to] get better.”