Dayton Diary: Just a free T-shirt

It’s seemingly the hottest day of the year, but I’m determined to walk past every table lined up on KU field for Up the Orgs.

I hear someone scream, “Water polo!”

“Water polo?” I ask the group surrounding the table.

“Your shirt. It says, ‘Dayton Water Polo,’” a guy said. I look down, not remembering what I chose to wear that day. Sure enough, it’s a blue Dayton Water Polo.

“Oh yeah! My dad gave it to me to ‘represent’.” I use air quotes, remembering how ridiculous it sounded when he first handed me the shirt.

A girl with short curly hair stepped toward me, “No way! Your dad played here?”

“Yeah, he was kind of a big deal,” I said, bragging on his behalf. “National Championship team and everything.”

Then she looked at me with the widest eyes, “Wait. Do you play?”

I’m proud that my dad was sure to teach all three of his daughters the proper way to tread water.

I told her I never have, but I swam in middle school and tossed the ball around with my dad quite a bit. “I can egg-beater though!” I said enthusiastically. There were some approving nods and smiles from the players at the shared polo-lingo. I’m proud that my dad was sure to teach all three of his daughters the proper way to tread water.

But here was something out of my comfort zone. My dad's voice, however, was echoing in my head of countless water polo stories and shenanigans with lifelong friends.

I asked, “Could one of you take a picture of me holding the ball? My dad is gonna be so stoked.”

Joining club water polo was one of the best decisions I’ve made at UD. It’s connected me with my greatest friends and an enthusiastic alumni group, even giving me the opportunity to compete directly against my dad. And yeah, he was pretty stoked — all thanks to a free T-shirt.