TC: How did you get your start in water polo?
Evelyn Marshal (EM): When I was about nine years old, my mom saw an ad at Carleton for kids and teens to come try out water polo and she convinced me to take a shot at it. At first, I didn’t really like it because I was so small and got cold in the pool very quickly, but I stuck at it. After a year playing in a recreational league, I was asked to play for the Ottawa Titans, the local competitive water polo team. Water polo has been a huge part of my life ever since.
TC: How much training do you put in regularly? How much did it take to get where you are now?
EM: With the varsity team, we practice five times a week, every weekday. We don’t usually have practice on the weekends; however, throughout the season, we frequently travel around the province for tournaments and games. Throughout high school, I was typically practicing at least seven times a week as I was training for various provincial, national, and international tournaments with different teams. This required a lot of commitment, not only in terms of practice hours, but also in terms of managing my time and balancing my hectic schedule in order to do well academically.
TC: What do you attribute your success to?
EM: I’ve always worked hard, I have had truly inspiring and motivating coaches, but more than anything, I can attribute any success to my teammates. I have been on many different teams with different teammates, but regardless of what team it was, it has always felt like family. Working hard, dealing with pressure and stress, and pushing myself is so much easier when I have my team supporting me.
TC: What do you hope to do with the sport once you've graduated?
EM: I hope to continue playing water polo for as long as I can. I’m not sure what I want to do after I finish my undergraduate degree; however, water polo has been such a significant part of my life that I am sure it will continue to be for as long as I enjoy it.
