Sean Tunnicliff '23 Recruiting Profile

Hello my name is Sean Tunnicliff, and I am a rising senior at Wilson High School. I first fell in love with waterpolo at the age of 5 when my mom took me to a splash ball practice with a group of neighborhood friends. Most of them went home, never to return to the sport, but my best friend and I still play together to this day. I'm in the most rigorous college preparatory program in my high school preparing me for my future and I'm in our student council. I would love to play water polo in college, graduate with honors, and continue on to medical school. I love competition and working as a team towards a common goal. I would love to do that and get a degree at the same time. After I graduate, I plan to go to medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon, specializing in sports medicine.

I would be a good candidate for your team because I have a lot of experience "playing up" on teams with older kids, which has allowed me to not only play with and against better players, but to learn from them as well. From playing with the older players, I have learned what good traits of a leader are. I have learned not only how to better myself, but to better the players around me at practice.

I have a lot of experience playing with teams, clubs, and players with diverse skills. I have played age group water polo for Shore Aquatics, SoCal, and  Long Beach Federation. Before my freshman high school year, I made the Olympic Development National Team (2019) and in the summer of 2020, I was invited to play for Tony Azevedo's Croatia team, however, we could not travel due to COVID.

I have had several accomplishments in the sport but have also had to work through a tough setback that ultimately helped me to learn the sport from a different perspective, as well as, provide me with a career objective. When I was 9, I dislocated my non-dominant arm a few days before Junior Olympics skateboarding. I didn't have any issues until I dislocated it again in April 2021 and I underwent Tommy John surgery, and now my arm is stronger and better than it ever has been. The reason I tell you about the surgery is that it forced me to decide if I really wanted to continue to play the sport and it also gave me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with two amazing orthopedic surgeons. During the times I was unable to play, I spent my time working out with the team, on the sidelines, coaching and mentoring my teammates alongside my coaches. It allowed me to watch the sport from a different perspective; I got to see what coaches see and it helped me understand the sport even better. It provided me with insight as to what the coaches are thinking and allowed me the opportunity to assist some of my developing teammates. From the experience, I also determined that I want to be an orthopedic surgeon and would love to combine my love for sports with my career after medical school. I may have had some setbacks, and they may not sound ideal to you as a coach, but  without  adversity I would not be the player/person I am to this day. Through these injuries, I have learned to persevere and to fight even when there is no positive in sight yet. I have learned the game from a completely different point of view, and I understand waterpolo even better than I did before. This surgery, coupled with COVID, has reinforced my commitment and joy for this sport. 

Thank you for taking the time to consider me for your program.