Personal Statement
My name is Riley Clansen, and I am a rising Senior at Foothill High School in Santa Ana, California. I am the starting High School Varsity goalie. In addition, I have played 8 years as a goalie with SOCAL Water Polo and I am a 4-time USA Water Polo Junior Olympics All American (2021, 2019, 2017, and 2015). My 16U SOCAL club team won bronze in the 16U Championship Division in 2021 and our 18U SOCAL club team won gold in the 18U Championship Division in 2022.
I have also participated in the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program and this year I was selected for the ODP Academy and the Youth National Team for 2022. Our Youth National team won silver at the Junior Pan American Games in July of 2022 and we will be playing in the FINA Youth World Games in Serbia in August of 2022.
I am also a two-sport athlete and compete in swimming. In 2022 I qualified for Division 1 CIF in the 100 Breast and 200IM relay. At a younger age I played baseball, flag football and soccer.
Water Polo IQ/About Me:
I understand how important it is to build great relationships with teammates. Water polo is a team sport, and every player has a key role to play. I am a student of the game. I believe we play games at our best when we focus on details and work hard to improve in practice.
My consistent communication with teammates on offense and defense and my ability to read shooters are some of my best attributes. I have very strong legs and exceptional passing and blocking abilities. I am a hard worker both in the classroom and in the pool, a selfless team player, and a leader on my team. I believe I bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the game, and I have a knack to play under high-pressure situations.
