Danilo Scekic '17 Recruiting Profile

I joined the swim team in 2007, and in 2010, I tried out for the water polo team and from the first time I got into the water and got my hands on the ball, I instantly knew that this is what I was meant to do. I love the game of water polo and I work extremely hard.  I have played water polo from club,  high school, and even the national level at ODP USA Water Polo. I believe I am extremely coachable, very athletic and have an excellent sense of the game.  Water polo is not just a game to me, it is a way of life.  I am strategic, fast and run the offense with precision and intelligence. I also work very hard on defense and pressure my opponent to either go in for a steal or cause them to make mistakes.  I am a player that always gives my full effort and I stay focused under pressure.  I work hard in the off season to improve my shooting and speed. Being fast in the water and having a constant awareness of the game, I always look for opportunities to steal, assist, and score.  In light of my capabilities, I was placed on the Varsity New Trier water polo team both as a freshman and sophomore.

My freshman year at New Trier High School I played on the Varsity water polo team, which is very difficult for a freshman to achieve.  During my sophomore year, I was also on the New Trier Varsity team, and was selected for the state team roster, which gave me great opportunities to play in big games. During my upcoming junior and senior water polo seasons, I am planning to work even harder to become the best player I can be with a goal of playing Division I water polo.

Being involved with the USA Water Polo's Olympic Development Program (ODP) helped me improve my self-confidence both on and off the field. Also, I learned some great skills benefiting from training with some of the top coaches in the US.  Being selected for the 2016 Midwest Zone team roster to represent the State of Illinois at the National level meant so much to me, because I felt it was a great honor to be selected to represent my state and region and to play against some of the best players in the U.S that are my age.  Another great opportunity that taught me a lot with my water polo skills was going to Partizan’s training camp in Serbia for three weeks last summer and playing with some of their players whom were selected to be on the Serbian junior national team. Both USA ODP and Partizan have truly given me opportunities to train and compete at a very high level and have given me more confidence as a player by playing against top level players.  Also, by playing at such a high level, I have matured so much as an athlete and a person.

Finally, in college I intend to pursue my studies in Management & Information Technology and I fully understand the commitment necessary both academically and physically to excel at the collegiate level.  I will fully commit all my time to my studies and the game. I cannot express in words how much passion I have for the game and how much it would mean for me to play at the college level. Whichever team I play on, I will strive to make a strong and positive impact as a top player and a high level athlete.