Photo courtesy of Tippa Chan
Ollie Chessen ’19 is a TK, this year’s Boys’ Varsity Water Polo captain, and the leading goal scorer this season. He is a four-year senior from San Francisco and has been a member of the varsity water polo team since his freshman year. With Tk goals already this season, he leads the Wild Boars on offense. Chessen was gracious enough to sit down with staff reporter John Buckholtz ’20 and talk about how he got started playing water polo, his favorite Choate memory in the pool, and why he chose to come to Choate.
John Buckholtz: When did you start playing water polo?
Ollie Chessen: I actually started out swimming in third and fourth grade. In fifth grade, I saw a couple water polo games and decided I wanted to try it out. Sixth grade was the year I started to play competitively with club teams.
JB: Was there anyone in specific who inspired you to play water polo?
OC: Not anyone in specific. The atmosphere of my club water polo team inspired me to continue playing. Their attitude towards the sport was infectious and it motivated me.
JB: Why did you choose Choate?
OC: A lot of it was by chance. Of the schools I was looking at, Choate’s Water Polo team stuck out to me as being very active in the process of getting people to play for them. My eventual co-captain, Ben Zhao ’18, came and spoke to me about the water polo team. Not only did he speak to me, but most of the team talked to me at the activities fair. They were all very serious and committed to the sport. I knew that if they were committed to me, I would be committed to the team as well.
JB: What is your greatest water polo memory throughout your Choate career?
OC: We had a very strong team for my sophomore year. We ended up finishing third in New England’s which was a huge accomplishment. Throughout that season, we played Loomis Chaffee twice, losing by one goal both times. When we faced them in New England’s, we beat them 16-1, which put us in third place.
JB: In terms of Water Polo, what is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome throughout your four years here?
OC: The biggest obstacle was coping with the fact that I couldn’t play year-round. Before coming to Choate, playing year-round was crucial. It was always an adjustment getting back into it when playing in summer leagues. Not playing during the off-season was hard for me too because water polo is something that I genuinely enjoy so much. I use it as a way to relieve my stress and take my mind off things.
JB: What position do you currently play? Have you always played that position?
OC: Water polo is pretty fluid as a sport… it is very similar to basketball because in many ways, it is position less. I play on my strong shooting side which is left of the cage. I facilitate the offense most of the time. Primarily, I’m a spot up shooter.
