Splashing into the season, the 2025 women’s water polo team is welcomed back onto the pool deck as the Saq-Joaquin section title holders and one stand-out player, Tessa Gardin, onto her second year on the varsity team here at Granite Bay.

While she was a freshman, Gardin largely participated in the 2024 San-Joaquin Section Championship game for women’s water polo, supported by her teammates while they secured a 10-7 win against Davis Sr., where she assisted a goal, despite playing the set defensive position. 

“It was really fun and all the upperclassmen really helped me and it was a great experience because I know a lot of people don’t get to experience it. It was really cool to just be a part of that, especially since we won… It was really great being there.” Gardin said.

As she enters her sophomore year, she will have played water polo for over five years, both on club and during the high school season. She also swims competitively, first joining a team at four years old. Her raw talent and dedication earned her varsity positions her freshman year on both the water polo and swim teams.

One of the key aspects of water polo is swimming, and Gardin’s extensive swim team background led her to where she is today. 

“I’ve been swimming for 11 years and I’ve been on nine teams in my whole career… I’m currently on California Capital Aquatics (CCA) swimming.” Gardin said.

Her expeditious times in the pool during the 2025 high school season led her to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section swim meet. She placed 6th overall in both the 50 and 100 yard freestyle, while facing off against many seniors in the final, as well as participating in two relay races.

Although she is sure to only go up from here in her swimming life, she recognizes her journey to her current successes by acknowledging her changes and challenges with both her teams and coaches. 

“My swim coach, Daryn [Glasgow], has had a giant impact on me [as] one of my previous coaches made my confidence go way down and I wasn’t doing as well, so I changed teams,” Gardin said. “Now my new coach at CCA has been really amazing and I’ve really improved with her. She’s helped me a lot in a lot of different ways, not just in athletic ways too.”

Her achievements don’t just end at extraordinary swimming times, as Gardin has played at multiple Junior Olympics (JO’s) on her club team, California Republic, and is currently a 15 year-old playing at an 18 and under division (18U). She has also played on the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Development teams in both 2023 and 2024, a highly selective national team coached by ex-Olympians and run by USA Water Polo as they search for the country’s top talent. Only 200 girls in her age group are selected across the country for the team, making this even more of an achievement, as she helped her team place 3rd and 4th both years she played.

Gardin hopes to continue both her swimming and water polo career, working hard at both sports to grow her skill level and sense of family with her team here at Granite Bay.

“I just love the team and swimming. It gives me a sense of purpose and I love the community it makes and I love all the people that I’m with.” Gardin said. “Come try polo guys, it’s really fun!”