Sophia Sanico was born and raised in Monterey, CA. After being a competitive synchronized swimmer for a couple years, she decided to try water polo. At the age of 9, Sophia joined Legacy Water Polo and played co-ed until 5th grade when she started playing with the boys’ advanced high school group. She played with Boys’ Legacy Water Polo and Girls’ Otter Bay Water polo until eighth grade when she was recruited to a team in Santa Clara. At the age of 12, Sophia started on the Santa Clara 12U and 14U Girls’ Teams, helping them qualify for the 2015 Junior Olympics and becoming the top scorer on both teams. After playing club competitively for 3 years, she took a break before high school.

 

Her freshman year at York School, she joined the Boys’ Varsity Water Polo team, was a starting player and became the first female water polo player in York’s history. The end of her freshman year, she received York’s first and only “Title IX” award for being the only female athlete playing on a varsity male team. She continued to play on the same team throughout high school, recruited 5 more girls to the team, was awarded numerous league awards, and under her captainship, improved the team’s league standing from second from last to 3rd. Sophia credits this league standing improvement as an important point in her water polo career and a great part of her coaching philosophy, teaching her how to focus more on individual and team improvement rather than scores and wins or losses. Her junior year, she was one of the first athletes of MBU, becoming one of the top scorers on the 16U Girls’ Team and an assistant coach for MBU’s 10U co-ed team during the summer. Although she has been on a couple female teams, a majority of Sophia’s water polo experience has been on male teams, helping her adapt a unique style of play and a great appreciation for both boys’ and girls’ water polo. Graduating in 2020, Sophia capped off her high-school water polo career as co-captain of the York Varsity Boys Team where she was a starting attacker her fourth year in a row, became the first female to earn First-Team All-League in PCAL Boys’ Water Polo, and was named CIF/CCS Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. After recovering from a severe knee injury, Sophia rowed Division I crew at Santa Clara University before transferring to Columbia University in New York City. Sophia graduated from Columbia with honors last spring and returned to her roots while she prepares to attend graduate school. When not in the pool, you can find her at the beach with her dog, listening to music, and eating froyo.

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Due to the adversities and challenges Sophia faced as a female athlete in a male league, her coaching approach focuses both on physical conditioning and developing a creative understanding of the game that maximizes individual and team assets, as well as mental fortitude and perseverance.