the Fab Five

We moved to Newberg, Oregon, from the greater Chicago area the summer before my son Grant entered second grade.  I signed our kids up for swimming lessons, hoping they would learn to swim and make some new friends.  The local pool was old, but adequate, with giant record boards touting one water polo state championship after another.  I had never heard of water polo before.  Neither had Grant.  But he loved the water and wanted to play. The spring of his fourth grade year, he, Dane and Raleigh – two of his best friends – started together and were hooked from day one. Two years later, Wilson and Zach made the switch from the baseball field to the pool.  Natural athletes, they caught up quickly and a strong team of water polo players emerged.  We call them the Fab Five.  They grew up together in and out of the pool.

Newberg has been dominating Oregon water polo since its inception in 1983.  Jim McMaster, the genius who started the program, is STILL the head coach of the boy’s team and the assistant coach of the girls’ team.  He has coached his teams to 37 state championships in 34 years.  Let that sink in for a minute. 

The Fab Five had a unique opportunity as freshman to earn varsity letters and help their team win the Oregon 6A state championship.  They won again as sophomores.  And again last year as juniors.  It is so exciting to watch them play. Obviously, the boys have their eye on a fifth (the Newberg boys also won the year the Fab Five were in 8th grade) consecutive state championship for their senior season.  It’s going to be emotional to say the least.

Last week I took the Fab Five to the Opal Creek Wilderness for an adventure day and a photo session.  Time with my boy and his friends is hard to come by now that they all drive and work, so I soaked in each moment I had with these talented and awesome kids.  We had to hike in 2.3 miles to a waterfall and swimming hole.  The boys went swimming, jumped off the rocks and waterfall and ate lunch BEFORE we started the official photo shoot.  It was only appropriate that they had messy pool hair for their photos.  Here are some of my favorites from our session.  I still can’t believe they are seniors.

If you want something awesome to do this fall, come out and support them.  They are so impressive to watch.

#newbergwaterpolo #newbergnation #waterpolo #waterpololife #fabfive #seniorseason