HPHS To Add Water Polo Program
Highland Park High School students will soon have another sport option: water polo.
University Interscholastic League (UIL) approved adding water polo at the high school level for the 2022-2023 school year. The Highland Park ISD board of trustees then approved adding a boys-and-girls water polo program at the high school level at the February 15 meeting.
Park Cities-based Pegasus Water Polo Academy already won four state championships last spring in age groups ranging from fourth grade to eighth grade.
(READ: Pegasus Claims 4 Water Polo Youth Titles)
“(UIL) approved (water polo) as a pilot sport for the 2022-2023, and 2023-2024 school years. Normally that’s the procedure, and once it’s in place, it becomes no longer a pilot sport,” explained HPISD athletic director Johnny Ringo.
Ringo added that the last sport the UIL added was soccer around the late ‘70s.
Area districts starting water polo programs include Carroll, Denton, Garland, Jesuit, Prosper, and Rockwall.
The annual cost to add four boys/girls water polo teams (two varsity, two junior varsity) is $49,340, which includes coaches’ stipends.
