It Only Appears That Ball Has It Down to a Science
Nate Ball of the Royal water polo team wants to go into microbiology or biochemistry in college, so it is surprising to learn that the Highlanders’ top defender has a very unscientific approach to his sport.
“I just react without thinking about it,” he said. “I have to know when to go for the ball and just know what I can and can’t do.”
Ball, an important part of the Highlanders’ effort to repeat as Southern Section Division IV champions, has been assigned the task of defending each opponent’s two-meter man--which is usually their leading scorer.
“I say this unequivocally: in my 17 years as coach he is the best defensive player to guard the two-meter man I’ve had,” Coach Steve Snyder said.
Ball is second on the Highlanders in steals and third in scoring, but his value to the team is not done justice by the statistics.
“Most teams’ offenses are built around the two-meter man. Nate nullifies that,” Snyder said. “He’s going to shut down the two-meter man and force teams to find other ways of scoring.”
Perhaps even more impressive than his record of shutting down leading scorers from some of Southern California’s best teams, he has only six ejection fouls in 26 games even though he is allowed only three per game.
“That’s saying something,” Snyder said. “He’s a very intelligent guy and he does a wonderful job in being able to read what the offenses are doing.”
To Ball, not picking up fouls is just a matter of common sense.
“I don’t try and get away with anything because more than likely I’ll get caught,” he said. “Sometimes I get away with one but usually I get caught.”
Even though Ball describes his role as “pretty much to stop the hole man from shooting,” Snyder says he adds more than that.
“I don’t think any of us view him in that one-dimensional way,” Snyder said.
“We have a strong counterattack and he is very much a part of that. “
When the game is on the line, you can find Ball close to the opposition’s best player, who you can bet isn’t getting many shots.