Men's Water Polo Q&A: Zack Rhodes
9/13/2016 11:16:00 AM | Men's Volleyball, Competing With Purpose Blog
Zack Rhodes, junior goalkeeper for the Pepperdine men's water polo team, gives us insight to his time here in Malibu. The Waves continue their season this weekend with road games at UCLA and Loyola Marymount.
Q: You guys had a good showing this past weekend. 4-0 is always a good result. How do you feel these games are preparing you for the conference season?
A: I think they are a good test for us. They are a good way to get a good base for the rest of the season.They show us what we really need to work on to get ready for the fiercer competition that we will see, as well as show us our strengths and in what aspects that we play consistently well.
Q: Your team gets to school earlier than most of the teams on campus. How did the pre-school year training help with the team bonding?
A: This year especially, I think that it is a really close team. I think that there is a lot of really good chemistry. I think that waking up early, while it isn't something that everyone likes to do -- including myself -- it is something that we have to do.Everyone is on the same page, so we all push through and make it as beneficial as possible. We really push each other in the weight room and in the pool.
Q: How have the freshmen meshed with the team? Were they able to jump right in, or did it take a little bit of time for them to find their groove?
A: I think that most of them were able to jump right in. It was a really good environment for them to join. There are a lot of really good things going on in the team. We had two of the guys, George and Nolan, with us for the whole summer, and two of them came at the beginning of the year, and they were able to get right into the groove of things and play right along with the rest of the guys. I think that they were able to adapt really quickly, and I also believe that this is a really welcoming team, so they were brought in quickly, and were able to help us in areas that we needed it.
Q: As the starting goalkeeper the last two years, what has your time been like as a Pepperdine student-athlete?
A: I think that for me personally, it has been all about development. There are a lot of things that I can work on as an athlete, and I am really realizing that it is a lot different than it was in high school. But it's been really good. I think that I have developed a lot, but I am always trying to develop further and get to that next level, and win a championship with this team.
Q: How have the past two years at Pepperdine been as a person?
A: To be completely honest, it has had its ups and downs, but it has definitely been mainly positive. I think that it has taught me a lot about how to grow as a person and how to adapt in different situations in order to get through things. I've really learned to keep what is important in focus, and use that focus to try to achieve my own goals. And to do that, I really have had to buckle down and work hard.
Q: Were you recruited by other schools? If so, why did you choose Pepperdine?
A: I was recruited by schools like USC, UC Irvine, Pacific and UCSB, among others. When I came on my recruiting trip, there was a really tight team atmosphere and it was a lot different than any other team. Right when I came in, I could tell it was a really tight-knit team, and one that I thought I could come into and flourish.The coaches here are fantastic, of course. I am able to be coached by two Olympians, coaches Merrill Moses, and Terry Schroeder. There are just so many positives in coming to Pepperdine. There was so much I could learn as a student and as an athlete. It really gave me the best opportunity to grow and develop.
Q: What are your aspirations after all is said and done, and you leave Pepperdine? Do you want to play professionally somewhere? Do you want to just go into the workforce?
A: I'm not totally sure yet. I am still trying to figure that part out to be honest. I think that with a lot of it, whatever happens depends on what happens here at school.
Q: Finally, do you think that Pepperdine is preparing you well for that future?
A: I definitely do. It has taught me a lot, and I think that I can apply all that I have learned to the rest of my life and that it will help me move forward as a person.
