Kearns’ Anderson makes water polo national team

Kevin Anderson’s goal is to one day represent his country at the Olympics. If he keeps playing water polo the way he is, there’s no telling what Anderson is capable of.

The Kearns High senior checked another accomplishment off his list when he was selected to the Men’s Youth National Team for those born in 1994 and under. Anderson, a goalie, is the lone player on the team from Utah. He is considered one of the top 30 players in the nation for his age group.

“I knew what to expect more this year,” said Anderson, who also tried out for the national team last year. “I came in 20 pounds heavier and a couple of inches taller. I’ve worked in the gym a lot. They were looking for goalies with good communication (skills) and strong legs.”

While Anderson’s name is well-known on the local level – Kearns’ boys have won seven consecutive state championships in water polo – he wants to make a name for himself nationally as well. In order to do that, Anderson understands he will need to get even stronger and train harder. He has been swimming for seven years, but enjoys the tactical aspect of water polo.

Anderson participated in an Olympic Development Program camp representing the Mountain Zone Region over the summer. He tried out for nationals Memorial Day weekend in Southern California and was selected for the team. In June, he went back to try out for the travel team, but did not make the final cut. The travel team competed in Italy among other countries around the world.

Still, Anderson was content with making the youth national team.

“They don’t do any tournaments at this age. The senior national team does tournaments,” Anderson, 17, said. “That’s still a couple of years away for me. We did drills the first day and lots of shooting and scrimmaging the last couple of days. It was really a lot of fun.”

Kearns teammate Adam Parkinson was also invited to try out for the national team in the same age group, but couldn’t make the trip due to a fractured back.

While Anderson plays in the field during the high school season, his focus is goalie on the national level. He has already attracted the attention of at least two colleges. The Air Force Academy has offered him a scholarship, while Pacific University (Calif.) has also expressed interest.

While he waits for the high school season to begin, Anderson is competing in a fall water polo league at the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center.