2004

ILLINOIS WATER POLO

Home

Mission

Teams

Coaches

Schedules

Rankings

Ballers

Sectionals

State

Awards

Links

Contacts

2003 Season

Thursday - May 6, 2004

Kim Buck Takes Offensive Approach In Leading Naperville North

By Aaron Brown

-

Kim has been awarded the Best Offensive Player award for the past three years at Naperville North. She has been a four-year starter, and was named to the All-Sectional First Team for her first three seasons.  She was recognized as an All-State Honorable Mention after her sophomore campaign and was awarded with a third team finish in her junior year. It has been a gradual rise up the ranks for the senior, who is almost a lock for a spot on the All-State First Team at the end of this season.

Kim began playing the summer before her eighth grade year with the Naperville Park District Program.  “My mom thought that I would love polo so she signed me up for it,” she said. “She was definitely right.” 

Kim gives a lot of credit to age group coach Mark Menis for her development. “I played under Mark in my first few years, learning how to play a good, clean game,” she stated. “I cannot express my thanks for all that he has done for me.”

Kim was blessed with the opportunity to play at the Olympic Training Center her freshman year. She had the opportunity to play with and be coached by some of the best in the nation. Once she got her feet wet, Kim started playing as much water polo as she possibly could. “I started playing on Mavericks Water Polo, which gradually became West Suburban Water Polo,” she said. “On that team, we competed at my first ever Junior Olympics in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The following year I played with Northern Illinois Polo Club (NIPC) and again concluded that season with JO’s in Walnut Creek, California.”

The next summer, Kim had the opportunity to play out in California. “I played under Maureen O’Toole (widely regarded worldwide as the greatest female water polo player of all time) at Diablo Water Polo and that experience was more than I could ever ask for,” she said. “Getting coached by her was fantastic, and the bonus was being able to assist her in the coaching of the 12 and Under team, which not only was a blast, but also reinstated the basics of everything that she was teaching me.”

Diablo concluded their season by playing at Senior Nationals, which allowed Kim to gain exposure at a level of play that she had been striving for throughout her polo career. Currently, Kim trains in the offseason with the Armada Masters Team in Naperville. "It allows me to keep a feel for the ball once a week,” she said.

Besides being a highly skilled water polo player, Kim maintains a 3.80 grade point average. She will attend Arizona State University and play collegiate water polo for the school. She plans to major in Biology with a Pre-Health focus and to minor in Spanish. She would eventually like to attend medical school.

In her free time, Kim enjoys a variety of music and also likes to dance. Her team describes her as someone who will “bust a move to anything with a beat”.  Although a busy schedule keeps her from watching much television, she watches Alias on Sunday nights and her favorite movie is Boondock Saints. Otherwise, she likes to hang with friends outside of polo and school.

Kim's teammates have played a huge role in her success over the years. "My teammates this year have been the best bunch of girls that I have ever been able to play with," she said. "We are friends both in and out of the water, which definitely makes us closer." She also credits her coaches, who she says have "always been open to my opinions and are very supportive of me."

“Finally, my parents have tried to give me every opportunity possible to allow me to pursue my water polo passion.  It is something that can never be repaid and I love them dearly for all the sacrifices they have made to help me get to where I am today.”

It is difficult to find someone more passionate about water polo than Kim Buck. As she says: "I find sheer and utter joy from playing water polo. It always puts me in a better mood and makes my days great. I don’t know what it is and I can’t describe it, all I know is that I just love the sport."

-