Gimme 5: Sandburg Boys Water Polo Standouts Know Where They Come From

Sandburg's Erik Niemeier and Tony Rogina have just begun their senior water polo season--and they are giving credit to those who helped them climb to the top of the heap.

Rogina began playing water polo in gym class last year. He said his PE teacher told him that he should join the Eagles' team. And he has been in love with the sport since that first day. He is also a swimmer, but he said he prefers playing water polo.

"I like the game aspect of it better," he said. "Swimming is a lot more tiring."

Niemeier, like Rogina, is also a member of the Eagles' swim team and he said Sandburg's coaches encourage their swimmers to try water polo. Even though he loves swimming, he said water polo beats it hands down.

"It's just the team atmosphere," he said. "The physicality of the sport makes it a lot more fun."

But for Niemeier, it was more of a "family tradition" to play water polo because his brothers played the game before him. Because of that, he said he looked up to his brothers and wanted to follow in their footsteps.

"They went through all the stuff that I'm going through," he said. "I knew I was going to be doing what they were doing some day. So, I thought, 'I might as well learn from them.' "

Rogina also turned to his family for guidance. He credits his parents for shaping him into the person he is today.

"I definitely looked up to my parents," he said. "I just tried to follow their example."

When the two boys are not in the pool, they're typically hanging out with their friends. Rogina also likes reading and watching TV. But Niemeier said he's not the type of person who can just sit around or play video games. If he has free time, he'll be playing other sports.

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