Wookies of the Year Learn Quickly

"We always like to get into trouble."

"What do you mean, we?"

Like so many New Englanders, Harvard women's water polo Coach Chris Hafferty has trouble saying the letter "r" ("I pahked my cah"). So whenever he says the word "rookie," it comes out "wookie."

Naturally, there have been many rookies on Harvard water polo teams over the years.

But never have there been Wookies.

Freshmen Valerie Nellen and Julie Hopkins were fresh off a highly successful swimming season in which they and their teammates snagged the Eastern Championships. Initially, they were just going to clean three months of chlorine out of their systems and have an easy spring.

"We thought we'd hibernate until fall," Nellen says.

But when they inquired about the women's water polo program, one of the first persons they met was Leean O'Connell, who, like a mother hen, took the two players under her wing and helped them get used to the sport.

"I have a soft spot for swimmers," O'Connell says.

Despite their swimming experience, the two needed some help. After all, Hafferty had to make preseason cuts for the first time ever.

"We were so totally clueless at the beginning," says Nellen, a native of Sea Cliff, N.Y.

And O'Connell wanted to help out any way she could.

"I like to work with the freshmen," O'Connell says. "I've been around the block, as they say."

But the two survived the cut, after which O'Connell dubbed the duo "The Wookies."

"Leean is our `Wookie Mom,'" says Hopkins, a native of Palo Alto, Cal. "When we get out of the pool after scoring a goal, she looks like a proud mother."

Nellen and Hopkins also received help from the rest of the team in their conversion from swimmers to water polo players.

"Without them," Nellen says, "there'd be dead lumps of Wookie on the bottom of the pool."

They have become assets to the team, not only in the pool but also out of it. The Wookies can be pranksters while on deck. Once during swimming practice they decided to hide from everybody inside two eight-foot stacks of innertubes.

"This is a very quiet sort of team," Nellen says. "and we aren't quiet people. We've definitely livened the team."

"At least we do entertain them and we keep Chris laughing," Hopkins adds. "We know we're obnoxious, but we like to have fun."

But the Wookies are not just famous for their exploits out of the water. They are starting to use their natural swimming speed and their newly-found ball-handling skills to great advantage.

"I'm happy that we have two swimmers who came out for water polo and are liking it," says Tri-Captain Leslie Barbi. "I hope this builds a better tie between the two teams."

Setups

Several times this year one Wookie has set up the other for a goal. It happened three times in a 20-6 victory by the Harvard B-team over Brown's B-team.

"We like to work together," Hopkins says. "In swimming, we'd always use the same lane in practice."

"She's fast, and I'm aggressive," adds Nellen.

The Wookies have unlimited scoring potential, and they're showing it at the right time. The team will lose much of its firepower to graduation next year, and having two fast swimmers ready to jump in and produce will give a great boost to the program. After all, ballhandling can be taught more easily than swimming.

"We hope to have the skills all ready for next year," Hopkins says. "It's hard coming on a team and looking clueless while everyone looks so experienced."

Next year, the Wookies won't be rookies anymore. But that's a year away. For now, these two freshmen are having too much fun.