Welch Heads Into Unfamiliar Waters

Some coaches leave Harvard to work somewhere else. Others retire, while a few decide to spend more time with their family or pursue other interests.

And then there’s Shana Welch.

Welch left her post as the Crimson’s assistant men’s water polo coach to play professionally for the N.E. Patras Club in Greece in A1 Ethniki, the country’s most prestigious water polo league.

“All of us would jump at the opportunity to become a professional water polo player,” Harvard coach Ted Minnis said.

Welch began playing on a big stage at Michigan, where she became a three-time All-American and broke the Michigan marks for goals in a game, a season, and a career.

After graduating in 2007, Welch played professionally in Australia before landing a job at Bucknell as a swimming coach.

The following year Welch relocated to Cambridge, taking up her former post as the assistant water polo coach.

“Shana was great for us,” junior Mike Katzer said. “She brought a ton of experience playing at very high levels.”

Welch’s impact was broader than just her instruction to players. After coach Erik Farrar left following the 2009-10 season, she helped first-year coach Minnis adjust to the existing program.

“[Shana] understood the Harvard culture; she understood the way the athletic department did things,” Minnis said. “I wanted to make sure that tradition and some of the stuff stayed the same…she was really helpful in that.”

The possibility of playing in Europe presented itself this past summer, when several European clubs began contacting Welch.

Finally, in the middle of this fall’s water polo season, N.E. Patras came calling—this time with a contract. Welch accepted, though the decision was anything but easy.

“I was excited but sad at the same time that I would have to leave,” Welch said. “I’m gone for 10 months, and with that comes leaving my family and leaving Harvard and leaving my dog and leaving everything else.”

During the entire process, no one was more supportive than Minnis.

“He seemed more excited than I was,” Welch joked.

A veteran of the sport, Minnis understood how precious Welch’s opportunity was.

“There’s not a lot of [playing] opportunities out there, and her window is closing…it was something she couldn’t pass up,” Minnis said.

The players added their support too.

“She gets to play professional water polo in Greece, and we all thought that was incredible,” Katzer said. “She made the right decision.”

Minnis and Welch informed the team of Welch’s impending departure shortly before the last game of the Princeton Invitational Sept. 12.

“We weren’t gonna let her at that point go out on an L,” Katzer said. “It definitely motivated us.”

Despite not having won a game yet at the tournament, an inspired and emotional water polo squad squeaked out a 9-8 victory over a strong George Washington team.

A few weeks later, Welch boarded a plane going halfway across the world, adding another chapter to her ever-developing water polo saga. Then it was back to the pool, back to the two-a-day practices, and back to the conditioning.

Welch’s work for the past few years has only heightened her understanding of the game.

“It’s fun for me to take my coaching experiences and bring that back into the water with me, which is something I didn’t have the last time I was playing,” Welch said.

Welch has made a 10-month commitment to N.E. Patras, but it’s anyone guess as to what she does after her contract expires. She might continue to play in Greece, though she said that all depends on how the season goes and the contract options available.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” Welch admitted. “[I’m] just taking it one day at a time.”

Currently, Welch is preparing for the team’s first game on Nov. 20 at home. The squad’s only foreign player, the former Wolverine will once more resume her post as driver.

“We have a couple national players from Greece and a few other strong players, so hopefully we’ll have a good team,” Welch said. “It’ll be fun and interesting to see how it all comes together Nov. 20.”

Another coach and team a continent away will be eagerly awaiting that day too.