Ben Forer, one of Northgate High School´s most successful student athletes, began playing water polo when he was only eight years old after watching his older brother play on Northgate´s team. Ben’s passion for the sport grew as he played competitively years before entering high school. By the time he was a freshman, the athlete was already achieving remarkable stats and was well on his way to play at the collegiate level.
The summer after his first high school season, Ben selected to participate in a series of tryouts to make the Men’s Cadet National Team and was ultimately chosen amongst seventy other talented players to compete in the World Championships. Ben recalls having to travel to Hungary and Croatia for intense training sessions in preparation, his most recent trip lasting twelve days. In Greece the following year, he and the Cadet Team went on to place ninth in the world and first in their division. Though he has had several international experiences, he recalls taking the Gold Medal home from the Pan American Games in Brazil to be “the most memorable yet.”
Having committed to Stanford University as a junior, much earlier than the rest of his class, Ben describes the excitement he felt upon receiving the phone call: “It took a few days to process, but once it did, it was the most amazing feeling ever.” From here on, he will continue to foster his rising water polo career and aspires to win NCAA Championships once he starts as a Cardinal. Ben hopes to go on to play in professional leagues in Europe after college.
By Erin Kim, Northgate High School Student