SOAKING IT UP: Princeton native Flynn Walker guards the net in recent water polo action. Walker, 16, competed in the Junior Olympics this summer for Tiger Aquatics and has participated in the Olympic Development Program (ODP), where he has played for the Northeast zone for the past four years and recently attended a selection camp for the national team. Walker, 16, a rising junior the Lawrenceville School, also stars for the Big Red water polo program.

Flynn Walker began playing water polo at the age of eight years old and it was love at first sight.

“I don’t think there is any sport as fun, intense, and competitive as water polo,” said Walker, a Princeton native.

“I love being in the water, I love the people I get to play with, and I wanted to keep going.”

Walker initially got into water sports through competitive swimming along with his older brother but neither developed a passion for it.

“Both of us didn’t like swimming very much,” recalled Walker. “My brother really got into [water polo], and so the next year, when I was old enough to start, I got into it as well.”

Walker, who started with the Stingrays program in Lawrenceville and then had stints with Navy and Pittsburgh in order to compete in the Junior Olympics, quickly started tasting success in water polo.

Making his first appearance at the Junior Olympics with the Navy club at the 12U level, he helped the squad take seventh overall in the platinum bracket, believed to be the highest finish for an east coast team in that national competition.

A year later, Walker competed for a Pittsburgh 14U team that ended up taking eighth overall in the Junior Olympics.

In helping the Navy and Pittsburgh teams thrive, Walker found his natural role in the sport as he became a goalie.

He had a feel for the pressure-cooker position from having previously played goalie in soccer and games of street hockey so when the Navy club coach needed a goalie for the Junior Olympics, Walker jumped at the chance.

“They saw me play in a tournament and asked if I would play goalie for them, and I gladly accepted,” said Walker.

Walker believes that he was made for the position. Standing 6’4  with a 6’7  wingspan, he has the physical attributes to succeed in the goal. More importantly, he relishes the responsibility that comes with the job.

“I enjoy the feeling of being that last line of defense and stopping people from scoring, and I think that mentality is key to have,” asserted Walker, who is now competing for the Tiger Aquatics water polo program and starred for the Lawrenceville School team last fall as a sophomore.

Walker’s initial success at the Junior Olympics inspired him to continue to play the game at the highest level.

“Those teams were extremely unusual, because east coast teams rarely do that well, so it was a pretty big deal for us,” added Walker, who has now played in seven Junior Olympic tourneys. “It was really fun to play for them and I really enjoyed the experiences.”

In addition to competing in Junior Olympics, Walker, 16, has gotten the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Development Program (ODP), where he has played for the Northeast zone for the past four years and recently attended a selection camp for the national team.

Along with the national camp, Walker has spent most of his time this summer traveling around the country to participate in tournaments on the west coast and camps at various schools as his ambition is to someday play for a top college water polo program.

“I definitely want to play at a higher level, wherever I go, and put everything I have into it. I can’t imagine stopping at this point,” said Walker.