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 (Photo courtesy of Princeton's Office of Athletic Communications) caption:
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Princeton's Stover Making Waves For Tiger Water Polo, Swimming
By Bill Alden
John Stover faced a dilemma as he finished up his senior year at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Mich.
As a high school All-American in both swimming and water polo, Stover wanted to compete at both sports on the college level.
Stover considered the west coast powers which dominate the aquatic scene but it became clear that those schools would require him to make a year-round commitment to either water polo or swimming.
As a result, Stover headed east to Princeton University where he was welcomed with open arms by both the swimming and water polo programs.
Spending a good portion of his college days in DeNunzio Pool, Stover, a junior, has emerged as one of the greatest water polo players in school history and as a valuable contributor to the Tiger swimming program.
In water polo, Stover led the Tigers with 57 goals in 2003 as they made it to the title game of the Eastern Championships. This fall, Stover has taken his game to another level, scoring a team-high 54 goals as Princeton has gotten off to a 16-4 start.
In swimming, he has been a key performer for Princeton men's swimming team in the 100-backstroke and the 50-butterfly events.
The laid-back Stover enjoys having the chance to stay afloat for two different teams. "There are aspects of both sports that I like," said the sandy-haired Stover, who took up competitive swimming at age 5 and started playing water polo in junior high.
"I like racing. I can swim in all the meets and see how I stand. In swimming you're very introspective the whole time you are training. I love the team aspect of water polo. At first it started out as a break from swimming but it has developed into something more."
Stover's prowess as a sprinter has been a key factor in his success at college water polo. 'I was used to being one of the bigger players in high school," said Stover, flashing his ready grin.
"Here, we're playing some teams who have players upward of 25 years. I had to find a way to use my speed more than my strength. I have definitely had to learn to be more crafty. I have to go around people rather than through them."
In the view of the Princeton water polo head coach Luis Nicolao, Stover's speed is just one of the assets that make him stand out. "I think what is so special about John is his ability to score and be one of the smartest players in the water," said Nicolao, who is in his seventh year guiding the Princeton men's and women's water polo programs. "He's usually the fastest guy in the water and that, along with his ability to shoot the ball, is a deadly combination."
The quiet Stover has also developed into a team leader for Nicolao. "As a freshman he was a little shy and nervous," recalled Nicolao, a water polo All-American during his playing days at the Naval Academy.
"Every year his role has changed as the team has changed. He's now become one of our main go-to guys, John has always been quiet but he's taken more of a leadership role. John is more leadership by example and the way he lets it all out in practices and games. When John does have to speak up in games, he does."
Stover is looking to lead the Tigers to titles in the upcoming Southern Championships and Eastern Championships. "We haven't had a game where we have played really well together," said Stover as he looked forward to last weekend's action which saw Princeton post wins over Johns Hopkins, Salem, Bucknell, and George Washington. "We've been able to beat a lot of teams on talent but we need to learn to play more as a team."
The rosy-cheeked Stover thought the team made some progress toward that goal on its recent swing to California which saw it go 2-3 in five games against some of the sport's elite programs.
"I think that California trip gave us a sense of what we need to do to pull out games at the end," explained Stover, whose team plays in the Southern championships from October 29-31 before competing in the Easterns on November 13-14.
"It's about not getting frazzled when you are down. We did get down in the two games that we won. We were calm and confident, knowing we could come back."
No matter how the water polo campaign plays out, Stover will take a brief break and then calmly proceed to the swimming season. "I take a week off after water polo so I don't kill myself mentally," said Stover.
"I'm always in pretty good shape, I always like to see how fast I am out there. Last year, I had some shoulder problems so I had to stop early. This year, I'd like to make it to the Easterns squad, which is our championship meet."
Even though it may seem like Stover has spent more of his college years under water than on dry land, he has no regrets about how he resolved the dilemma he faced as a high school senior.
"It's been amazing," declared Stover. "Sometimes you have a tendency to think that things are going to be too much. I didn't worry about the time management aspect, I just let that play out as I prepared myself for what I am passionate about."
Princeton can consider itself lucky that Stover has pursued his passions on two aquatic fronts.
