Emily Ritner Joins Older Sister on Michigan Water Polo Team
10/27/2017 2:57:00 PM | Water Polo, Features
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman water polo student-athlete Emily Ritner chose the University of Michigan because she saw how closeknit the team was, like a family. It helped that she had an actual family member already on the team, as her sister, Heidi Ritner, started playing water polo at U-M one year earlier.
The Ritner sisters are from Newport Beach, California, and played together for three years at Corona del Mar High School. Now they are together once again in Ann Arbor.
"When I was here on my official visit I saw the dynamic between the team members and how awesome everyone got along," said Emily. "Hearing from Heidi about the team last year solidified that I would be walking into a team that connected well. Everything I heard was positive."
Emily started looking at Michigan before her sister had even committed. The two of them would take trips to look at schools with their parents during spring break, and Michigan was one that caught her eye. When her sister decided to come here it made Emily's decision that much easier.
The closeness of the team is something Emily has appreciated even more since coming on campus, especially how well the freshman class gets along.
"We as a class are very close," said Emily. "Everyone provides a little something different, and we have so much fun together."
Emily and Heidi get to spend time with each other every day at practice and try to make time throughout the week to see each other outside the pool as well. Sometimes it is Heidi driving Emily and her freshman classmates around, or they may meet up at the Stephen M. Ross Academic Center to study.
"We carve out time outside to see each other, going to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital or getting food," said Heidi. "It is weird being in the same place but not living with each other. We will be living next door to each other next year, which will be great."
Each is carving out her own path at Michigan. Heidi is a goalkeeper who set the school's freshman wins record with 27 and would like to major in sport management. Emily is an attacker with an interest in science and has thought about working toward becoming an ultrasound technician.
In the pool, because they play different positions, they often go head to head. There is a touch of sibling rivalry when that happens, but neither player looks forward to it too much.
"It's hard to look her in the eye and rip the ball at her," said Emily. "It isn't a natural feeling. I've played with her for four years, so she knows what my tendencies are and what my shots are. That makes me try to change it up on her and find something different than she expects. Most of the time she stuffs me."
Heidi, the elder sister, pointed out that she wants to stop Emily's shots and Emily wants to score on her, but it isn't as competitive as it would be if they played the same position. However, Heidi was quick to point out the growth she has seen from Emily both inside and outside of the pool over the last year.
"She has grown a lot mentally in the pool and being able to absorb more information and being able to execute it," said Heidi. "Being a senior in high school last year, she was able to take a leadership role and build her confidence. It was a good growing time for her and she was able to excel on her own. It makes me happy and proud of her."
Emily is defensive minded and takes a lot of pride in using her length to be a shutdown defender. This fall she is working on being more physical and elevating her water polo IQ. Understanding the plays and applying them to game situations are a challenge for all freshmen coming in.
She has Heidi and 17 other new sisters to support her through the process.
