Scholar Stories: Steere Using Major to Solve Problems In, Out of Pool
12/5/2018 12:04:00 PM | Water Polo, Features
Continuing the popular series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Prairie Farms.
By Max Brill
Maddy Steere, a junior on the University of Michigan women's water polo team, initially thought there was no chance that she would come to the United States. Not because she couldn't -- Steere is a member of the Australian National Team and has been in the pipeline for the majority of her teenage years -- but because she never wanted to leave home.
Steere recalled meeting Wolverine head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi for the first time at the Youth World Championships. While there, Leonardi delivered his recruiting pitch, gauging her interest in coming to study (and play) at a place half a world away.
"I didn't even reply to his email," Steere said. "I thought that if I was going to come to the states, it would be to California. I said that to Marcelo and he didn't take 'no' for an answer. Within eight hours, he booked me a flight to Michigan."
"He said, 'You're coming on your recruit trip. I want you to see Michigan.' And as soon as I stepped on campus, I was ready to sign."
And even after signing, Steere was not completely sold on the idea of living so far away from home.
"I was planning on only coming for a year, then transferring all my credits back to Australia," she said. "Within the first week I saw a giant poster that said, 'Those who stay will be champions.' I rang my mom and I told her, 'Sorry, I'm not coming back.'"
In spite of falling in love with Michigan early, Steere, a biomolecular science major, says that the transition was not as seamless as she would've liked it to be.
"It was a struggle at first, taking all these difficult subjects, and I didn't really understand what a GPA was," she said. "In Australia, you either pass or you don't pass; GPA is not really a thing.
"I did a semester of studying in Australia and you didn't have to go to lectures -- attendance wasn't necessary. I had some labs for science subjects, so I had to go to those, but other than that you can just do everything at home if you wanted to. Like if you don't want to watch the lecture, don't watch the lecture. Coming here, I think the culture pushes you to be better, and I didn't really find that at home."
Steere had known she wanted to pursue biology since high school, but her interest in chemistry grew when she came to Michigan.
"One of the prerequisites for the biology major is organic chemistry, so I was doing it just to fulfill my prerequisites, and then I realized I really liked it," she said. "Organic chemistry was the sciencey part of biology, all to do with problem solving and how molecules are made, and all of that is related to how it impacts your body. It was just a big circle, like everything came together. That was when I figured out that I wanted to take my studies more towards the chemistry side of biology."
The problem-solving aspect of the sciences is what really intrigues her and has inspired her interest in forensic chemistry.
"I think one of the things that really shocked me, that I didn't even know was an option, is forensic chemistry," said Steere. "The mystery of everything and the puzzles and working things out is really interesting. I initially didn't think of that when I thought of chemistry."
The junior added that there has been a connection between her coursework in biology and chemistry and her performance in the pool.
"I think water polo is one of those sports where nothing is ever the same," Steere said. "In the moment, you need to make a quick decision, you need to read the play. You have to use everything you already know and apply it, and I think that's really similar to chemistry."
The success she has had in the classroom has certainly translated to the pool. Steere, an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2018, finished her sophomore season with 108 points, 74 goals and 34 assists, putting her among the team's leaders in each statistical category. She also is a two-time Collgieate Water Polo Association Scholar Athlete and has twice been named to the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-Academic Team.
Steere has competed for the Australian National Team, but not before facing some adversity to get there.
"I trained with the Olympic team for the 2016 Olympics in Rio," she said. "Myself and another girl got cut at the same time and continued to train. We had the option to either stay or go, and I think both of us just wanted to make that extra push knowing that it would help us for the next cycle."
Over the last two summers, Steere has trained and competed with the national team, the Aussie Stingers. She says it is like a childhood dream coming true.
"It seems so surreal," Steere said. "You grow up thinking that making the Olympics is the ultimate goal, but it never feels real. Now that it's getting closer, it's feeling a little more real."
And in both her water polo and academic careers, it is clear that resilience has been a common theme.
"I know it would be easy to make excuses and say my classes are hard, but having a good GPA is something that I'm proud of," Steere says. "Now, knowing what a GPA is and knowing how much work it takes to get that, it's good to be able to say that I put in that work. Being an athlete and being away from home, I'm proud of that."
