Ladue boasts many athletes who focus on one sport per season, but sophomore Sophie Lustman plays for two teams simultaneously. Along with joining the St. Louis Area Polo Junior Olympics squad, she also runs cross-country.

Lustman started playing water polo in eighth grade. Her coaches say a driving source of her improvement is her hard work.

“Sophie’s skills have improved steadily over the past couple of years, because of her work ethic and more experience,” water polo coach Corey Miller said. “She benefits the team because of her mental toughness and consistency at practice and during games.”

Lustman has gradually improved after hours of practice.  She has put in a lot of effort to increase her skill level.

“On the first day of practice, she was really nervous because she wasn’t a very strong swimmer and she was afraid to look weaker than everyone else,” teammate junior Katie Amrein said. “Though she was one of the least experienced, she was also one of the most determined and dedicated. As the days passed, she got better and better and really became an asset for the team. She has a lot of natural ability and endurance, but the strongest aspect of her success is her attitude.”

Lustman’s attitude is geared toward progress. Her teammates say she provides team spirit and has a positive effect on them.

“I have never seen Sophie give up on anything,” Amrein said. “She has the drive of a speeding train, and she’s equally as difficult to stop. She gives the team a huge morale boost, which is the biggest reason she is such a necessary piece of us, apart from her killer push shot.”

Lustman herself has noticed great improvements. She now poses an even bigger threat in the pool.

“Since eighth grade, my skills have definitely come a long way,” Lustman said. “When you first start you don’t know much except to swim after the ball, but now from having the experience of junior varsity and a lot of coaching from Coach Miller and the head JV coach Michael Clay, I’ve learned a lot about game awareness, simple things to improve defense, and how to be a threat as a shooter. Over time I’ve learned to try and know what positions I play best. With all the practice from Junior Olympics I have definitely gained a lot of swimming endurance, which is very handy because sometimes the hardest part of a game can be counterattacks.”

Lustman plays among the most talented water polo players in the area. She trained extensively this summer to become a prospective Junior Olympian, and practiced with SLAP every morning, with games at night during the week. She now plays years above her age level, for an 18-and-under all women’s team coached by Colleen Lischwe and Andrew Schonhoff.

“Normally we swim around 2,000 yards or more to condition then head into some treading and leg work,” Lustman said. “After that we do some passing drills with the occasional conditioning mixed in and end with shooting practice. I get to play with some of Missouri’s best high school male and female players. I owe a lot of my position on the water polo teams to my Ladue coaches and teammates who I learned a lot from this past season.”

Lustman admits the training is hard, but she trusts the guidance of her coach. When she’s not in the pool, she enjoys cross-country running.

“Managing both teams and schoolwork can be very difficult; it causes for a lot of late dinners and short talkswith the family, but it’s definitely worth it,” Lustman said. “I have to redirect myself to manage the schoolwork sometimes because when you’re only home two hours a night it can become tiring. Yet it’s best to just stay organized and remember it can be done.”

Besides mental strain and a tight schedule, Lustman endures daily physical pain after running or playing polo. Both sports have taken tolls on her body.

“The biggest struggle with balancing cross-country and water polo would probably be the pain your body goes through,” Lustman said. “They’re both very strenuous, so taking care of my muscles has been really important.”

Though Lustman may struggle to balance her activities, her coaches and teammates agree she never disappoints.

“I try to give both teams 110 percent because that’s what my teammates deserve,” Lustman said. #