Women’s Water Polo: Jaffe thrives at Toronto

The plane carrying the University of Toronto women’s water polo team hadn’t been on the ground at John Wayne Airport more than few hours on Feb. 13 when the team was already holding practice at Crawford Pool on the campus of UC Irvine.

Yes, the University of Toronto does have a women’s water polo team … a darn good one.

The Varsity Blues haven’t lost a match in four seasons under Coach George Gross.

Recruiting is the key, Gross said, and when you want to build a winning water polo program, you recruit from Southern California, which is why the Varsity Blues were in SoCal for the first time ever.

Toronto played exhibition matches against six NCAA Division III colleges in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

First-year player Rachael Jaffe, a goalie, and graduate of Sage Hill School, is the newest of the So Cal recruits and one of two from Orange County.

Jaffe’s parents, Steven and Karen, hosted the team at their Irvine home.

Jaffe, whose mother is Canadian born, first connected with Gross on a recruiting website.

“I kind of went out on a limb and just introduced myself to him,” said Jaffe, who’s been playing water polo since the eighth-grade and was a goalie in the SOCAL Water Polo club program. “He seemed very interested in my playing style and my growth as a player, and the University of Toronto, as a school, was really wonderful as far as location.”

It’s worked out for Gross as well.

Gross is no stranger to winning, both as a player and as a coach. He has been the bench boss for nine men’s water polo national titles during his tenure as Canada’s head coach (1987-91, 1994-96). As a player, he is a 13-time Canadian first-team all-star, has won two bronze medals over five Pan American Game appearances, has competed in three world championships and is a two-time Olympian (1976, 1984).

Gross knows talent and the Varsity Blues were badly in need of a goalie after losing one to graduation.

“She has what I call an amazingly poised presence in the net,” said Gross, who’s been head coach of the Varsity Blues since 2008. “She moves smoothly and has very soft hands, so when she blocks the ball, you know where it is going to end up. She talks to her defense, which is really good.”

In all honesty, you don’t leave balmy Orange County to attend college across the continent in Canada just to play water polo.

Jaffe considered other factors as well.

The University of Toronto was listed No. 21 among 1,000 universities from 60 countries in a 2016 U.S. News & World Report ranking of Best Global Universities.

“The education is top notch,” said Jaffe, a Life Sciences major. “It’s one of the best in Canada so that reflects well on the U.S. as well. It’s ranked up there with like Harvard and Princeton.”

The city itself has also gotten high marks.

The Economist, in a 2016 report, ranked Toronto the third best city to live in based on 30 criteria.

“It’s very youthful,” Jaffe said. “I really wanted a school with a city environment but also with a campus location, so the University of Toronto really encompasses both the campus and the city feel. It’s a really fun city.”

If there were concerns, they were alleviated by Varsity Blues teammate and fellow Orange County resident, Alexandra Kraft, who is two years ahead of Jaffe at Toronto.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Kraft, who’s from Ladera Ranch and played at Rancho Santa Margarita. “We’re talking about a lot of players from back home and team rivalries and coaches. It’s a good time.”

But what about the weather, which averages 35 degrees or below five months of the year, pretty much the same time collegiate water polo is in season?

“I’m up front with the Californians,” Gross said. “If you are expecting to walk around in shorts and sandals, don’t come east.”

You’ll never find a collegiate water polo match in Canada in an outdoor pool, Gross said, which is a big reason he wanted the team to get into the pool at UC Irvine right away.

“I wanted to get the girls playing outside so they could see what it’s like to throw the ball around with no backdrop and the light changing depending on where the clouds are.”

Jaffe has spent her entire career in Orange County and welcomed a change in atmosphere.

Jaffe and her mother have been granted dual citizenship, making the cost of her education a fraction of what it would be for a non-resident.

“It’s really just worked out and I really like it,” Jaffe said.