By Carlo Jimenez ’19
UCLA commit, men’s USA team player, leading goal scorer, a force in the center, and a problem for defenses. This is the Gabe Discipulo ’19 many of us know.
Gabe started playing water polo in 2011, and 5th grade was where he found his passion for water polo. Gabe was able to realize the love for this sports through a change of scenery. “I realized I liked it in 8th grade when I switch clubs to the Stanford Water Polo Club,” he said. Gabe enjoys the “the physicality of [water polo] but also the intelligence you need to play at.” This combination has enraptured the USA Men’s water polo player as he competed in the Youth World Games last summer.
Last summer was not Gabe’s first time playing for the red, white and blue. “I have been on a couple different age groups of the national team,” he said. For Discipulo, his most recent experience with the team was when he traveled to Europe. “I recently went this past summer to a couple European countries to play in the Youth World Championships,” he said.
Playing water polo has always been a passion of Gabe’s, but being able to play overseas makes water polo all the more enjoyable for him. “It’s fun to play a game that is so familiar but in an unfamiliar place, and to get to represent your country is a big honor,” he said.
Ever since middle school, Gabe recognized that he could play water polo at the collegiate level since “eighth grade was when he had his first experience with the national team.” His eighth-grade self was more than right. Not only will Gabe play in college but also he will play at one of the top schools in the country at UCLA. Gabe was drawn to the “culture of the team” as well as his belief that “he can improve a lot in [the] system” at UCLA.
Many do not know that Gabe was a sophomore transfer because of how well he fits into the Bellarmine community. Gabe says his reason for transitioning “was mainly water polo motivated, but the academics at Bellarmine are also really good,” he added on. Another change of scenery for Gabe brought him to a team in which he has been able to elevate his play.
Clearly, the man in the middle has some big plans laid out in front of him as he changes scenery once again and gets ready for a career at UCLA.
Gabe is creative not only with his different angle shots and moves in front of the goal but also outside the pool. Body Surfing, watercolor painting, thrift shopping, cutting hair, break dancing, and music production are other activities that describe who Gabe is.
Music production is something Gabe is really into. “I like messing around with music stuff, I am not really super serious about it, but if I have time to kill between games I’ll make some music,” he said. Gabe’s inspiration for his music mainly comes from “southern hip-hop and trap” which he uses to take his mind off the pool in-between games.
In addition to mixing up beats, Gabe also has great interest in breakdancing. ”I haven’t break danced in a while,” said Gabe, and on a scale of 1-10 would rate himself a solid 4 but he did mention that “in middle school, I was pretty good.”
All of the success that Gabe has been receiving translates into the success of this year’s water polo team, as the team has qualified for yet another CCS playoffs. Come support Gabe and the water polo team as they play in the CCS Open Division Quarter-Finals against Mountain View this Saturday at 7:00 pm!