Freshman takes Helm

By Jay Seidel, On-line Forty-Niner

April 1,1998

 

Lisa Helm leads 49ers women's water polo attack.

 

Entering a university can be a drastic change for anyone just coming out of high school. The sudden freedoms, the increased school work load, and the responsibility of furthering your education are a whole new challenge for freshmen.

 

Now complicate that with becoming a member of a new women's intercollegiate sports team on campus. That's what the freshmen on the Long Beach State women's water polo team have faced. Freshman Lisa Helm is one player, in particular, who has faced this challenge head on.

 

"Water polo is a lot more competitive in college," Helm said. "It takes a while to get used to your freshman year."

 

Helm, who leads the 49ers with 33 goals, started playing water polo competitively during her sophomore year at Foothill High School.

 

"When I got to high school I was on the varsity swim team, and didn't really know what water polo was my freshman year." Helm said. "Sophomore year I got into it because I'm a competitive person and it involved a lot of action."

 

Helm, 18, started out playing on the freshman-sophomore boys team. She was allowed to play on the boys' team due to the lack of an oficial girls' team. Then she moved up to the junior varsity boys team during her junior year. It was later that year when girls water polo became official, and that Helm found her sport.

 

She went on to play varsity during her junior and senior years.

 

While continuing to play water polo, Helm racked up two century league swimming titles and two CIF titles during her sophomore and junior years. She competed in the 100-meter backstroke and freestyle events and was awarded the Coaches Award her senior year.

 

However, water polo became her sport of choice. She was twice voted team MVP, and she was named to the All-Orange County All-Star team. And played in the All-Star game.

 

"It was really fun and kind of relaxing," She said smiling. "I was on the same team as [49er teammate] Stacy Black."

 

She competed as a member of the Junior Olympic team last year. That was about the time she was recruited to play for The Beach by 49er men's water polo Coach Ken Lindgren. He did the recruiting for the new team until a coach was named.

 

When 49er women's water polo coach Sandy Vessy-Schneider began coaching this season, she became impressed with Helm's ability.

 

"She's a diamond in the rough," Vessy-Schneider said. "She's exceeded any expectations I've had of her this year. She's a very mature player."

 

Helm, who hasn't declared a major, spends her time staying active.

 

"I love The Beach," she said. "I grew up at the beach and it's relaxing to me."

 

The Orange native also enjoys singing. She was a chorus member in high school and has sung the national anthem at numerous water polo games this year.

 

"My chorus instructor would get mad because I would miss practices to play water polo," Helm said, laughing. "So I left chorus in my junior year."

 

Helm has enjoyed playing in a brand new program.

 

"I helped start up my high school team, so I kind of knew what it was going to be like." She said. "It's good to be on a team and help develop it. It will grow, it just needs time."

 

Helm has handled the change from high school to college well, and has made an immediate impact at The Beach.

 

"There are two types of people," Vessy-Schneider said. "Winners and quitters, and Lisa is defiantly a winner. She won't quit."