With childhood wonderment, Julia Bonaguidi dreamed of maybe, just maybe, playing women’s water polo in the Olympics.
That dream has now become a realistic possibility.
The Bishop’s School senior has ed the highest team in the land, the USA Water Polo Senior National squad, in Australia for a four-game exhibition series that began last Wednesday and extends through Thursday.
The U.S. won its third straight gold medal in the Tokyo Olympic Games delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic. The next Olympics are in 2024 and then 2028, just a year after Bonaguidi’s scheduled graduation from college.
“I’m so excited to have this opportunity, and I want to get in the pool and work hard,” Bonaguidi said before embarking on the trip that has stops in Perth and Brisbane. “I’m excited that I can hang with the older girls and compete at that level. I know that I can.”
Bonaguidi is also set to help spearhead Bishop’s in a bid for its fifth straight San Diego Section Open Division championship and 12th in 13 years. The playoffs start on Feb. 8, leading to the finals on Feb. 18 at La Jolla High School.
Ahead of the school year, Bonaguidi competed on the Team US Junior National team that won the World Women’s Youth Championship in Belgrade, Serbia.
Maggie Johnson, a teammate at Bishop’s and currently a freshman at USC, was also on that team.
The experience in Serbia led Bonaguidi to training sessions with the Senior National Team in November and December, and in turn, the trip to Australia for her fourth international water polo venture.
Her earlier travels included trips to Greece and Peru.
This world all opened up to Bonaguidi after a start at age 8 in swimming and then water polo with her older sister by a year, Alex, and younger brother by a year, Drake.
“Personally, I think water polo’s the best sport in the world,” Julia Bonaguidi said. “It’s so highly competitive. It’s being able to get in there and work with six other girls in the pool and honestly create this harmony. It gets to a point where water polo becomes beautiful. That’s what keeps me going.”
Bonaguidi and her older sister played club water polo together, and for the previous three seasons, were teammates at Bishop’s as part of the Knights’ title streak.
“It’s amazing just talking to my sister about water polo and even more amazing just getting in the pool with her,” Bonaguidi said. “We’re honest with each other. Obviously, you have good days and bad days. But at the end of the day, you love each other.”
Alex Bonaguidi now competes at USC as part as a Knights alumni trio that includes Johnson and Deming Wyer in their debut seasons. Also on the team from San Diego are redshirt freshman goalie Sofia Stein from Bishop’s and sophomore Izze Zimmerman from Cathedral Catholic.
Julia Bonaguidi is heading to Cal next fall, following a Bishop’s pipeline that has included recent college grads Georgia Gilmore and Cassidy Ball.
Keeping up with the family sport, Drake Bonaguidi just completed his junior season at La Jolla High, helping the Viking boys reach the Open Division final before falling to Bishop’s.
From center defender last season, the 5-foot-11 Julia Bonaguidi has moved this year to attacker, considered her prime position for the future. Each of the three previous prep seasons, she has earned all-section honors.
Bishop’s coach Doug Peabody notes that Bonaguidi has the ability to play any field position, but more than that, she has a leadership role especially in her senior year.
“Julia has a tremendous work ethic, and she leads by example very, very well,” Peabody said. “Other girls see her as someone to help not just in the pool but also school and life.”
All-CIF goalie Chiara Marmanillo and Kate Weatherup also key a core of six seniors for the Knights (8-3, 2-0 Western League).
“We have a phenomenal group this year,” Bonaguidi said. “We’re grinding hard into the season right now. We’re really excited to compete for another San Diego title and compete with some of the top Orange County teams.”
At the world youth championships, Bonaguidi enjoyed a highlight game with four goals in an 18-9 semifinal victory over Italy. The Americans then topped Greece 10-8 in the final to avenge a loss in bracket play and claim their first title since 2014. Over seven tourney games, Bonaguidi totaled 18 goals.
“I told my teammates before the semifinals that I’m going to play for them,” Bonaguidi said. “Just be calm and have fun. Playing for my teammates is when I play the best.”
Now comes the chance to be with senior women’s national team and learn from Olympians with the goal of becoming one some day.
The last San Diego player on the U.S. Olympic team was Kelly Rulon in 2004 and 2012. Rulan, who played at UCLA, is a USDHS grad.
“I’ve definitely dreamed about it since I was 8 or 9 years old,” Bonaguidi said.
“Just being able to practice with the senior national team has made me more confident it could become a reality one day. It’s exciting knowing that.
“Also, I understand it takes a lot of work and practice, mentally and physically. I really have to work for it.”
Now that’s the Olympic spirit.
Thien is a freelance writer.
