Around 15 years ago, Evan Kaseguma faced the same choice kids throughout the Bellevue School District face today. He could either follow his childhood friends and neighbors to Bellevue, or use the open-enrollment policy to go to Newport, which would allow him the chance to continue his passion for water polo.

Instead Kaseguma paved his own way, helping found the Bellevue High School boys water polo team and in the process, laying the foundation for generations of current and future Wolverines in the pool.

“I swam growing up, but I always liked team sports,” said Kaseguma, who got his start in water polo at age 12 with the club program Midlakes. “I figured, ‘Why not do it at Bellevue?'”

A swimming team that was state runner-up in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002 and won the 3A state title in 1999 provided the basis for the athletes and while the familiarity with the rules and intricacies of the game was not immediately present, the excitement for the future was obvious from the start.

Nearly 15 years later, Kaseguma is still connected to the program as an assistant coach and will be there as Bellevue defends its first ever state championship this season behind returning state defensive player of the year and goalkeeper Reed Hendrickson and a host of contributing underclassmen.

Head coach Ed Brovick said as impressive as Hendrickson was down the stretch in 2011, it has been the senior captain’s leadership that has been his most impressive attribute this season. Hendrickson, who began playing water polo during his freshman year after a knee injury ended his cross country career, said he owes his development to the Bellevue coaching staff.

“It definitely clicked last year,” Hendrickson said. “I found a point where I knew I was playing my best.”

While eight seniors departed from last year’s state title team, Brovick said the return of his goalkeeper and the experience gained during last year’s championship run has given him confidence in this season’s cast.

Hendrickson and the rest of the team have backed that up thus far with a perfect 6-0 record, including a 9-2 win over Newport. The team will take a trip to Newberg, Ore. Saturday and Sunday before returning to in-state competition against perennial contender Mercer Island. Brovick will also take his team to San Diego, Calif. near the end of October in preparation of the state tournament.

A host of program alums playing at the Division I level in college has also bolstered the dedication and turnout for the program, which Brovick said was outstanding again this season.

But no one in the program knows the opportunity water polo provides better than Kaseguma. After building the program from scratch so many years ago, he said his greatest accomplishment is creating something Bellevue High School students and families can be proud to be part of.

“It’s been incredible,” Kaseguma said. “A lot of them I’ve coached since they were seven or eight years old and being part of that process and involved in their lives is pretty amazing.”

Arlen Hughes is one of the few seniors on this year’s team, after helping the program to its first state title in 2011. COURTESY PHOTO