Belen’s Veccio and Ransom’s Shipley are Miami-Dade’s Water Polo Players of the Year
Carlos Veccio experienced enough painful defeats during his first three seasons of high school.
So during his senior season, he and the Belen water polo team decided not to lose at all.
And for Sabrina Shipley, her senior season was a chance to put Ransom Everglades’ girls back at the top.
Both seniors excelled for their respective teams leading each back to the state tournament and the top spot among Miami-Dade County water polo teams.
As such, Veccio and Shipley respectively are the Miami Herald’s Boys’ and Girls’ Water Polo Players of the Year for Miami-Dade County.
Veccio scored 90 goals and had 36 assists and 22 steals to lead Belen to a 20-0 perfect season and the school’s fourth state championship.
The Wolverines trailed for only two minutes overall this season as they secured their first state championship in their home aquatic center and first since 2016.
“Going to practice three hours a day, Monday through Saturday, it was all worth it,” Veccio said. “We didn’t know what it felt like to even be losing in a game. We loved that feeling and as athletes we wanted to keep that feeling. We kept telling each other one goal at a time, one game at a time until the end.”
LEAVING A LASTING IMPACT
Shipley scored 84 goals and finished with 44 steals and 39 assists. Her efforts led the Raiders back to state although they were unable to secure their first state title since her freshman season in 2019.
But Shipley, who will attend Brown University, left a lasting impact on a program that has won eight state titles since the sport became state sanctioned in 2005.
Shipley became a mainstay among a group of seniors, which collectively made Ransom one of the most balanced teams in the state in terms of scoring and defending.
“Being around it with people that wanted it just as much as I did was great to see,” Shipley said. “Even in the years where we’re not dominating, we’re always around and other teams can see that and it’s not just because of one player or coach it’s about the culture that was built there. It doesn’t happen everywhere.”
Veccio, who has been a swimmer for the past seven years, picked up water polo following in his father, Carlos Sr.’s footsteps. Veccio’s father played water polo for a school in Cuba and taught his son the ins and outs of the game.
Last month when Belen beat Orlando Dr. Phillips in the state final, both Carlos Jr. and Sr. were in the pool together celebrating with Veccio’s teammates and coaches.
It was a joyful moment three years in the making for Veccio and the Wolverines after coming up short of state to some of their county rivals such as Gulliver and Ransom.
“He was crying. We lost every single year in regionals and he saw the hard work we put in,” Veccio said. “The relief of winning is second to none. As an athlete you know how much it takes to win there.”
Veccio, who plans to major in neuroscience, is still deciding where he will go to college, but said he plans to focus on academics rather than continue his playing career at the next level.
“I had the opportunity to play but rather focus on my academics,” Veccio said. “I love water polo but I have to focus on my career and what I want to be when I’m older.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 10:00 AM.
