Many people can’t wait until the sun starts to shine and the colors of the Earth begin to come alive in the summer, just to enjoy a dip in a swimming pool.

For 19-year-old Ariel Carrillo, the pool is where she began more than a decade ago and it’s what has led her to set the career assist record with 61 and the season assists record with 35 on the EC’s water polo team.

Carrillo first heard about water polo in her freshman year at Torrance High School after she found out that swim season was over.

“When I started playing water polo. I found a new love,” Carrillo said. “Six out of seven days a week, I practice.”

The love that Carrillo found has now extended, as she teaches others what she knows about the sport.

“I coach; I teach little kids how to play water polo,” Carrillo said. “I know I still have a couple things to work on, but I feel like I know the game fairly well.”

She said the support from her family and team is what gives her that extra push.

“I wanted to make them proud and I wanted to show them how far I could go,” Carrillo said.

Coach Corey Stanbury said that while Carrillo was dedicated to performing her best, he had already seen how disciplined and selfless she was.

“When she’s in the water, she makes a lot of things happen,” Stanbury said. “She really goes out of her way to help make other people look good.”

Carrillo said that it takes the whole team and said that she couldn’t have set the assist record without someone there to catch the ball and score.

“I do feel blessed to have the team that I have,” Carrillo said. “This season was a great season; it kind of sucks it’s my last year I’m able to play at EC.”

Stanbury said that she has a positive influence on the team and appreciates how supportive she was of her teammates.

“She is a lot of fun to work with and follows directions,” Stanbury said. “I wish I had about eight or nine of her.”

Not only is her focus and balance shown in and out of the water, but there are others who admire her leadership.

Tanner Castro, 19, art major, who plays on the men’s water polo team, said that he hopes she continues to play.

“I know they (universities) will find a place for her,” Castro said. “You can see the determination in her eyes.”

Carrillo said her dream college is Loyola Marymount University, which has a Division I water polo team, but she said she was nervous because she has always played at a level three.

“I’m kind of scared that the future that I want won’t be my future,” Carrillo said.

Recognizing how competitive water polo is, Carrillo has decided to take her father’s advice and continue to play, even if it means it is a backup plan.

“I use water polo as my motivation for school and I use school as my motivation for water polo,” Carrillo said.

Castro said that when Stanbury announced that she broke the record for assists, both the women’s and the men’s team where happy.

In 2005 Kelly Suk had the single-season assists record with 32 assists.

Carrillo broke the Warriors career assists record on Oct. 19.

“It’s pretty cool to see someone I grew up with reach a high level,” Castro said.