Malvern Prep’s Patrick Buysse is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week (Oct. 2-8)

The senior center defender was an All-InterAc water polo selection last fall and has been on a scoring spree the last couple of weeks. In the Friars’ last five games (as of Sept. 28) he scored 23 goals and dished 10 assists, is serving as the shutdown defender of the other team’s best player, and leads the team in ejections drawn. Malvern Prep water polo head coach Jay Schiller said, “He is gritty and tough and has been playing through shoulder pain.  We have been counting on his leadership and experience this season.” A three-sport athlete at Malvern Prep (water polo, swimming, tennis), Buysse is also busy out of the pool. He is founder of the school’s Student Managed Fund, a club designed to invest a piece of Malvern’s endowment fund, and is a member of the Speech and Debate Club and the Speak Up program.

 

Q: What (in your opinion) is the biggest key to playing good defense?

 

A: My mentality is the biggest part of my defensive game. In water polo you have to know when to be aggressive and when to be patient, and if you aren’t confident in your own abilities you’ll get beat every time. I play very aggressive defense which I believe overwhelms many of my opponents. I love to force an offense to panic or to force an offense to play with only half the pool as I am able to shut down the other half.

 

Q: You started playing water polo in 7th grade. Have you always been a center defender?

 

A: I started as an attacker until my sophomore year, when there was a hole in our center defender position which I filled — ever since then I have played center defender.

 

Q: You lead the team in ejections drawn. What has been the biggest key to your success in this area?

 

A: The most important part of drawing ejections in water polo is aggression. Every time I drive I look to draw an ejection because of how crucial it is to the game. When I do drive I like to eliminate any space the defender has created and dig into him. This forces the defender to match my aggression as I look to get him on my back. Once he’s on my back it’s as simple as fighting to keep the position I created.

 

Q: What did you work on most during the past off-season?

 

A: This off-season I worked primarily on conditioning. I knew coming into this season I wanted to be able to play the entire game at 100 percent and be able to give the game everything I got.

 

Q: What do you think has been the key(s) to your scoring success so far this season?

 

A: The largest piece of my success this season has been the energy that the team has brought with them each game. When the boys have high energy it seems like I can swim forever and feed off their energy to do what I need to do to get a win.

 

Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.

 

A: The entire day before a game I am usually more mellow. I always have a headphone in and make sure I am eating the right food and drinking enough water during the school day. Once school lets out I head to the athletic trainer who helps me get my shoulder loose. As soon as I step on the pool deck I always head over to Coach Schiller and Coach (Steven) DeWitt, who help center me and calm any pre-game nerves. We like to discuss what the other team has and what I need to do to help our team win the game. After our conversation I like to get a good long stretch to get my legs loose and an easy swim to get my blood flowing. After my body is ready I like to surround myself with my teammates to get my mind ready and to feed off their energy to prepare for the game.

 

Q: What person do you most admire and why?

 

A: I always have admired Kobe Bryant and what he stood for. I try to base my water polo game around what he did on the basketball court playing with relentless defense and constant pressure on the offensive end.

 

Q: What has been your favorite experience with the Malvern Prep water polo team?

 

A: I love the pre-game rowdy bus rides and the hard practices that we know we are all in together. I think the simplest things exemplify the team’s camaraderie most, and those simple moments are my favorites.

 

Q: Who have been your top water polo mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?

 

A: My top water polo mentors have been Coach Schiller, Coach DeWitt, John Romano, and Adam Utecht. Coach Schiller and Coach DeWitt have taught me everything I know about water polo. Both Coach Schiller and Coach DeWitt have also taught me that there’s more to water polo than the game and have made me a better man in the process of becoming a better player. John Romano and Adam Utecht were both senior captains my sophomore year. They showed me the brotherhood in water polo immediately. They always made practice difficult for me which pushed me past my limits making me the player I am today.

 

Q: What is your favorite academic course at Malvern Prep? What do you plan to major in at college? Is there a career path that particularly appeals to you at the present time?

 

A: At Malvern Prep my favorite course has been economics. I plan to major in finance in college and plan to go into the finance field for my career.

 

Fun facts: Patrick Buysse

Favorite book: The 48 Laws of Power.

Favorite TV show: Suits.

Favorite movie: The Wolf of Wallstreet.

Favorite athlete: Kobe Bryant.

Favorite pre-game pump-up song: No Role Models By J. Cole.

Favorite team: Sixers.

Favorite pre-game meal: Watermelon Sour Patch Kids or Goldfish.

Family members: parents Jim and Stephanie, brothers Christopher and Mike, sister Bree.

 

(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)

To view a gallery of the previous Main Line Boys Athletes of the Week click here