Leadership component completes Ferris' skill set

Halfway through this season, Brad Ferris' evolution as a water polo player seemed complete.

The senior was leading a very good team in scoring, providing opportunities for his teammates and leading Palatine by example in all phases of the game.

Then came a rough spot in the schedule. Palatine had already clinched the Mid-Suburban West title and was tuning up for the postseason when an 0-4 performance at the prestigious Stevenson tournament provided a gut-check for the team.

"Brad's a super kid, but he's pretty soft-spoken and keeps to himself most of the time," said coach Joe Grzybek. "I really asked him to be more vocal about things, both in the water and out of it, with his teammates.

"He responded really well and became that vocal leader that we needed."

For answering that challenge and leading his team to the MSL title and a No. 1 sectional seed, Ferris is our choice as captain of the Daily Herald's first boys water polo all-area team for Cook County.

Selected to the 40-man regional Olympic Development Program, Ferris plans to stay active in the sport at some level. At worst, he'll attend Wisconsin next year and plans to compete with the club water polo team.

After his quick midseason character change this spring, the Pirates quickly got their season back on track. They defeated Buffalo Grove for the Mid-Suburban League title, then cruised into the sectional championship game against McHenry.

Ferris supplied 4 of Palatine's 8 goals against McHenry. He got shots on both of Palatine's final possessions - the first was just wide, and the second was a backhand that caught the crossbar and rebounded out into the field of play as time ran out on the Pirates.

One of the team's key goals - making the Elite Eight - wasn't realized.

Ferris was one of just two senior starters for the Pirates, and he reflected on the end of his season as he sat on the Barrington pool deck just a few minutes after his career had ended.

"Of course, we're all disappointed," he said. "But a couple of years back, I think we won a total of 4 games. Looking back on it, we came a long, long way."