Hungarian native Bence Valics is an athlete who seems to be undaunted by a challenge. In addition to being the goalie for Pepperdine’s No. 6-ranked men’s water polo team, Valics has displayed courage by facing and overcoming language and cultural barriers while handling the course load of his challenging classes.
Just as Valics stands ready to defend the Pepperdine goal, fending off shots while maneuvering within the resistance of the water, he also has learned to step up to personal obstacles and succeed with zealous determination.
“Back home, when I had a bad day or game, it was easier to deal with those problems because my family and friends were there,” Valics said. “Now it is harder because those people aren’t here.
“So, I deal with these [problems] on my own, and it makes me stronger. I know what I want. I know my goals, and I do everything to achieve them,” Valic said.
One of his first goals was to simultaneously pursue an education and play the sport he loved. When he realized he could not do both in his home country of Hungary, he looked at the U.S.
“When I was in high school, I knew that I wanted to study at a University,” Valics said. In Eger, Hungary, Valics had been playing with the senior water polo team for two years when he knew a major life choice was coming soon: Stay home and play water polo in Hungary or go to the states and paly in college.
However, Valics is one that “likes to give himself options in life,” so he took matters into his own hands. He emailed the Pepperdine water polo coach expressing desire to play for the team.
“I believe I made a rational decision,” Valics said.
Getting to such a prestigious level of play is not easy. Valics noted that when he started to play in Hungary, he was exposed to a unique opportunity and took it as a blessing and source of motivation.
“My team and I got better and better and at practice. We would see those guys up there,” Valics said. “They were from the Hungarian National Team, some of the top water polo players in the world.
“The thing that I wanted was right in front of me; I’d just have to work hard for it.”
Ranked No. 2 in the Division 1 Conference last year, he averaged 8.09 saves per game. And last year as a true freshman, Valics stopped a grand total of 170 shots during a series of 21 games. Last year, Valics led the Waves with 54 steals.
In the world of academia, Valics has gone above and beyond to overcome the disadvantage of reading and writing in his non-native tongue. As an international student, Valics often has to spend more time studying than many of his other teammates, but he always gets the job done.
Upon arriving at Pepperdine, Valics knew no one, and as the only Hungarian native on campus, he still deals with the culture shock. Valics quickly began to meet new people and make friends through his teammates.
Valics’ love for water polo and an education is what lead him to Pepperdine University.
“My parents were my motivation to play water polo. … I just want to do what they did,” Valics said. Both of his parents played professional volleyball in Hungary. At age 10, his parents suggested that Valics pursue water polo.
“At the time, water polo was not that big,” Valics said. Soon however, the program received sponsorship and the sport skyrocketed in popularity in Hungary.
The first two years of Valics’ water polo training involved solely swimming. He began playing games at age 12 and went on to become one of Hungary’s great water polo players.
Between the ages of 15 and 18, Valics and his team won three Hungarian Junior Championships in a row.
Today, Valics has traveled thousands of miles away from home to continue developing as a water polo player, while also continuing to learn.
“This is the best thing you get to experience as a person, doing things on your own,” Valics said. “Real life started for me when I decided to come here.”
Valics lives a busy life that includes hours of class every morning, practices every afternoon, and trying to find time to study “Water polo and studying are my main activities. I am very health-conscious,” Valics said. He believes that taking care of his health and body now will not only keep him in shape and ready for water polo, but will also be a significant benefit to him in the far future.
“I am trying to avoid fast food,” Valics said, something the average college student rarely says.
The health watch seems to be working out, given that Valics is prospering on the team. Unlike when Valics began playing at age 12, today the pressure is on and high for goalies as shooters get smarter and goalies must adapt.
According to Valics, there is a lot of potential on this year’s water polo team. As the team heads into their end-of-the-season tournament, Valics is excited and preparing diligently with the team.
Regarding Valics’ future plans, he is again happy to have options. One of his options is to go to graduate school somewhere within the U.S. He also is contemplating returning to Hungary and pursuing his water polo career as a goalie.
“For a goalie, it is about experience,” Valics said. And Valics surely is gaining experience as a member of Pepperdine’s team and is looking toward the future with an open mind.
Valics returns home to Hungary twice a year. This summer, Valics played with the team where his roots in the sport of water polo were planted.
“It was fun to play with many of my best friends again,” he said.
