Spring Break
Water polo player plans to teach, coach
Kyle Hansen
Issue date: 5/15/07 Section: Sports
Beth Harberts may be graduating, but she will be back at San Jose State University.
"I definitely feel like a Spartan, through and through," she said.
Harberts graduates this month with a degree in kinesiology after spending five years at SJSU. She plans to return next semester to pursue her teaching credential.
For the last three years she has been a crucial part of the water polo team, teammates said.
"She is fun to play with," said teammate and roommate Sara Natalizio. "She is a great team captain. She gets everyone together, pumps everyone up and inspires us."
Natalizio said she and Harberts are "basically like sisters."
"When I first came to school here I did not know anyone," Natalizio said. "She was very, very welcoming. She took me under her wing and explained everything to me."
Kendra Adama is the other team captain and went to the same high school as Harberts. Adama said it was not until after they got to know each other in high school that they realized that they were also third cousins.
Adama said that Harberts is a key member of the team and does a lot to make everyone enjoy the game more.
"She provides a good leadership role on the team," Adama said, "and makes the whole thing happen in and out of the pool."
Harberts said that since she has been around the team for five years, she has been around a lot of different players and has helped shape the history of the team.
Next fall, Harberts will return to SJSU to work on her teaching credential. She is currently petitioning the NCAA to allow her to play another year as a graduate student, since she was unable to play two years due to injuries.
After she is done with her credentials, Harberts hopes to teach physical education at an elementary school. She said she also hopes to get a masters degree to teach at a junior college and coach water polo there.
"She will be a really good P.E. teacher," Natalizio said. "If I ever have kids, I will make them go to her school."
Adama agreed that Harberts will be a good teacher.
"I can definitely see her making the kids run," Adama said. "But she will be doing laps with them and won't just make them run around the tennis courts by themselves."
"I definitely feel like a Spartan, through and through," she said.
Harberts graduates this month with a degree in kinesiology after spending five years at SJSU. She plans to return next semester to pursue her teaching credential.
For the last three years she has been a crucial part of the water polo team, teammates said.
"She is fun to play with," said teammate and roommate Sara Natalizio. "She is a great team captain. She gets everyone together, pumps everyone up and inspires us."
Natalizio said she and Harberts are "basically like sisters."
"When I first came to school here I did not know anyone," Natalizio said. "She was very, very welcoming. She took me under her wing and explained everything to me."
Kendra Adama is the other team captain and went to the same high school as Harberts. Adama said it was not until after they got to know each other in high school that they realized that they were also third cousins.
Adama said that Harberts is a key member of the team and does a lot to make everyone enjoy the game more.
"She provides a good leadership role on the team," Adama said, "and makes the whole thing happen in and out of the pool."
Harberts said that since she has been around the team for five years, she has been around a lot of different players and has helped shape the history of the team.
Next fall, Harberts will return to SJSU to work on her teaching credential. She is currently petitioning the NCAA to allow her to play another year as a graduate student, since she was unable to play two years due to injuries.
After she is done with her credentials, Harberts hopes to teach physical education at an elementary school. She said she also hopes to get a masters degree to teach at a junior college and coach water polo there.
"She will be a really good P.E. teacher," Natalizio said. "If I ever have kids, I will make them go to her school."
Adama agreed that Harberts will be a good teacher.
"I can definitely see her making the kids run," Adama said. "But she will be doing laps with them and won't just make them run around the tennis courts by themselves."
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