One on one with Kenny Flanagan

With less than 15 games left in the water polo season and six weeks left as a student, senior Kenny Flanagan-De La Hoz is looking forward to the future outside of the "bubble." Flanagan-De La Hoz, a San Jose native, is currently No. 2 all-time steals in steals, seventh in assists and 12th in goals in the program's history. The Santa Clara's Erin Hussey sat down with Flanagan-De La Hoz to discuss his life as a Bronco.

EH: When did you start playing water polo?

KF: I started when I was a freshmen in high school.

EH: Do you think you will ever get burnt out?

KF: I did get burnt out a little while ago, but then I got to study aboard my junior year and then I came back with a little bit more passion.

EH: What is your favorite part about playing water polo?

KF: The end of the season when your team is starting to act like a team: when you start to get along with the guys and you get to hang out with them outside of the pool and travel with them. You get to know each other really well, and that's just really fun.

EH: Have you reached that part of the season yet?

KF: Yeah. I think that's why I brought it up, because it is now.

EH: Is there one team that you really want to beat?

KF: We haven't beaten Davis this year, they actually creamed us, so we have to beat them. We gotta go after them. We're going to see them this weekend so that is really big for us. We are really psyched for that.

EH: Do you have any new strategies for the game against Davis?

KF: We lost the last game against Davis because we didn't show up to play. Sometimes the first game of the weekend becomes the warm-up game. This weekend they are our third game so there won't be any excuses.

EH: How has your successful goal record affected your game?

KF: This year is kind of interesting because we have a lot of threats.

EH: Inner-team threats?

KF: Ya, which is really an advantage for us this year. Last year, we had only a couple guys that scored a lot, but this year it's mixed around. You don't know who is going to have the good game, and that's why we are dangerous.

EH: What are your plans after Santa Clara?

KF: I am a fifth year and this is my last quarter. January 3, I start work for Ernst and Young.

EH: Is it weird being a fifth year senior?

KF: Yeah, it is weird. It is definitely different. I mean it's cool to still be around and I hear all my friends say they want to come back and being here I definitely appreciate it, but I miss knowing so many people and having my friends around.

EH: If you had to change anything about the past three years, would you?

KF: No. Everything worked out really well. Santa Clara, the school, has been everything I wanted. Water polo wise, the guys have been great.

EH: Do you think you will continue to play water polo or coach?

KF: Yeah. There are a lot of opportunities to play master's water polo. And coaching is definitely something I want to do.

EH: What is your funniest memory about water polo?

KF: Ah. Let me think. There have been so many different things.

EH: Anything about speedos?

KF: Ha. Yeah, but it's not appropriate. There have been a lot of things, but they aren't appropriate.