Taking Offsay at Northerns

Rick Offsay, co-captain of the Harvard men’s water polo team, was one of the most powerful weapons the Crimson had in the water at the Northern Championships.

But if you went to the games in hopes to get a good look at the 6’5” hole set, you would have been sorely disappointed.

It’s never easy to spot Offsay at games because he spends most of the matches fighting off the two defensemen who are needed to guard him. When Offsay does want to make an appearance, however, he breaks through the defense, reaches for a pass from a teammate and propels the ball into the back of the net before being plunged underwater yet again.

“He essentially plays the toughest position on the team,” sophomore John Voith said. “He gets beat up game in and game out, and absorbs a lot of pain for the team.”

Over the weekend, Offsay’s offensive output helped spur Harvard on to the championship game at Northerns. Second-place is the best the Crimson has ever finished, and it earned Harvard a spot at the Eastern Championships.

Offsay totaled five goals on the weekend. He was one of the few players to score in Harvard’s losing effort against St. Francis, despite being both physically and mentally drained after playing Brown the night before.

“Ricky gets beat up a lot in games, but keeps on going back in there, which is inspiring,” junior goalie Robbie Burmeister said.

In the Crimson’s critical second match-up at Northerns, the Bears players continually hounded Offsay, holding him to one goal during regulation time.

But Brown—more focused on fighting Offsay than on playing water polo—was unable to stop his insatiable hunger for a goal when it mattered most.

Offsay scored an essential goal as Harvard trailed with 1:00 left in the second frame of overtime to keep the Crimson in the game and push the contest into sudden death.

“I was double-teamed a lot and my teammates did a great job of driving and making passes,” Offsay said. “I’m not a playmaker but need to depend on them to get me the ball, so anytime I have a good game it’s always a reflection on them.”

Harvard went on to defeat Brown for the second time this season, giving the Crimson the upper hand in the rivalry between the two teams. Not only did Offsay help the team win, but earned Harvard the glory that had vehemently evaded the team during its lackluster 2003 season.

“We lost a bunch of close games in overtime last year,” Offsay said. “To win one against a team we love to beat in front of their crazy fans was great.”

To only recognize the number of goals Offsay tallied would ignore the array of intangible contributions he made to the team with his leadership.

“When we get flustered as a team, he is usually the voice of reason and has something to say that will get our heads back in the game,” Burmeister said.

A large part of Offsay’s ability to rally his teammates is due to his unwavering commitment to playing his best for the team, especially in the game against Brown.

“I’ve never seen this team so happy,” Offsay said. “It was great to see everyone stick together and say ‘We’re not going to lose this one.’”

After being beat-up by Brown on Saturday night, Offsay was ready to get back in the pool against St. Francis. When a Terrier player kneed him hard in the head in the beginning of the second quarter, Offsay was slightly disoriented and unable to hear properly.

Despite the injury, Offsay stayed in the game until the end, netting his one goal about two minutes after the blow.

“There was some semblance of justice in that regard,” Offsay said.

Offsay’s ability to continue to play the game despite being in pain is a testament to how strong a player is. The blow was so forceful Offsay needed to seek medical attention upon returning to campus.

But even after the painful hit, a groggy Offsay was still focused on preparing for Easterns in two weeks, marking his unyielding determination to the game.

“I’ll take a day off and I’ll be fine.”

—MEGHA PAREKH