There were moments during girls’ varsity water polo’s first round CIF playoff game against Cajon High School Feb. 4 when sisters Rylee (‘26) and Zoey Szary (‘28) would shoot quick looks in the direction of the bleachers after a shot on goal, after committing a foul, or during a timeout.

The fleeting glances and subtle nods to pool’s edge in the midst of the 9-5 win against the visiting Cowboys were directed to Emily Flesher, the sister’s mother, and their inspiration. 

“I often look to my mom for guidance during the game,” Rylee said. “She talks to Zoey and I through her eyes.”

That almost-telepathic communication is also shared by the siblings, who have been training in the sport together for four years.

“Since we know each other so well, I usually know what Rylee’s going to do before she even does it,” Zoey said. 

The synergy between the sisters was demonstrated throughout the game against Cajon. At one point in the first half, Zoey executed a perfectly placed set pass to Rylee, and later in the game, Rylee called a switch so Zoey could get back into position during a counter attack.

“We are really opposites when it comes to how we play, but it somehow meshes so well together and makes us a great duo in the pool,” Zoey said.

Although the Szary sisters have different playing styles (Rylee excels on offense while Zoey is more of a defensive player) and personalities (Rylee is the extrovert while Zoey is on the quieter side), their common connection to water polo is their mother, Emily.

While competing in womens’ water polo at the University of Redlands, Flesher won three NCAA Division 3 championships — in 1997,1998, and 1999 — and was team captain her senior year in 2000 when the Bulldogs went 24-11 overall, and 10-0 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SCIAC).

It was her mom’s successes as a three-time national champion that compelled Rylee to pick up the sport.

“I aspired to be like my mom,” Rylee said. “[She] would always talk about how much fun water polo was and about all of the friends that she made, so I decided to give it a try.” 

Rylee’s water polo career started locally, with Brea Olinda Aquatics (BOA). When she joined BOA, she was only one of the two girls on the co-ed team. 

“Being one of the only girls on BOA helped shape me as a player, since [the boys] challenged me to be stronger,” Rylee said.

Looking for even more experience, Rylee joined the SoCal Water Polo club team, which is coached by “higher-level” coaches.

“I started the sport because of my mom, but I’ve grown to love it and I’m glad that I got Zoey to continue the tradition,” Rylee said. 

Zoey picked up the sport in 2021 after being encouraged by her sister and her mom. Like her older sister, she also joined BOA to gain water polo experience. Just three years later, she is playing alongside her sister on the BOHS varsity water polo team. 

“Having my sister as an example has really helped me, and given me a baseline to follow, which helped prepare me for high school,” Zoey said.

Although it’s just her first year on the team, and competing at the varsity level, Zoey has collected 25 goals and leads the defense with 79 steals.

When not practicing for their club or high school teams, the Szary sisters spend time training with their mother in the family’s backyard pool, sometimes practicing their positions and honing their swimming, passing, and shooting skills, but also having fun.

“Even though our mom is passionate about [water polo] she always makes sure we are having a good time,” Zoey said. 

The family’s training and preparation for the high school season paid off when Rylee lettered as a freshman on a senior-dominated team in 2023. That team went 7-9 and competed in the first round of CIF playoffs.

After losing eight seniors to graduation her sophomore year, Rylee was the only returning letter winner going into her junior season. Led by a new coach, Daniel Benitez, the team, lacking experience with eight freshmen and nine sophomores, went 2-17. Rylee, however, was a force, commanding the offense with 75 goals, and ranked second in steals with 56 in the 20-game season. 

“Last season was rough after coming from such an experienced team, but we were just starting to rebuild the team,” Rylee said.

In her third year on varsity, Rylee again proved the Wildcats’ strongest offensive threat. This season, she has scored 81 goals paired with 39 steals in 25 games.

Her collection of 2024 water polo accolades –  First Team All-League, Offensive Player of the Year, and Most Valuable Player – reflects her success in the pool.

The sisters attribute their accomplishments to the support and knowledge of family members. 

In the pool, the sisters are partly motivated by sibling rivalry.

Since the sisters play opposite positions — Rylee, plays center and Zoey plays center defender — they often practice together in their pool and try out new techniques.

“It’s cool that we can train against each other, and provide feedback to one another on how we can improve,” Zoey said.

Even during swim season, they push each other to be better. “We can get super competitive when we race against each other and I think she swims the fastest when she races me compared to any other swimmer,” Zoey said.

From the stands, Flesher watches her daughters compete “with immense pride.”  

“Their passion and understanding of the game, even at a young age, brings me indescribable joy,” Flesher said. 

Although he doesn’t have a water polo background, their father, Steve Szary, attends nearly every game. 

“Having [our parents] at our games means a lot because if we ever need to look into the crowd and take a breather they are there and if I need advice from my mom, I know she’ll be there to help me,” Zoey said.

Fletcher even records each game so the three can go over film together. 

“Rylee and I like to sit down and break apart the games [with our mom] to learn from our mistakes and become better players,” Zoey said.

Water polo has been a central part of the Fletcher family household for nearly 35 years.

The water polo legacy originated with the sisters’ uncle, Matt Flesher. 

“My brother’s water polo journey began at a young age, and weekends were spent cheering him on at games and following his travels as he competed at an elite level worldwide.” 

Matt Flesher (‘98), the sister’s uncle, was a CIF runner-up as a member of the Wildcat water polo program in [years]. He earned a scholarship to UCLA, where his squads won back-to-back NCAA championships in 1999 and 2000. He then played professionally in Greece and competed for the United States national team. When his playing days ended, he served as a coach for UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Golden West College. At UCLA, Matt won three NCAA titles as coach.

Matt continues to coach and support Rylee and Zoey, often appearing at his niece’s games at the Wildcat pool. 

The presence of an uncle who reached the heights of the sport is another motivator for the sisters. 

“When [Matt] comes to my games, I always push myself and try to do my absolute best to impress him,” Rylee said.

Their cousin, Phoebe Flesher, has also been raised around the water. “We go to Phoebe’s games, and she comes to ours, and we give tips on what we can do better but we also go just to cheer each other on,” Zoey said.

At the Westminster pool this afternoon, Emily and Matt Flesher, and Steve Szary will watch the sisters from the bleachers compete for a spot  in the CIF semifinals.

“Win or lose, I’ll always have my family,” Rylee said.