From Finding Belonging to Building Community: Ruth Garcia’s Story
Water polo gave Ruth Garcia a sense of belonging and community. Today, she’s using the confidence, discipline, and mentorship she found to build stronger communities—in Colorado, Puerto Rico, and beyond.
Meet Ruth Garcia, a 2026 Vaughn Bigelow Jr. scholarship recipient. She’s a 2026 Denver East High School graduate, Colorado Water Polo athlete, and future Division I player at Brown University. She plans to major in pure mathematics and economics with a minor in Spanish.
Finding Friendship & Community
“Water polo was the single most important activity in my life over the years by giving me profound, lifelong friendships.”
Ruth moved to Colorado from Puerto Rico in 2021 as a 7th grader during the aftermath of 2017’s Hurricane Maria. She witnessed the failures of well-intentioned businesses trying to help Puerto Rico recover, and the experience left a lasting impression. At Brown, she’s excited to explore how business can serve as a powerful tool to “move the needle” toward recovery in crisis-affected regions and help build resilient communities.
Being so far from home, she felt lonely and homesick. A lifelong dancer, water polo wasn’t on her radar until her brother introduced it to her. She saw the friendships her brother made while playing for the Colorado Pirates and wanted the same for herself, so she took a chance.
“On a random Sunday, I attended a water polo practice at BCC with one goal in mind and one goal only: to make friends.” She did. “I fulfilled my goal, and these friends encouraged me to keep coming to practice.”
Ruth’s Ripples: Growing Into a Leader
Ruth describes herself as an “older beginner” because she started in middle school, compared to players who started in elementary school. “Because of that, I was often considered one of the ‘younger’ players in terms of skill level. My friends, who were much more experienced than I was, became my mentors even though we were the same age. Their patience, encouragement, and care meant a great deal to me. They were always building me up and helping me grow.”
Compassion and discipline matter even more. Ruth learned that if she led by example through hard work while also showing empathy, she could become the kind of mentor younger players needed. Because of the kindness others showed her, she now takes great joy in taking a few younger players under her wing, especially in club water polo.
Ruth learned that skill and talent aren’t what make someone a leader. Compassion and discipline matter even more. As captain of the Denver Public Schools Water Polo team, she gives back by mentoring younger players because she knows firsthand how crucial mentorship can be, not only for developing skills, but also for building confidence, connection, and community.
Competition with Character
Vaughn Jr. loved the competition and friendships he found in sports, and we thought Ruth embodied Vaughn’s playful, energetic, and competitive spirit when she said, “Character matters just as much as performance.”
Ruth explains, “Integrity, honesty, and good sportsmanship are qualities I try to practice both in and out of the pool. For me, integrity means doing the right thing even when it is inconvenient or unnoticed, whether that means staying disciplined in school, following through on commitments, or treating teammates and opponents with respect. Honesty means being truthful about both my strengths and my weaknesses. I am not afraid to admit when I need help, when I make a mistake, or when someone else deserves credit.”
Helping Ruth Make Waves
Through water polo, Ruth found a community that helped her grow—a captain, mentor, scholar, and advocate. As she begins her next chapter at Brown University, she will carry that sense of community wherever she goes.
Help Big Waves support the next generation of leaders. Learn how Big Waves scholarships, gun safety trainings, and support of water polo in Colorado help athletes like Ruth pursue their education, grow through athletics, and make a lasting difference in their communities.