CONGRATULATIONS, KIM PETTY!
Kimberly Petty, hailing from Wooster, OH. I currently live in Lakewood, OH and have lived here for about 5 years. I absolutely love it and don't plan to leave anytime soon.
My partner Randi and I live together with our dog Maizy and cat Little. Both are rescues with huge personalities and we adore them very much!
I am a firefighter and paramedic for Lakewood- I've been serving for 3 years now. Most people don't know what we do all day long while we aren't taking calls! Generally we have a calm morning where we plan out what is going to happen that day and get some cleaning done. Afterwards we do some type of training- whether that's a medical class, practice moving hose lines around, or reviewing past incidents and everything in between! Late afternoon most people exercise and then we all cook and eat dinner together. The evenings are generally call-your-family and hang-out-with-your-fire-family time. But obviously we take fire and medical calls all day and night during that schedule.
Barraco is my favorite Lakewood spot for food/drink- you'll get a tequila shot when you walk in the door and your mojito will come with a stick of sugar cane. Food is always top notch!
I've been playing water polo for 5.5 years... 4 years of club polo at Ohio University and about 1.5 with CWPC. My favorite CWPC memory is the cancelled Lake Erie Classic last year- some of the out of town players had already planned to come to Cleveland so it turned into a social Saturday night and a great Sunday morning practice at the high school. Otherwise- every practice we have outdoors- especially at Foster under the lights- is an absolute blast.
Snack and beverage- white cherry liquid IV and a PB and J sammich - probably one of the healthier post polo snacks and bevies we've seen here ...
My favorite position is right side wing/post. Lefties unite! - Keeping our lefty count STRONG!
My first polo tournament with CWPC was great. The reffing didn't go our way, but everyone worked hard and didn't hesitate to jump in the pool and play! I think the hard-work attitude was contagious and it was cool to be a part of!
I own two suits- the one from college is falling to pieces so I'm thankful I have a shiny new Cleveland suit!
My favorite part of water polo is how unique it is. It's a totally different type of exercise than most people are familiar with and so much of it is about body position and just getting a slight edge on who you're matched up with. It's a cool sport with cool people.
Fun fact- I knew nothing about water polo when I tried it out for the first time in college. I showed up to my first practice in a 2 piece bikini and had never swam for sport a day in my life. Zero familiarity with any of it. I kept showing up after nearly drowning my first week (probably to everyone's great surprise) and now I enjoy playing polo any chance I can!
I knew I wanted to continue playing polo after college but it took me a while to put in the effort to find a club around me. When I was living in Lakewood and finally decided to join a CWPC practice, I remembered how much fun I had playing and thought the people on the team were way cool. I knew I'd want to be part of this team from the first day. I stick around because I love this sport and genuinely enjoy spending time with my friends playing beside me :)
My ideal practice is a warm summer night at Foster pool under the lights, with plenty of people and good quality play (followed by some wings at Merry Arts)!
"Good leaders are always at the ready, but not always at the front." Anyone can be a leader in any position in such small ways.
I don't know that I have a favorite piece of water polo advice... but I generally appreciate any and all advice that is given. I still have lots to learn and develop!
Much love! ...we love you, too Kim!
What the team has to say about Kim....
"Did you know Kim is Lakewood's first ever female fighter? BALLER."
"Kim is such a positive and friendly person. She brings joy wherever she goes, but don't let that fool you. She's a certified bad a$$!
"It's very nice to have a paramedic on the team when Bob's elbows draw blood."
"She always comes to practice with a smile on her face and her positivity is contagious!"
"Kim is an extremely authentic and genuine person. She is selfless and an incredible teammate to have around."
"Remember when she jumped in mid-quarter in Motor City and immediately scored a goal?"
"I'd call Kim if my house were on fire."
"Talk about someone who puts her heart and soul into friendships, polo and just life."