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As the Houston-area water polo coaches embark on the 3rd Annual Ben Garcia Memorial Water Polo Tournament, fond memories of the young athlete will continue for years to come. And as far as his mother Victoria is concerned, Ben made the most of his 24 years on Earth.
“As young as he was, he lived every second,” Victoria Garcia said. “He (Ben) was very outgoing, friendly, but also very humble. He was everything a mom could ask for in a son.”
Ben was a true water polo student-athlete. He participated in the sport for more than 15 years and was a stand out at Alvin High School where his father, Lenny, coached him.
His hard work paid off and he was awarded a scholarship to play water polo for Whittier College in Whittier, California. Years later, Ben graduated with a degree in Finance and Marketing, but his love for the sport still remained.
“Water polo is the sport he loved so much,” Victoria said. “I really feel like he lived to play.”
In May 2004, Ben and his good friend were killed in a car accident. Ben was home briefly to attend the graduation of his younger brother.
Living in a household with not one, but two water polo coaches, helped set the stage for Ben to be a top-notch player. Lenny is still the active coach at Alvin and his mother, for 17 years, coached at Friendswood and Clear Brook. Victoria actually pioneered the Friendswood program.
“I was forever known as ‘coach,’” Victoria said. “But I always said, being ‘Ben’s mom’ is the best title I will ever have.”
As Victoria made her way out of the classroom, her efforts are now focused on raising funds for the Benjamin Garcia Memorial Fund. Through Lenny and Victoria’s years of dedication to the sport, a love and respect in the water polo community is ever so evident.
The Ben Garcia Water Polo Tournament began back in 2005 when several Greater Houston water polo coaches decided to start the tournament as a fundraiser in honor of Ben. All of the proceeds from the tournament are for the Memorial fund.
An endowment was set up to award academic scholarships for high school water polo athletes. All the workers, even the referees and officials, donate their time for the event. This tournament has been a real eye-opener for Victoria.
“You see how much they (water polo coaches in Houston) really love you and how they put it (the proceeds) back into something so practical,” Victoria explained. “All of the money goes back to kids who want to play polo and go to college.
“It’s overwhelming a lot of the times the love that I feel and the respect that coaches have for our son.”
For additional information about the Benjamin James Garcia Memorial Scholarship Fund or if you wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to the fund, please contact Lenny and Victoria Garcia at 281-581-9615.
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