While many teens spend their summers relaxing by the pool, 16-year-old Augustine Wladyczka is in it, training, competing, and chasing a national dream. The Lake Minneola High School student-athlete will represent Lake County, Florida, at the 2025 USA Water Polo Junior Olympics, scheduled for July 19–22 in California. He is the only male athlete from the Lake County to qualify for this year’s event.

“It’s an honor to represent my community,” Wladyczka said. “I hope this inspires more kids in Lake County to try water polo.”

(Augustine has been inspiring many student/athletes in Lake County to get in the pool and give Water Polo a try.)

Wladyczka, a Montverde native, didn’t grow up with the sport. He began playing water polo just four years ago but quickly made up for lost time through intense dedication and training. His efforts paid off in back-to-back qualifications for the Junior Olympics in 2023 and 2024, held in Texas. At the 2024 event, he helped lead his team to a silver medal finish.

This year, Wladyczka and his team will compete in the tournament’s highest-level division in California.

He trains with the Orlando Thunder Water Polo Club, where practice begins at 7 a.m., five days a week. Sessions start with swim conditioning, followed by two hours of water polo drills, tactics, and scrimmages. Tuesday night league play adds valuable in-game experience during the summer.

(Augustine will head to the Junior Olympics with the Orlando Thunder Water Polo team. This is his third appearance in the Junior Olympics.)

The Thunder Club focuses on developing student-athletes who excel in both academics and athletics, and Wladyczka is a standout in both.

A rising junior at Lake Minneola High School, Wladyczka holds a 4.8 GPA and is dual-enrolled at Lake-Sumter State College, working toward an associate degree. He is team captain of the school’s water polo team and a member of the varsity swim team.

He was recently certified as a lifeguard and is actively seeking a part-time job at a local training center or business to gain experience and contribute to the community.

Wladyczka has also completed more than 90 hours of community service with local nonprofit organizations, and plans to continue volunteering.

“He’s committed to more than just being a good athlete,” said his mother, Marta. “He’s humble, hardworking, and always thinking about how he can help others.”

Outside of academics and athletics, Wladyczka enjoys video games, visits to the driving range, and preparing for the freedom of having his driver’s license. He is known for his laid-back attitude, sense of humor, and leadership both in and out of the pool.

Looking ahead, he plans to attend college and pursue a career in dentistry or orthodontics.

Wladyczka was previously recognized in Lake & Sumter Style Magazine for his athletic accomplishments in the July 22 and August 8, 2024, issues.

We are very proud of this young man and his continued excellence in the pool. He is very inspiring for many young athletes looking to get into the sport of water polo. It’s a sport that continues to gain popularity in the area and Wladycka is proof that local kids can go far in this sport.