Highland Park-Deerfield join forces for girls water polo co-op

Rivals are teammates this spring within Township High School District 113.

With a dip in participation, Highland Park and Deerfield high schools have formed one girls water polo program in an IHSA-approved cooperative.

Highland Park Athletic Director Paul Harris said the combined program has approximately 20 student-athletes this spring, enough to form varsity and junior varsity teams. He hopes the co-op encourages more participation, as student-athletes recognize it as an opportunity to compete in a varsity sport.

The IHSA approves cooperatives for two years at a time, meaning the District 113 water polo co-op will be reviewed after the 2026 season.

In boys water polo, Deerfield and Highland Park retain separate programs.

But girls water polo isn’t the only District 113 co-op. For the second season, Highland Park and Deerfield softball players are also on the same team, the Giant-Warriors.

Harris said the softball co-op has thus far been carried by numbers from Deerfield, but he hopes as numbers from Highland Park improve, the Giants can again field their own team.

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