Alba Bonamusa Boix has been a key contributor to  the University of Hawai'i women's water polo program from the moment she arrived on campus five years ago. The dynamic attacker has been one of the team's top scorers while helping lift the team to championship heights. The native of Barcelona, Spain has been an inspiration to her teammates and has continued the legacy of a program built heavily of international student-athletes.
 
How were you introduced to water polo?
My older sister played water polo back in 2009 and she was really good at it. She was a fighter. My parents basically made me do what my older sister was doing and had me tryout because, why not? So I went, I tried out, and then I stayed with it.
 
Have you played other sports?
I played soccer, basketball, and handball, which was really fun.
 
Why did you ultimately choose to focus on water polo?
It was a choice of my parents. We weren't just going to drive to different facilities in my hometown, so if my older sister was doing water polo then I was just going to do that as well. I didn't like it at first, but I made friends and then it wasn't all that bad to stay.
 
How did you end up here at the University of Hawai'i?
I was lucky enough in my career to be able to play with the Spanish national team. Once you've graduated high school and you get the chance to go to the European Championships, there's a lot of scouting and a lot of coaches that go. So after I got to play at the water polo championships in Volos, Greece in 2017, I received many offers to come to America to different schools and I chose to come to Hawai'i.


 
How has your experience been living here in Hawai'i?
Everything has their ups and downs. It's just been a rollercoaster for me since I've lived here for five years. The first two years were great but then I went home when COVID hit and I played a season of  club water polo there. It was rough last year when I returned. I was struggling with my mental health and it affected my athletics so I had to step out for a little. But you live and you learn. I was blessed to have been provided some resources from the athletics program, bringing me to a completely different point today where I'm doing a lot better.
 
Is there anything you see in Hawaii that you won't be able to find anywhere else?
One thing I can take from Hawai'i is the culture and the respect that they have for the 'aina. You can't see it in a lot of places. Their culture is strong and they do well in teaching and showing us the ways that they work here and I think that's beautiful. My boyfriend is Hawaiian and he makes a big effort to teach me and help me understand the culture. It's a really nice thing that they have.
 
What does it mean to you to represent Spain at the University of Hawaii at Manoa?
It's always good to bring cultures together as you can learn from it. It's nice to be able to see other cultures and other languages. So I try to teach others where I'm from, what we respect, what we believe in, and that is what I bring to the table. Sharing my culture with others is my way of representing where I'm from. It's important to always remember where you came from.
 
What is the most difficult part about training for your sport?
I'd say time management is difficult because we have to be able to focus for three hours in the water. It's challenging for sure. Water sports in general requires a different type of endurance, so we need to practice more than other sports do.
 
What does your conditioning consist of?
We have weights three times a week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have double practice. In the morning we would do one hour of conditioning, which includes a hard swim set or a circuit and it has nothing to do with water polo. It just helps us get more fit. Then we return in the afternoon to do three hours of water polo practice.
 
How would you summarize this past season?
We had a new and young team at the beginning of the year since a lot of starters graduated and transferred, so it was challenging. But we worked together and we worked hard during the fall and improved over time. Now we are on the right path to end the season on a great note. Especially with our recent loss to UC Irvine, we are motivated to fight harder going into our conference tournament this week.
 
What goes through your mind right before you score a goal?
Honestly, I just hope that I shoot inside the post! If I see a shot, I shoot it and I just hope that it goes in.
           
What would you claim to be your biggest accomplishment in your water polo career so far?
When I was home, one of my biggest accomplishments was winning the European Championships with Spain's national team in 2017, and winning the LEN Champions League which was really cool. Here in Hawai'i, we won the Big West when I was a freshman and that was a very fulfilling accomplishment. It was cool to come in as a freshmen and make it to the NCAAs.


 
What is your favorite thing about what you do?
Results play a big role since I'm practicing and I'm putting so much energy and time in the water. When I get good results and when I come out of games with a win, it's a great reward. Getting to play in front of our crowd is also rewarding. Especially when the high school girls come and see us as people that they want to be one day. At the end of the day, that's what we play for…to inspire others and to help this sport grow.
 
Tell us about your experience playing water polo in Spain?
Playing in Spain, whether it was with my club team or with my national team was very different than playing here. The rules are different but it was nice. I really liked it. It's a different competition, there, you're playing against people who have been playing water polo all their lives.
 
Would you recommend the UH water polo team to other student-athletes?
Absolutely, I think we have a strong program. The program has strong values and motivation with a good coaching structure. It's only been growing stronger over the years and both of our coaches, Maureen Cole and James Robinson, are very dedicated to what they do. They want the best for this program and I'm sure that Hawai'i will do well  as they continue their time as coaches.
 
A lot of your teammates come from around the world. What has it been like for you playing on a such diverse team?
It's very cool that we get the chance to get to know all of these different cultures and the different traditions because everyone's so different. It's been fun being able to work together and understand our differences and share about them in a positive way.