The562’s coverage of aquatic sports in Long Beach is sponsored by the Aquatic Capital of America Foundation.
Long Beach is a rare town where it’s not uncommon to come across an Olympian—especially if you’re looking for an aquatic Olympian. Wilson High has produced more than any other high school in the country, and since the modern Olympics returned in 1904, there’s only been one USA Olympic men’s water polo team that didn’t feature at least one Long Beach native. This year’s Olympic squad features four Long Beach natives, but also a unique figure: Wilson alum Max Irving, Long Beach’s trailblazing water polo superstar.
Irving is Black, which isn’t common among water polo Olympic aquatic athletes. He’s one of just a handful of Black Olympic water polo players in US history, and a unique figure in Long Beach’s long history as well. He’s also now a two-time Olympian, and an acknowledged leader on an American team looking to make history this year.
“Being able to represent a community is something that is an absolute honor,” said Irving. “Being a Black player from Long Beach, I feel like I really represent Long Beach because Long Beach has shaped me into who I am as a person. We have a diverse community and I’m proud to represent not only African-Americans but also Long Beach. It motivates me on a daily basis, it encourages me to push myself to the best of my abilities. When you see someone who looks like you attaining their goals, it makes your goals seem all the more tangible.”
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Irving has talked about hearing negative racial stereotypes as a kid, and feeling initially discouraged after hearing jokes that “black people can’t swim” or didn’t belong in water polo. Instead of turning away from the sport, those remarks fueled him to prove people wrong. His career is proof of the ignorance of those comments—he was an All-American and CIF-SS champion at Wilson, a three-time All-American and national champion at UCLA, and is a successful pro player in Europe in addition to his national team duties.
“It’s something I take a lot of pride in,” said Irving. “I’m trying to motivate and inspire the next generation of—not even only aquatic athletes, but athletes in general. You don’t have to fall into a hole of what people think you are, what they think you should be. It’s up to you. I wholeheartedly believe that if you commit yourself to something, if you work hard at it, if you have a passion, then the sky’s the limit.”
To anyone familiar with the Irving family’s long history of breaking down barriers in Long Beach, it’s no surprise that Max has represented his family and city so well. Irvings were among the city’s first Black business owners, and carry the baton of breaking boundaries today. Max’s father Michael is a successful NCAA basketball official, his aunt Keisha is the principal at Jordan, and many other relatives have held high positions in the city and in education. His cousin Crystal is a two-time state champion track and field coach at Poly with a chance to be the first Black woman to win three state titles as a coach in the upcoming seasons.
“They’re my family, so growing up I didn’t know too much about the prestige that is the Irving name in Long Beach,” Max said. “As I’ve learned more about it I’m proud to be able to contribute to the legacy.”
Irving’s journey in his sport has taken him to the highest of heights in international competition. It was a journey that began when he was young, after realizing that he wasn’t going to follow his father into basketball.
“I wasn’t the strongest basketball player playing at Newcomb Academy, and once I realized I wasn’t getting the most playing time, I knew that might not be it for me,” he joked. With cousins on his mother’s side of the family who played water polo at San Jose State, aquatics called to him and he quickly found himself drawn to water polo. “My dad was awesome. He allowed me to lean into water polo and aquatics and find my own lane and explore that.”
As a result, Irving will be suiting up in Paris when the Olympics begin this weekend. Because his first Olympics in Tokyo was during the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be his first Olympic action that his parents and family can attend, which he said will make it even more special.
“It’s an honor to represent USA Water Polo and to represent Long Beach and our rich aquatic tradition,” he said. “We want to go over there, we want to compete, and we want to win.”
