Women’s History Month is a chance to celebrate the women who keep aquatic sports moving forward- not just through wins and records, but through leadership, mentorship, and the steady work of building community.
Throughout March, CVXCA is spotlighting women who strengthen water polo and swimming in meaningful ways: athletes, coaches, board members, and organizers who make the sport more accessible and more connected for everyone.
This spotlight features a longtime swimmer and returning water polo player who is helping grow the game in Denver through Denver Squid and proving that leadership doesn’t always start with a title. Sometimes it starts with simply raising your hand when a community needs you. Excited for you all to meet Jenna Fossum.
Roots in Merced: Swimming First, Then Water Polo
Jenna was born in Merced, California, she’s been in the water for as long as she can remember.
She started competitive swimming at just five years old with the Merced River Rats, then joined the Merced Skimmers the following year. For years, summer meant one thing: swimming with Skimmers every season before high school.
Before she began high school, she added water polo following in the footsteps of her mother, who played before her. Like many athletes, her journey wasn’t perfectly linear. During college, she took a hiatus from the sport, largely because her school didn’t have a water polo team and the club program was small.
But water polo has a way of calling people back.
Finding Denver Squid: A Return to Water Polo (and Something Bigger)
After moving to Denver and living in Colorado for seven years, she found Denver Squid in June 2023 and everything clicked again.
“It has been a great joy to return to water polo and join the wonderful community of the Squids,” she shared.
And that word "community" shows up again and again in her story, because for her, water polo has never been only about the sport.
What Water Polo Means: Friends, Community, Support
When asked what water polo has meant to her, the answer is clear and honest:
“Water polo has meant more than just the sport for me. It has meant friends, community, and support.”
That’s the heartbeat of so many great programs. The training, the toughness, the competition, those matter. But what lasts is the network: teammates who become friends, friendships that become support systems, and a shared identity that carries far beyond the pool deck.
Why She Stepped Into Leadership: Volunteer Work That Keeps a Program Alive
Her leadership story is especially powerful because it began fast and it began with service.
She joined the Denver Squid board after only six months on the team. Not because she needed recognition, but because she saw a need and wanted to be part of the solution.
“As a non-profit, we have an all volunteer-based board and sometimes it is difficult to find people who have the time,” she explained. “I wanted to make sure this team and community would continue to grow.”
That’s what leadership looks like in many aquatic communities: showing up, doing the behind-the-scenes work, and keeping the gears turning so others can have a place to belong.
She was also motivated by something bigger than one team.
“I was excited to continue to grow the sports of swimming and especially water polo in Denver and the LGBTQ+ community.”
That commitment matters. It’s how communities expand. It’s how the sport reaches more people. And it’s how teams become safe, welcoming, and lasting spaces for athletes who are looking for connection.
Advice to Young Women: Don’t Let Others Define You
Her advice to young women is the kind that sticks- simple, grounded, and earned through experience:
“Don’t let others define your limits or interests. If you have passion, do it the best you can and keep learning.”
It’s a reminder that growth is personal. Your interests don’t need permission. Your path won’t always look like someone else’s, and that’s the point.
Passion + effort + learning- that combination builds confidence over time, whether it’s in sport, leadership, career, or life.
Why CVXCA: A Long Relationship With the Sport (and the Brand)
Her connection to CVXCA goes back nearly a decade.
She first discovered Core Values California (formerly Hard Core Sport) at the Shaver Lake Water Polo Tournament in 2015, where she remembers the “garage” and grab bag sales — and picked up suits along the way.
Denver Squid had also used HardCore in the past, so when the team reconnected with CVXCA after the rebrand, it felt like the right fit.
“I was glad that a member of Squid reconnected us with Core Value after the rebrand,” she shared. “It is especially wonderful that it highlights and supports teams on its network, not just with suits and other products.”
That’s a core part of what we aim to do: support the broader ecosystem- the athletes, the volunteers, the organizers, and the communities that make these sports thrive.
Celebrating Women Who Build the Sport
This Women’s History Month, we’re proud to spotlight women who aren’t just participating in aquatic sports, they’re building them. Through volunteering, leadership, and community-first mindset, she’s helping ensure that water polo continues to grow in Denver and within the LGBTQ+ community.
Because the sport moves forward when people choose to show up and when women lead from every seat: athlete, board member, mentor, and advocate.
Stay tuned for more Women’s History Month spotlights as we celebrate the women strengthening swimming and water polo, one community at a time.
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