At Waubonsie Valley, it’s hard to miss Ella and Emma Buchenauer competing in their respective sports, with a mix of four between them. Emma stands in goal for the Warrior girls’ water polo team while her twin sister Ella, is either performing a dive, nailing a gymnastics move, or reaching new heights on the pole vault. The two power performers first started their sports journey in the same lane. This story is sponsored by Fair Oaks Ford and Fair Oaks Lincoln.
“My sister and I grew up swimming together. I stuck with swimming for longer than she did. She went on to do diving, and she’s always been in gymnastics. She’s always doing the flips and stuff, which is why she moved on to diving, pole vaulting, and gymnastics as well,” said Emma Buchenauer.
A tight-knit athletic family
Despite competing in different sports and having distinct personalities, the twins share a tight bond.
“We’re honestly pretty different. Like, we have very different personalities, but I am also pretty close with her. I like talking with her. It’s fun being twins. Being able to go through the same experiences together,” said Ella.
Strong support from parents, grandparents, and older siblings helped the duo develop interests in their respective sports.
“I first got into water polo because of my older sister, Julia. I grew up going to her high school games. I was watching, she was on the water polo team here, and she told me, actually, she was like, “I think you would like it,” said Emma.
Emma and Ella made their marks right away
That led to Emma playing water polo for her club team at Oakhurst before Waubonise Valley. Once she stepped into Warrior country as a freshman, a varsity opportunity was on the table.
“The goalie had graduated, and we kind of had goalie tryouts. We threw everybody in the goal to see who was best at it. And I’m the one who kind of just ended up there,” said Emma
She’s been the starting goalie ever since.
“I’m having really a lot of fun, in goal, and I wouldn’t change it for anything,”
Ella developed an early love of gymnastics, but she gained an interest in track and field during middle school. She added to her athletic portfolio in her freshman year, also following the footsteps of big sister Julia onto the diving board.
A three-year varsity contributor for each sport, she says, they all work hand in hand.
“They’re definitely all really similar. Basically, like just the movements and everything, body awareness, it all kind of works together, which is really nice. A lot of, like, the skills I had from gymnastics go well with diving and pole vault, which is cool,” said Ella.
Buchenauers look to hit significant strides in their senior year
After the spring season ends, the twins have one year to go at Waubonsie Valley, hoping to end their careers on a high note. Emma continues to make big stops between the pipes as a veteran leader for the water polo program. Ella is coming off a top-five finish at the state diving meet, making her a top contender for the state title next fall. After qualifying for sectionals, she is still looking to make the cut for state for the first time in girls gymnastics, while continuing to soar on the pole vault. Whatever the future holds, the Buchenauer sisters will be there to cheer each other on.
“I would love to see her make state and diving again. I love going to watch her. It’s really fun for me. She’s been working really hard to try and make state in gymnastics, and she’s so close, and I really would love to see her go to state in her senior year. I think that would be really fun for me,” said Emma.
“I hope we just continue to love the sports that we do, keep working hard and keep getting better, and just enjoy our final year,” said Ella.
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