At first glance, brothers Rhys and Finn Bugelli may seem rather intimidating. Both stand at over six feet tall and weigh around 200 pounds, most of it muscle, necessary for the vicious physicality of their chosen sport - water polo. They also possess a relatively unwavering gruff tone of voice better fit for a seasoned sea captain.

However, given a minute of interaction, the brothers’ humor and “outside the box" character quickly becomes as evident as their tenacity and prowess.

Just ask Tom Atwell - La Jolla High School water polo coach, three-time cancer survivor and owner of an ever-growing list of ultramarathons and Iron Man races. He also teaches AP European History.

Despite the full load, Atwell took less than an hour to respond to an email requesting stories about the Bugelli brothers. He sent the reply, a short essay’s length, 20 minutes before midnight.

Rounding out the list were a pair of classroom shenanigans: Finn earnestly presenting on “How to Out-pizza the Hut” and Rhys barging into his classroom dressed head-to-toe in a blue genie suit and sunglasses.

“I gave him three wishes,” Rhys said. “Forgot what they were. I don't know if I delivered. Maybe I was a bad genie.”

Closer to the top of the email was the time the two high schoolers jumped the fence to beat Atwell into the pool for practice; Atwell made a habit of swimming at “0 dark 30” before morning trainings.

“He's like David Goggins, but if David Goggins was a high school teacher,” Rhys said.

Stunts like these exposed a gleam of the brothers’ alter-egos, defined by discipline and intentionality. This focus saw them lead their high school team to top finishes, tournament victories, and CIF First Team honors. 

It’s also what stood out most to the cancer survivor, who finished his email by commending his players’ “heart and grit.”

Atwell and Triton fans have the women in Finn and Rhys’ lives to thank for this dual capacity. Growing up the sons of a Navy-hardened father, self-described as the “fun killer,” it was up to doctor mom Nicola to orchestrate the “lively dinnertime banter” that shaped the Bugelli bunch.

“Our oldest sister, Bennett, was the main jokester amongst our siblings and I think the rest of us looked up to her and took after her,” Rhys said. “The competitive nature in all of us led to a desire for each to come up with the next funniest joke to tell at the dinner table.”

Their sisters’ superb humor set a high standard for the younger brothers, who risked life and limb for a laugh. By the spry ages of four and six, they were cannonballing into shallow jacuzzis.

“You don't want to be the one who didn’t make the cut,” Finn said.

The sisters set just as high a bar academically, having secured All-Academic accolades each of their college seasons. Rhys stared down the barrel of four such honors upon entering UC San Diego, while Finn faced a collective 10 thanks to his brother’s own academic achievements.

Bennett and Jensine did not falter in the pool either. Though the brothers disagree on how they first got started in the sport, they do agree that Bennett was the first and that they had no time to waste.

“It’s like ‘Our sisters did this, I have to do this. I have to be as good as them or better,’” Rhys said. 

Luckily, the eldest siblings were more comrades than competitors, lending their expertise in everything from academics to fashion. It was Bennett’s guidance that corralled Rhys into the local route for college. A five-year Triton goalkeeper, Bennett inadvertently began a modestly-sized dynasty at UC San Diego as Finn soon made his way to Canyonview Aquatic Center after an initial sway toward the Navy.

Perhaps the only area the sisters did not have an influential hand in was their brothers' choice of major. That honor would go to the hand of God, or Legos, who sparked an early fascination with “how things work.” Ensuing Kumon and Mathnasium sessions helped narrow the field to mechanical or aerospace engineering.

“My final thought was ‘Aerospace sounds cooler,’” Rhys said.

Finn concurred.

It remains to be seen if the major is cool enough to offset the heat of the coursework, which has both the underclassman and upperclassman locked into a tight clockwork.

“[I would] go to class, practice, class, maybe the second practice, and then come home and study,” Finn said, recalling his freshman year routine.

The pair often channel their father to hold strong against such a regimen, asking themselves how he would act in their situation. Honestly answering the question has resulted in summer studying, when there are no assignments, and absolute effort during workouts, where idling is often imperceptible.

While the water polo practices offer no physical solace — hours of eggbeaters paired with “jujitsu” caliber grappling doesn’t scream “serenity” — the two fall back on humor to lighten the load.

“Rhys is definitely a great team leader,” Finn said. “[He’s] kind of like the glue, he keeps it all going.” 

“Thank you, I always wanted to be glue,” Rhys quipped.

Both Finn and Rhys have found themselves in familiar leadership roles on the team. The senior Rhys serves as a captain of the 21-man squad, while the sophomore Finn stands as a role model for the underclassmen. Most important to both roles? Cultivating camaraderie. Given a day off, the brothers vary on the grub and location but never on who is invited.

“One of our goalies, Parker [George], is a grill master,” Finn said. “[He will] start cheffing it up and bring a ton of food for everybody. We all get a plate.”

This familial bond transcends casual hangouts. In addition to informal academic advising, the team has enacted a loose tradition of housing together, one spot for each graduation year. The resulting chemistry has Rhys thinking big in his final season as a Triton.

“We want to win conference. We want to go to [NCAAs]. We want to dominate there.”