Brandon and Katherine Shroyer are always game for a little friendly competition.

Board games are fine and dandy, but the couple craves a little more of a physical contest.

"There's only so many ‘Catch Phrase' games you can play and be competitive," Katherine said.

Brandon, a C-17 instructor pilot at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and his wife Katherine share a love for the water. They both grew up playing water polo in Southern California and both went on to play collegiately - Katherine at the University of California at Davis and Brandon at the Air Force Academy.

While the sport is not as popular in Washington, where the Shroyers have been stationed the past year, they still find ways to play a sport they know so well.

The couple jumps in as part of a pick-up water polo team out of Auburn High School to scrimmage twice a week. With the group they also have opportunities to play in local tournaments.

"It's a little bit of swimming, wrestling and basketball all thrown together," Brandon said. "It's more challenging than a lot of sports I've ever played just because it's all in the water."

Not many couples share a hobby like the Shroyers do. With water polo they have coached together, played together, and even played against each other. They even met through the sport.

Katherine grew up playing team sports and was a serious soccer player. Her father played water polo at the University of Southern California and started a club team when Katherine was growing up. An injury in ninth grade sidelined her competitive soccer days and she decided to give water polo a shot. Katherine didn't begin playing competitively until her junior year in high school, but despite the late start the avid swimmer walked on to the program at UC Davis.

"I couldn't imagine college without my water polo experience because it played such a big role in my life," Katherine said.

She finished her college career as the Aggies' all-time leader in goals (154) and steals (122).

Brandon also began playing water polo relatively late, but it took little time for him to excel. He went on to play goalie for youth and junior national teams and made it his goal to play at the Division I level. The Academy was the only school outside of California that Brandon applied to.

"I liked the idea of potentially flying and the opportunity to go to law school," he said. "I thought the Academy was a great choice for me."

Being part of a team at the Academy offered a release from the every day demands of the military and his academics.

Brandon finished his collegiate career with 612 saves which ranks him fourth all-time at the Academy.

It was through mutual water polo friends that Brandon and Katherine met in 2007. Katherine graduated that same year and immediately took an assistant coach position with the team. Brandon was also a volunteer assistant coach for UC Davis.

"It's one of those things that we can always do together, whether it's with our kids someday, or just now with us playing in a tournament," Brandon said. "It's fun to share that with each other."

When Katherine first met Brandon she knew at some point he would be leaving for his military duties and her collegiate coaching career would take a break. In October 2010 the California couple moved to Tacoma and Brandon deployed.

"I feel fortunate and lucky to be in Washington," Katherine said. "I think of it as an adventure where you go somewhere new and don't know anyone."

The Shroyers have found there are plenty of athletic opportunities at JBLM and the surrounding communities.

Katherine recently competed in the JBLM installation swim championships where she had four first-place individual finishes and two first-place relay finishes. Brandon was set to compete in the championship, but was on a flight mission in Germany.

Their water polo scrimmages have helped them work out in preparation for JBLM's Triple Threat Triathlon Series that starts June 16. Katherine ran in the St. Patty's Day run on post March 17 to get in running shape and the couple bought bikes last spring in anticipation for their first triathlon together.

The opportunities have helped the Shroyers become more settled in their new community.

"It's always tough to make friends outside of the military just because that's the focal point of your life," Brandon said. "It's a really nice release to get away and not be around the Air Force for a little while."