When David Hasegan was in eighth grade, he had an important decision to make. Where was he going to play high school water polo?

Hasegan, a Huron High School senior and native of water polo-obsessed Hungary, moved to the United States with is family when he was 13 and was not living in a water polo-playing community.

After attending John Page Middle School in Madison Heights, he and his parents looked to move to an area where he could put his water polo abilities to good use.

“We wanted a good team, but we also didn’t want to move that far. Rockford was the No. 1 team in the state, but it was much too far away,” Hasegan recalls.

Close behind in the standings were Huron and Pioneer.

“They were both great programs and not too far away,” says Hasegan. “Ultimately, I just gelled better with the players and the coaching from Huron.”

It’s a decision he has not regretted. Hasegan is the only starter remaining from Huron’s 2008 state championship team and was a first team all-state regular season and tournament selection in 2009.

“The last four years have been the best of my life,” Hasegan says.

Hasegen’s journey to the top of the water polo playing heap in Michigan has been a long and unconventional one. He started playing water polo in his native Hungary when he was 10.

“My mom was a swimmer and my dad was into ball sports, so water polo seemed like a good happy, medium,” Hasegan says.

It didn’t hurt that Hasegen was living in a country that is home to the world’s most decorated national water polo team.

The Hungarian men’s national team has won nine Olympic gold medals, including the last three, and played the most famous water polo game ever in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, a match that inspired the Quentin Tarantino/Lucy Liu-produced documentary “Freedom’s Fury.”

Bringing his Hungarian playing background with him, Hasegen has made big waves at Huron.

“I started younger than most players and had superior coaching when I was young,” he says.

His ability allowed Hasegen to excel in the pool and also made his transition to a new town and school district easier.

“Huron has been great and playing water polo has made my transition much easier,” he said.

After piling up plenty of individual accolades last season, but finishing fourth as a team in the state tournament, Hasegen’s focus is very simple this year.

“It’s all about team at this point,” Hasegan says. “We just want to raise a banner.”

Bob Gross covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by e-mail at bobgross@annarbor.com.