Emalia Eichelberger says she’s terrible at golf.

But that’s OK because the daughter of a former PGA Tour pro is a first-rate water polo player.

The Punahou senior goalkeeper picked Stanford over UCLA and will play for that storied program next season, and the Olympics could be in her future.

Athletic skills aside, Buffanblu coach Ken Smith says there’s something else Emalia has going for her that sets her apart in the water.

“Lots of players have the physical talent, but it’s the way she approaches everything mentally,” Smith said. “She’s mentally tough and committed to being the best she can be and she’s always been that way. She’s never wavered in her commitment to improving. She’ll be able to play at the next level because of it. She’s regarded as probably the No. 1 (high school) goalie in the nation.”

Eichelberger got a chance to train with the Olympic team for two weeks last summer.

“It was a big eye-opening experience,” she said. “There’s some strong girls and really, really smart girls who are definitely masters of the sport. So, playing with them for two weeks, it was a big growing experience and I definitely got better.”

Eichelberger, 18, loves playing goalie and has been doing it since being introduced to the sport in seventh grade.

“I like that you are more in a leadership role,” she said. “It’s not entirely like a quarterback, but you definitely take a leadership stance and direct the defense and the counterattack.”

The game is not without pain. Eichelberger lost half a tooth recently at practice, when she was hit in the face after a shot by teammate Saki Migliorato ricocheted off the crossbar. Also, during her time with the Olympic team, she suffered a concussion on a shot that hit her head.

“It was a really fun experience, though,” she said of the trip.

As for the tooth, it’s already been fixed by a dentist.

Smith calls her a great communicator on defense and aggressive in her role as goaltender.

“For a goalie, that’s key … you’re getting hit by the ball all the time, and that’s not an easy thing to do,” he said. “And that great mental approach probably came from her family. What is more of a mental thing than being a professional golfer?”

Eichelberger’s father, Dave, won four times on the PGA Tour and six times on the Champions Tour, including the U.S. Senior Open in 1999.

“Can you let go of mistakes? Emalia has the ability to let go and be in the moment like a golfer has to be,” Smith added. “She also initiates what we do on offense and fuels the fast break, and we can take a lot more chances on defense, knowing she’s going to cover for you.”

Eichelberger is also on the Punahou paddling team and calls that “great cross-training” for water polo. She and fellow seniors Saki Migliorato and Natassia Dunn have not lost a water polo match in their time with the Buffanblu, beginning in middle school.

Playing in Greece for the USA Junior National team last summer, Eichelberger thought about her dad while she was in the water in front of big crowds.

“He definitely taught me a lot about the pressure of people watching, and keeping your head in the game,” she said.

Emalia caddied for her father in the 2012 U.S. Senior Open.

“I was so proud that he made the cut,” she said about Dave, 72. “He had been retired from the senior tour for a while. I thought it was going to be a fun, bonding experience and he was going mainly to say hi and have fun with all of his friends and we’d play the pro-am, and the first two days I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m his good-luck charm.’ ”

She never saw famous golfers as stars because she’s known them since she was little. Lunch at home with Gary Player? Done that. Saying hello casually to Tom Watson passing by at the Sony Open while her friend is starstruck. Check.

Smith always knew his goaltender was good, but he had an “a-ha” moment when Eichelberger was named the top goalie of that international tournament in Greece.

“I knew she was good relative to Hawaii and California, but you go to Europe and distinguish yourself there … ,” Smith said. “That’s when I knew she was on track.”

And what does Dave Eichelberger see in his daughter as a water polo player?

“The passion for the game,” he said. “That’s something I really love to see. She’s into it. It was special to see when she realized all of sudden, ‘Maybe I can do something with this.’ It does a lot for your self-confidence. She’s younger than I was when that moment came for me. I didn’t know I could compete nationally until I was 20 or 21. It’s an adrenaline rush. You can feel it, and it’s exciting to see that in Emalia.”

THE HIGH SCHOOL TOP 10

Voted on by coaches and media statewide. First-place votes in parentheses. Ten points for first-place votes, nine for second, etc.

Boys Volleyball

Also receiving votes: Punahou I-AA 8, Waiakea 4, Kalani 2, Waipahu 2.

Baseball

Also receiving votes: Kamehameha-Hawaii 12, ‘Iolani 7, Moanalua 6, St. Francis 1.

Softball

Also receiving votes: Lahainaluna 10, Kamehameha-Hawaii 9, Pearl City 6, Waiakea 4, Aiea 3, Pac-Five 3, Kealakehe 2, Mid-Pacific 2.