FRIENDLY FIRE—Thousand Oaks High junior Sammi Hain, right, puts up a shot over 2006 TOHS graduate Katie Buckley during the program’s alumni game on Saturday at the school’s pool. IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers So this is what team bonding is all about.

Returning varsity players on the Thousand Oaks High girls’ water polo team “kidnapped” new teammates at 4:30 a.m. last Saturday, treated them to breakfast at Denny’s . . . and then humiliated them.

As part of the initiation, the younger players were subjected to wearing ludicrous outfits, including a flapper dress with torn leggings, Onesies pajamas and a human-sized whoopee cushion.

They wore funny hats and had makeup smeared over their faces and bodies.

It wasn’t over yet.

The girls, who looked like extras in a Frank Zappa musical, sang “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to fans before the program’s alumni game.

“It’s a good day,” said senior utility Amanda Causey. “It’s all in good fun.”

It’s certainly less degrading than what Causey had to go through last year as a newcomer.

“We had to walk around at school with signs that said ‘Varsity Property,’” she said.

“When we saw varsity players, we had to bow down and say, ‘We’re not worthy!’”

Wayne and Garth would not approve.

This year’s Lancers certainly get approval from the coaches.

“I love this group of girls. They’re super hard workers, and they’ve improved in the four or five months I’ve been here,” said Daisy Fish, a first-year co-coach and 2004 TOHS graduate.

“We have a lot of untapped potential.”

Thousand Oaks, 5-3 overall and 1-1 in the Marmonte League, resume league action Thurs., Jan. 7 against Westlake at home.

TOHS plays host to San Marcos on Jan. 5.

Senior utility Lauren Barnett, one of the fastest swimmers on the team, is a three-year varsity player.

Barnett wants the Lancers, who finished third in the Marmonte last season, to continue working on shooting accuracy and communication in the pool.

“We’ve been training harder than any year before,” she said. “We’re getting in physical and mental shape.”

Causey, who started playing water polo as a sophomore, is enjoying her senior season.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “We’ll have a stronger team once we work the kinks out.”

Senior teammate Kathryn Irwin also started playing water polo in high school. She found out that her skills in the pool will help her at Princeton—where she’ll be on the crew team.

“I’ve never done it before,” Irwin said of rowing. “I’ve taken a couple lessons. It seems fun.”

Irwin said her height—she’s 5-foot-11—and conditioning— she’s a strong distance swimmer—made her attractive to the Tigers in a different sport.

Junior 2-meter defender/driver Sammi Hain, junior goalie Monique Karidis and sophomore 2-meter defender Hannah Andrews are returning varsity players.

Barnett, Irwin and senior outside shooter/driver Olivia Knizek are captains.

Fish said junior 2-meter offense Emily Pinsky and leading scorer has been one of the most improved players.

Brittany Bokobza, another junior, shares time at goalkeeper with Karidis.

“They are, by far, two of the best goalies in the league,” Fish said, “and they’re getting better each week.”

Juniors Sami Peters and Eleni Misthos are 2-meter defenders.

Senior Micaela Nino, junior Morgan Engle and freshman Nicole Kudlinski, all drivers, round out the roster.

Mike Giles, who has coached aquatics at TOHS for seven years, is pleased to work with a coaching staff that features Raquel Karidis, Andrea Cochran, Lauren O’Brien and Rachel Davis.

“For me, this is the best staff I’ve ever had at Thousand Oaks,” Giles said. “The coaches add such a great dimension to the girls’ program.”

Karidis, a former Lancer and UC Santa Barbara goalie, guides the frosh-soph team and works with goalies at all levels. O’Brien works with the varsity and JV squads. Cochran, a 2006 Royal grad, assists Karidis with the youngest athletes.

“I love being at my alma mater,” Karidis said. “It’s a good group of girls. Everyone looks out for each other. It’s not just a sport, but it’s a part of their identity.”