Our September news is out & what a month August was for GB polo! - September 1, 2017

Welcome to our September news round up for water polo clubs in England.  This has been a busy month with many clubs and groups travelling abroad to experience water polo on the continent.  As well as clearly having a great time, the squads are gaining valuable experience and insight into how water polo is played abroad and those that have entered competitions have enjoyed well-earned success.

Let’s start with the Crystal Palace water polo Beacon program; they took 39 athletes and 5 coaches to Hungary.  As well as catching some of the World Championship final matches in Budapest, they competed in two tournaments.  First up they competed in the Csongrad l.Aeroprodukt International Youth Water Polo Cup on 1^st and 2^nd August.  The girls’ teams secured the Gold and Silver medal positions and the boys the bronze.  They then travelled to Szentes for the 14^th International Diapolo Cup.  This was a very popular event with 40 teams form 18 countries competing. The Girls came first and third and the boys came 4^th.  Excellent performances – very well done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midlands Water Polo also arranged a camp in Hungary.  The squad travelled to Budapest and then on to Eger for 5 days of training including matches against the local teams.  With temperatures up to 40 degrees the athletes were on a steep learning curve both in and out of the pool.  It was no holiday with the athletes up for breakfast at 6.45 am with training during the morning and matches against local teams in the evening.   Over the course of the week the teams worked on tactics and fitness and by the end of the camp the teams had developed beyond all recognition and were playing great polo against some of the world’s best players.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enfield Water Polo travelled to Belgium to participate in a tournament at Blaarmeersen Lake, Ghent and gained the bronze medal. Fab result – well done lads!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINA Masters World Championship

It was great to see that England fielded 3 teams at the FINA Masters World Championships in Budapest.  The English Roses had teams in the women’s 30+ and 45+ age groups and Polytechnic put a team in the men’s 50+ age group.

A huge well done to the mighty English Roses who took the silver in the 45+ age group and came in 4^th in the 30+ age group.  Fantastic results!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polytechnic’s masters finished 8^th in their age group.  This was the first time since 2000 that the club has entered a team in the event.  Well done – we are very proud of your achievement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A huge shout out though for Peggy Etiebet, who helped Italian side Sistemi Intergati Sport Roma win the gold medal in the event overall.  A massive achievement: its great to see our players winning at such a high level.  Very well done Peggy and what an inspiration to those you coach!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Duty

August has seen our GB teams competing on the international stage.  The teams have limited funding and limited time to come together as a team and be competitive.  Never the less they have gone out and done us proud.  Huge congratulations to –

• The 2000 GB Girls who came an amazing 6^th at the LEN European Water Polo Junior Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia.
• The BUCS GB women’s team who came 10^th at the World University Games in Taipei
• The BUCS GB men’s team who came 8^th at the World University Games in Taipei

We are incredibly proud of you all!

So the summer is now coming to an end and we at England Water Polo would like to wish the best to all players who are starting back at university later this month.  Our thoughts are particularly with those who will be travelling to university in America –

• Claire Nixon (Hawaii University)
• Rosie Huck (Arizona State University)
• Megan Clarke (Marist College)
• Kathy Rogers (Michigan University)
• Mhairi Nurthen(Hawaii University)
• Ashley Castle (San Jose State University)

Events

As ever we are pleased forthcoming to advertise events.  Coventry Water Polo Club is holding a free entry event to showcase the sport on Saturday 9^th September.  Do attend if you can – it looks like a fabulous event and you will have the opportunity to meet Sting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, finally, where would we be without our excellent water polo coaches?  Our teams rely on the skill and dedication of the coaches to bring out the best in them.  If you have an aspiration to be a water polo coach, why not go along to Hucknall Leisure Centre on 18^th September to start your training.  If you successfully complete the course you will be awarded a Swim England coaching certificate.  If you would like to pursue this further, please contact Sue Paget via email sue.paget@swimming.org to register your interest (although the ad below says you can book via IOS, you can’t and need to contact Sue via her email).

Well that’s it for this month.  What a month for water polo it has been!  If you have any news about your club that you would like to share please do let me know by emailing me at ah@waterpoloengland.org.

 

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