Welcome to the September edition of Water Polo News. As the summer comes to an end it is great to see that more clubs are able to return to pool based training but a concerning number still have no date in sight for when they will be able to return to the pool. A staggering one in five pools may never reopen due to the coronavirus pandemic. The water polo community has been shocked to learn of the indefinite closure of the centre of British Aquatics at Ponds Forge Sheffield.
The great news this past month has been that outdoor pools were allowed to re-open on 11 July, and indoor pools on 25 July. However unfortunately very many pools have not been able to open, and we are conscious that many face financial hardship due to the months of closure and the need to introduce Covid security measures. Despite this, a number of clubs have been able to get back in the pool and that is fantastic news.
June was a strange month starting off with high hopes as we looked forward to swimming pools opening but ending in frustration as it became clear that swimming pools would not re-open on 4 July as initially expected.
However, the water polo community is nothing if not resourceful and it is a great testament to all the players, coaches and volunteers that our athletes have kept training and taken any opportunity to get into the sea,