NATIONAL TEAMS CALENDAR 2004 by Mark Vincenti, GB Top Squad Assistant Team Manager

The GB Water Polo Top Squad is a long term association 'contract' between the ASFGB and our best players.  It offers the 'Best of British' players the chance to meet regularly and raise their standard of fitness and techniques.

Not only does British Water Polo improve as a whole, but there is also a direct read across from the players to their clubs, which will obviously
benefit from any improvements in their players.

In terms of selection, TOP Squad players are balanced between current internationals and younger players with potential to break into the top team
in the next couple of years.  Currently we have players down to 'born 88' training with us.  This mix is vitally important, as we have both short-term
and longer-term aspirations for our polo. The GB Top Squad has been training together for since February in Manchester (Varley Street and Aquatic Centre) and Walsall, with attendance levels at the sessions being in the mid-30s.

In terms of our aspirations, the Tops Squad is not a short-term polo squad aiming only for performance in 2004, but rather we have our sights on the
Commonwealth Games in 2006 and 2010 (both the English and Scottish players) and the European B Championships in 2007.

Having said this, we do have shorter-term aims, the most important of which is the Junior Men's European Water Polo Qualifying Competition in France in May for the 85s. We wish this Junior GB team every success at this competition, as qualification brings with it a trip to Malta in September
for the European Championships.

The next training session is in Manchester over Easter (no Scottish players who will be away in Portugal at an international competition), and then
again at Manchester 29-30 May.

If anyone has any comments or would like further information on GB Top Squad training, please contact Mark Vincenti, the Assistant Team Manager. envelope.gif (852 bytes) mark.vincenti@nwpl.co.uk Mark's address and telephone numbers can be found on the 'Clubs' page under British Armed Forces.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

These news pages are for ALL National League clubs. So if you have an item of interest (new players, tours abroad, injuries or anything else that won’t have lawyers on our backs), please get in touch as soon as possible by emailing envelope.gif (852 bytes) chris.ducker@nwpl.co.uk

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