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HARD GRAFT FOR GB PLAYERS IN OZ (may 2010)
After playing in the Australian National League over recent months, seven members of the Great Britain men’s squad returned home in time for the Europeans in Romania. They are:
Lancaster’s Glen Robinson and Alex Parsonage, who played for Fyfe Adelaide Jets.
Jack Waller (Invicta) and Jake Vincent (Rotherham & Solihull), of VICI Brisbane Barracudas, where their host was manager Phil Howden, former Sutton & Cheam and GB captain, whose elder son Rhys played for Australia in the Beijing Olympics and younger son BJ is captain of the national under-18 team.
Mike Bourne (Manchester) - Fremantle Mariners
Scott Carpenter (Lancaster) - Victoria Tigers
Rob Parker (Cheltenham) - UNSW Wests Magpies
The GB players are all very grateful that they were able to gain such a great experience playing for their “new” clubs in what is a highly competitive Australian League, with considerable demands on training and fitness levels. A typical day for some included an early morning 5,000-metre swim and an hour and a half of gym and weights followed by training sessions in the evening or local games.
Some of the GB lads were allowed to join the State training sessions, adding to the training regime. Some even found time to help finance the trip with part-time work – labouring on a building site in 40 degrees!
The Australian League starts at the beginning of February. GB players were available for an average 18 of the season’s 22 matches before returning for the European ‘A’ qualifiers. Those in the top six ranking clubs after the first phase are returning to Australia for the play-offs after the Oradea venture.
The Australian League comprises men’s and women’s divisions running in parallel and all play the same team at the same venue on the same day. Clubs each have several commercial sponsors; the distance between venues makes the costs for both men’s and women’s teams significant – an away game can involve a six-hour flight.
The National league itself has six lead national sponsors, underlining what a professional organisation it has become.
Most games are over “four-day weekends” (away trips are known as road trips, although usually by air). Some can involve six consecutive days of games – very tiring, but wonderful experience for those with pending international commitments.
For the first time this year, some matches were televised live and broadcast online for a fee of five Australian dollars (£3). Click on www.australianwaterpolo.com.au for more information about Australian water polo.
GALLANT GB LOSE OUT TO NETHERLANDS
Great Britain gave a strong performance in the final match of the European Championship qualifiers in Oradea, Rumania (2 May) but went down to a third defeat - 8-6 against the Netherlands.
This followed a 17-5 loss to powerful Romania, then an 11-5 defeat at the hands of Russia. Romania and Russia join qualifiers from two other groups - Spain, Turkey, Macedonia and Greece - at the Eueropan A Championships in Zagreb, Croatia (29 August to 11 September).
In the women's European qualifers, GB defeated Czech Republic 17-7 but miss qualification after defeats by Greece (14-4) and the Netherlands (5-11).
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S LEAGUES AGREE HISTORIC MERGER
National Water Polo League and National Women's Polo League delegates agreed at meetings on 24 January to merge the competitions and launch a new organisation - the British Water Polo League.
A 10-strong shadow board - featuring five representatives from each league - has been formed to oversee the transition period leading to the historic first annual meeting of the BWPL in May.
The new name has been approved by the Boards of British Swimming and the ASA.
NWPL and NWWPL league programmes will continue to run under existing rules in 2010. By September 2011, the new organisation will be fully integrated.
David Andrews, the NWPL's new chairman (see below), said: "Merger of the country's two premier league competitions represents a watershed for the sport. Throughout the lengthy discussions that took place in advance of this decision, the objective of all concerned has been to represent the best interests of member clubs and to help build a better future for British water polo."
Judi Clayton, secretary of the NWWPL, said: "We very much look forward to working with NWPL and pooling the strengths of both organisations. Merger is a vital step forward for water polo - it is important to demonstrate for the first time that the men's and women's games in the UK are working together in a single, open organisation."
Merger will mean the dissolution of the NWPL, which was formed in 1962 by eight clubs and now has 36 teams. The same applies to the NWWPL, which began in 1987 and has steadily expanded to feature 28 teams.
TOP DIVISION CUT TO EIGHT (january 2010)
Delegates at the NWPL annual meeting agreed a reorganisation plan that will see four main divisions each of eight clubs established after the 2010 season.
It will mean the bottom two teams in what is now a 10-club top men's division automatically dropping down a level in the new British Water Polo League.
Clubs finishing below the top 32 next season go down into a feeder division in 2011 that will also involve new applicants.
The precise details of how the 2011 programme will be organised - to include play-offs after 2010 - is to be decided after a consultation period during which clubs are invited to comment on the best way forward.
SUTTON STALWART TAKES OVER AS NWPL CHAIRMAN
David Andrews, the new chairman of the National League, has spent all his water polo career with the Sutton & Cheam club. In the early 1980s, he was a member of the Sutton team captained by international Phil Howden that twice won the National League title.
These days, David is well known to everyone associated with the NWPL as the hard-working competition co-ordinator. But he is also a past-chairman of the London Regional Water Polo Committee and a current member of the London League executive committee.
At Sutton, he is a club vice-president and has been chief water polo coach for the past ten years, focusing much of his efforts on development of the club's highly successful junior section.
David succeeds Steve Monico, who was chairman for eight years but has been associated with the NWPL for more than 30 years as a member of the Bedford club. Steve's retirement was marked by the award of NWPL life membership.
At the annual meeting, tributes were paid to Dr Mike Clark, who retired as treasurer after no less than 31 years in the job. He is succeeded by international referee Mike Jukes.
PENGUIN SURVIVE PLAY-OFF CHALLENGE
West London Penguin retained their place in the National League top flight when they defeated Division Two runners-up Polytechnic 13-7 in the play-off at Loughborough University (12 December).
But Birkenhead, founder members of the league in 1962, dropped into Division Three for the first time when they were beaten 11-8 in a play-off - also at Loughborough - against this season's Division Three runners-up, University of Bristol.
The University, under the experienced guidance of ex-GB coach Mark Taylor, will move up to Division Two for the first time. It was only a year ago that they earned promotion from Division Four by beating Ealing in a play-off.
For more details about the play-offs, click on the Division One, Two and Three news pages.
sutton WIN PROMOTION
National League founder members Sutton & Cheam will return to the top flight next season after clinching the Division Two title at the University of Bath (28/29 November).
Sutton needed three points at the start of the weekend to make sure of top spot and to leave Polytechnic in second place. With ex-Hungarian international Gergely Fulop in dazzling form - he contributed no less than 17 goals - they defeated Leeds 18-6 and Sheffield 11-5.
WARLEY TRIUMPH IN PLAY-OFF
Warley retained their Division Three status when they defeated Ealing - runners-up in Division Three - 19-14 in the play-off at Walsall (13 December).
Ealing led 13-12 at the start of the final period but were then hit by a seven-goal blitz by the Midlands side, including a hat-trick by Nick Covington, who scored a total of seven goals.
Exeter made sure of the Division Four title at Walsall (5/6 December) by winning all three matches in a championship "mini league" that also involved Ealing, Grantham and Worthing.
MBE FOR MAVIS
Congratulations to Mavis Bent, of Tyldesley Swimming and Water Polo Club, who was awarded the MBE in the 2010 Queen’s New Year Honours List for services to the community and swimming and water polo in Greater Manchester.
Mavis has been a Tyldesley member for 35 years and president since 1996. Her many achievements on behalf of Tyldesley include gaining coaching qualifications, taking the club into the National League in 1988 and fighting the closure of the local pool (twice, and on-going).
Without doubt, her first love is water polo and she has worked tirelessly at Tyldesley and in the region to promote the sport, sitting on committees and organising competitions throughout the North West.
Mavis is the first to acknowledge that she has had the support of many individuals past and present in order to achieve this prestigious honour - a testament to her modesty and outlook as an individual.
She first became involved when, like most parents, she took her children to the local swimming club to learn to swim. It wasn’t long before son Colin showed promise at water polo, culminating in England and GB junior international honours.
Always looking to the future, a good junior set-up was established throughout the club and ultimately more junior and senior international players were produced.
Since Tyldesley entered the National League, Mavis has missed only one AGM - through ill health. As other delegates will testify, she has been both supportive and vocal on numerous issues, not just on Tyldesley’s behalf but for the wider benefit of the water polo community and clubs.
Tyldesley team manager Alan Cowburn said: “If anyone epitomises what Tyldesley Swimming & Water Polo Club is about, it is Mavis. Like the rest of us, she isn’t always right, but you can’t discount either her wealth of experience or her passion for water polo.
"There is no doubt there are a lot of volunteers who,like Mavis, have put in many years of effort and are probably just as deserving an award. However, I believe everyone involved locally and nationally will be pleased to see someone involved with water polo being recognised in this way."
SOLIHULL WITHDRAW FROM NATIONAL LEAGUE (november 09)
Solihull have announced their resignation from the National League after the end of the current season.
The Midlands club have suffered a couple of difficult years following the closure of their pool and the subsequent loss of several senior players. Prior to those setbacks, Solihull twice almost clinched promotion to Division One, narrowly losing end-of-season play-offs after finishing runners-up in Division Two to Otter in 2006 and Invicta the following year.
Solihull chairman Mike Beard said: "The club's philosophy has always been to develop our own players rather than recruiting from elsewhere and we are now in a situation where we need to re-group and develop a new men's senior team.
"As the person responsible for junior development I am delighted to report that we have a full squad of players aged 14 and under, with continuing interest shown by young swimming members of the club. There is also a full squad of dedicated women players.
"So water polo at Solihull is alive, well and has a bright future. Sadly, however, while the development process is taking place, we believe it is sensible for us to withdraw from playing member of the National League with effect from 2010."
VICKI'S STAR SHOW IN MOSCOW (october 09)
Playing international water polo AND refereeing at National League level is quite a challenge - but Vicki Hawkins, the NWPL's only female official, takes it all in her stride.
Within hours of returning from playing for GB in a four-team international tournament in Moscow, she was busy taking charge of matches in Division Four at Marlborough College, Wiltshire (25 October).
GB, incidentally, finished second - and Vicki brought home a trophy as a result of being voted the tournament's best defender.
Congratulations, Vicki!
AMBITIOUS BIRMINGHAM SEEK NEW COACH (november 09)
National League Division Three club City of Birmingham, in conjunction with Birmingham City Council, are seeking to appoint a new coach for their senior men’s team.
The polo club operate as part of the Swim21-accredited City of Birmingham Swimming Club, which formed in the early 1980s and has sent at least one swimmer, directly or indirectly, to every Olympics since 1984.
David Giess, head of the polo section, said the new appointment would be “another step in the right direction and part of the bigger development plan.”
The City of Birmingham team originally entered the National League in 1986. This followed a rebranding involving the Nechells club, which had played in Divisions Two and Three between 1969 and 1985.
Birmingham competed for nine seasons before dropping out but then re-formed and re-entered in 2006, winning promotion from Division Four the following year.
The club have a strong record of male and female junior development, excelling in ASA national junior competitions. Two youngsters – Kathryn Fowler and Morgan Hirsch – have played for GB age group teams, with Morgan as national captain. For more information about the coaching appointment, contact Phil Lucas, pxl745@bham.ac.uk.
GB beaten in Euro semi-final
Great Britain's superb run in the European B Men's Championships in Lugano came to a disappointing halt when they crashed 15-6 to eventual champions Turkey in the semi-final.
Then GB went down 9-4 to the Netherlands - the side they had beaten 8-7 in the first round of the tournament - in the match to decide third and fourth place.
France beat the Netherlands 9-4 in their semi-final but then lost out 8-5 to Turkey.
GB still go through to the next qualifying stage of the European Championships. All in all, this has been a brilliant achievement by a squad who have battled on and retained a great team spirit despite a severe reduction in financial support.
TALKS BEGIN WITH VIEW TO MERGER OF LEAGUES (sept 09)
The National Water Polo League and National Women’s Water Polo League are in the preliminary stages of debating a possible historic merger at the start of the 2010 season.
Representatives of both leagues – chairman Steve Monico and general secretary Chris Ducker, of the NWPL, and secretary Judi Clayton and Gordon Dacre, of the NWWPL – agreed in principle to the idea at a recent meeting in Nottingham.
Since then, at its meeting in Oxford on 18 August, the committee of the men’s competition agreed unanimously to support the principle and to set up a sub-committee to investigate the considerable detail of how it would evolve from an NWPL perspective.
The committee of the women’s league has also now backed the idea.
Steve Monico explained: “Our very positive meeting with Judi and Gordon was prompted initially by the NWWPL and based very much on some of the frustrations we all share about the direction water polo is taking in this country.
“We are also both aware, of course, that the recent ASA proposal for a Super League would have a significant impact on the men’s and women’s competitions.
“It must be stressed that the merger proposal is very much at the preliminary stage. Both leagues need to consult their memberships and, if appropriate, to seek approval at annual meetings or special general meetings.
“However, I have no doubt that the combination of the UK’s two well-established, premier league competitions would potentially be of huge benefit to water polo from grass roots level upwards and therefore help to provide a base from which the sport can enjoy a more prosperous future.”
Judi Clayton said: “If the membership of both leagues are in agreement, I believe that merger could be achieved smoothly because currently both competitions are organised along very similar lines.
“The potential benefits are huge – not least, in giving us a more powerful voice in dealings with the ASA and British Swimming. Other key advantages include an improvement in the prospects of attracting major sponsorship, the opportunity for centralised appointment of officials and perhaps a sharing of venues for the staging of men’s and women’s league matches.”
The men’s league was founded in 1962 by eight clubs. The women’s competition played its first matches in 1988, when seven teams were involved.
If you wish to comment on the merger idea for publication on this website, please contact chris.ducker@nwpl.co.uk.
sUPER LEAGUE – IT’S AN “ASPIRATION”, SAYS ASA (sept 09)
A recent presentation to the ASA Technical Water Polo Committee proposing the creation of a Super League raised issues of considerable concern for the National League and its member clubs.
Not only did the proposal envisage running in direct competition to the NWPL (between September and December), it also indicated that a start would be made “by 2011”. In both instances, the impact on the NWPL would have been formidable and far-reaching.
Craig Nicholson (ASA Discipline Development Co-ordinator) and Norman Leighton (ASA Talent Development Officer – Water Polo), who developed the Super League plan on behalf of the ASA, recently invited National League chairman Steve Monico and general secretary Chris Ducker to hear a presentation regarding the project.
The NWPL’s concerns were explained. And Craig and Norman have now released this statement:
“Following meetings with key people and partners around the formation of a Super League for water polo, it is felt that this is an ‘aspiration’ for the sport to have once the correct structures are in place.
“A result of this is that the original date indicated in the proposal to introduce the Super League by 2011 is unlikely. However, when the decision is taken to introduce the Super League, it will be done in consultation with the key people and partners to ensure a smooth introduction of the league.
“The ASA, in proposing the development of a Super League, is looking at providing additional high-quality competition for clubs and their players and, after consultation with key people and partners, the proposed Super League is anticipated to complement the current National League format.
“This will mean identifying an appropriate time in the water polo calendar – e.g. January – March.”
The Super League, according to the original proposal, will comprise eight teams based on franchises, which will underpin the development of “sustainable clubs” – now termed “pathway clubs”.
Craig and Norman explain: “A business model is currently being developed for the pathway club to address the long-term sustainability of the clubs. Areas are being identified around the country where potential pathway clubs could be developed, some of which may be linked with the ASA beacon programmes – for example, Crystal Palace.”
Other features of the Super League proposal include:
• Television coverage will be a key to its successful launch
• TV exposure will also help clubs develop two key income streams – sponsorship and match receipts (matches to be staged on a home and away basis)
• Each club will need to establish partnerships with leisure providers, local authorities, higher education establishments
• Each club will employ a professional coach
Steve Monico said: “The meeting with Craig and Norman was extremely useful in allaying some of our understandable concerns regarding the potential introduction of a new competition. It was also gratifying to hear that the ASA regards the National League as an extremely well-run organisation which plays a key role in the development of water polo in this country.”
If you wish to comment on the Super League proposal for publication on the website, please email chris.ducker@nwpl.co.uk.
funding crisis in focus at bbc (August 09)
Water polo's funding problems were highlighted recently when City of Leeds’ Jim Roxburgh was interviewed by BBC Radio Leeds.
Jim suggested that the 75 per cent cut in funding for GB – and the possibility of a team not entering the 2012 Olympics – created a situation serious enough to place the sport in danger of dying out in this country.
"If we don't take part in these Olympics, I think a lot of the sport will be dead,” he said. "If we can be in the London Olympics and the sport be seen and the funding carry on after, I think we've got a good possibility of doing very well in the subsequent Games."
Jim said the funding crisis made it very difficult for promising youngsters to progress and shine. "The younger age groups of the GB teams are performing at high standards, much higher than they have done for a number of years. But all of that is in question if you don't have the funding and that's the situation at the moment.
"A lot of promise, a lot of potential but it could all be wasted if there's no money there."
Leeds goalkeeper Shaun Greatorex, who plays for the GB junior men, said the level of personal investment being made by the players was not being matched. "I've had to pay £600 to play for Great Britain and that's along with another 25 lads – not really the ideal situation."
MANCHESTER STRUGGLE IN LEN TROPHY (oct 09)
A 6-3 win over De Paredes, of Portugal, was City of Manchester's only success when they travelled to Split, Croatia (23-25 October) for the 2009/2010 LEN Trophy competition.
Manchester lost 20-3 to Szegedi VE (Hungary), 16-4 to Dinamo Moscow (Russia), 26-6 to host club Jadran Split and 7-4 to PVK Val Prcanj (Montenegro).
DAVE STANDS BY! (SEPTEMBER 09)
Match secretary David Boot (pictured) almost made it into the National League record books when he lined up for his home club Solihull against Birmingham in Division Three at Ponds Forge, Sheffield - at the age of 72!
Solihull were short of players on day two at the Sheffield tournament (13 September) and so Dave - his player registration unquestioned - agreed to sit on the bench just in case his team were further depleted by exclusions.
Slightly to his relief, that wasn't necessary. So a record of being the oldest player actually to play in the NWPL eluded him.
Solihull, relegated last season from Division Two, lost all three matches at Ponds Forge. However, it was good to see Simon Pemberton back in action for the club after recovering from an accident in which he suffered a badly broken leg.
Photo: Mike Coles
MARGETTS BROTHERS JOIN EXETER (June '09)
Exeter City are clearly determined to make an impression in their first season back in the National League after a break of ten years.
The club have boosted their squad by recruiting the deadly goal-scoring duo of Steve and Andy Margetts, who of course last season helped Swindon Dolphin win promotion to Division Three. In fact, Steve was once again the top marksman in Division Four, with 91.
The Margetts' move means they join their nearest "home" club, where their experience is already proving a considerable boost to Exeter's many talented youngsters.
Also involved in Exeter's new NWPL campaign are coach Chris Waller, who guided the successful 1990s team, and Phil Sydenham, who was the main pit-forward in that side. Our picture shows Phil in the centre with Andy Margetts (left) and his brother, Steve.
GB JUNIORS SEEK SUPPORT FROM NWPL CLUBS (May '09)
Following the major cuts in funding for GB men's water polo, a committee has been formed to help ensure that the national junior squad of promising 91s continues to function.
The youngsters will be competing against clubs placed sixth to tenth in the second phase of the 2009 NWPL Division One programme - financed to a major extent by parents and supporters.
But, of course, there is also no longer any funding to pay for squad training, which in the past has taken place in Walsall and Manchester.
So the junior committee are asking clubs from Division One and Two of the NWPL to help out by inviting the squad for a day's training on a Saturday or Sunday, plus a practice match and/or a mini tournament.
"In return for paying pool hire, the host club would benefit from a top class training session and good work-out with the best under-19s in the nation," explained committee member Simon Martin.
He added: "Our aim is to keep the boys together at all costs and to help those players who find things hard financially. It is essential that the team continues to operate on the basis of ability."
Please contact Simon at simonmartin63@tiscali.co.uk.
The NWPL would be pleased to hear from anyone prepared to help the juniors with sponsorship. Contact NWPL general secretary Chris Ducker at chris.ducker@nwpl.co.uk.
GB's DOUBLE TRIUMPH (June '09)
After all the trials and tribulations of recent months, Great Britain men's water polo received a massive boost with victory at the Mithat Hantel Memorial Tournament in Istanbul.
GB defeated Ukraine 14-10, drew with hosts Turkey and then edged out France 7-6 in the gold medal decider - the first success against the French for a number of years.
The result gives the squad tremendous encouragement as they prepare for the European B Men's Championship in Lugano, Switzerland, from 5-13 September, where GB are in the same group as the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Georgia and Malta. Ukraine, Turkey and France are in the other group with Belarus, Denmark and Slovenia.
Referee Tad Deko, of Lancaster, is one of the officials at the event.
GB enjoyed more success when an understrength team took part in a tournament hosted by the Polish Federation.
The competition began badly when GB squandered a first period lead of 5-nil against Kazakhstan and eventually lost 9-7. GB fared much better in two matches against Poland, winning 12-7 and 10-8. Then they faced Kazakhstan for a second time and pulled off a fine 9-7 revenge victory.
It meant that GB finished joint first with Kazahkstan but missed the tournament title on goal difference.
RAF MAKE IT FIVE IN A ROW (July '09)
The RAF are celebrating a fifth consecutive Inter-Services title - providing excellent encouragement before tackling the NWPL Division Four programme in September.
There was plenty of National League interest at this year's tournament, held at HMS Temeraire, Portsmouth. Norman Leighton, of Rotherham, coached the winning side while Michael Whiteley, who plays his National League polo for City of Sheffield, skippered the RAF and was one of the competition's leading goalscorers.
The Army, coached by Bristol Central's Rhys Tamlyn, provided the RAF's first opposition. This was a close match in which the result was in doubt until Whiteley claimed three of his four goals in the fourth quarter to produce a final margin of 12-9.
On day two, the Army beat the Navy 10-7, which meant the Navy could still claim the title if they beat the RAF by four clear goals. This seemed possible in the first period when the Navy built a 3-0 lead. However, a stern Leighton team talk helped transform the match and eventually the RAF triumphed 12-5.
DAMIEN'S NEW ROLE (April '09)
NWPL officers will include two new, young members following the annual meeting - international referee Damien Taylor, who takes over as officials' co-ordinator, and Rohan Monico, son of chairman Steve Monico, who becomes assistant secretary.
Damien succeeds Jim Dalley, who stood down after five years' service due to heavy work commitments.
Remaining officers of the league were all re-elected. The new Division Four representative is Nick Ludford, of City of Cambridge, while David Quinlivan, of Swindon Dolphin, moves up to the Division Three role.
Referee Mike Jukes has been co-opted on to the committee to assist treasurer Mike Clark.
NICK HUME QUITS (march '09)
British water polo has suffered another major blow with the resignation of National Performance Director Nick Hume, who cited the shortfall in funding for the sport through to the 2012 Olympics as a major factor in his decision.
“Following the announcement of funding for water polo through to London 2012, which resulted in a 75 per cent cut of planned investment for the sport, I have been giving my future and the future of the sport careful consideration,” he said.
“I have enjoyed my time with British Swimming and during the last six years the sport has made huge strides. The creation of a full-time water polo programme based in Manchester has enabled the senior men and women’s teams to train professionally for the first time in the sport’s history.
“I hope my decision to step down will give the athletes the best possible chance of success for 2012."
British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes said: “We are disappointed with Nick’s decision to leave water polo at this time. Lack of funding for water polo is a big concern for all of us but we have been making good progress to address the issue. For instance, the recent investment by British Gas will go some way to assist us with funding water polo.
“However, we respect Nick’s decision and we wish him well with his career and thank him for his significant contribution.”
LIFE MEMBERSHIP FOR DAVE BOOT (March '09)
Match secretary David Boot was honoured with life membership of the National League at the 47th annual meeting at Hockley Heath.
David has served for 15 years in one of the league's most demanding roles, overseeing registrations, results - and, season by season, producing a most comprehensive statistical summary covering all divisions.
He becomes the NWPL's sixth life member. The others are Stephen Baker and Howard Cartwright, who both served as chairman and secretary; current treasurer Dr Mike Clark; former secretary and treasurer Roger Hargreaves; and Philip Jones, the founder secretary who was also chairman between 1976 and 1982.
MANCHESTER CLINCH BUCS CROWN (March '09)
Manchester clinched the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) men's title at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, beating previous champions Bristol 9-6 in the championship decider.
In earlier matches, Manchester defeated Cardiff 20-5 and Edinburgh 13-4. Other results: Cardiff 8 Bristol 6, Edinburgh 4 Bristol 6, Cardiff 9 Edinburgh 9.
In the women's senior competition, Birmingham were champions, recovering from 8-3 down to defeat runners-up Loughborough 12-10.
'FRIENDS' LAUNCH FUNDING INITIATIVE (February '09)
Friends of Water Polo have announced the launch (on 7 February) of a fund-raising initiative aimed at ensuring GB men – as well as GB women – take part in the London Olympics in 2012.
A statement by the Friends says: “We have been asked by David Sparkes (Chief Executive, British Swimming) to concentrate our efforts on providing funding for the players to enable them to remain within the high performance programme in Manchester.
“To fully fund the athletes of both squads will amount to approximately £250,000 per annum.
“The board of British Swimming have decided to give priority to the women’s squad but the aim of British Swimming remains to have both teams in London 2012. With only £1.45 million allocated to water polo, this is still insufficient to prepare one team, let alone two.
“Friends of Water Polo have been given a target of £100,000 for this year. However, we need at least £250,000 to allow both programmes to survive and stand any chance of meeting the performance criteria.
“This amount will buy us time and allow other ASA-driven funding streams to bear fruit. In addition, there is still a hope that UK Sport will be able to provide additional funds as 2012 approaches. It is important we keep the squads in training – and competitive – during this very difficult period.”
The Friends have set a target of generating 100 founding members willing to donate £1000. The launch takes place during the GB Championships at Manchester Aquatics Centre. For more information, click on www.friendsofwaterpolo.co.uk.
GB POLO FUNDING (January '09)
On 22 December, the Daily Mail highlighted the current funding crisis threatening the future of the National Performance Centre and regional centres – and, therefore, GB’s prospects of taking part in the 2012 Olympics – in a splendid article by the newspaper’s Olympics correspondent, Neil Wilson.
Many of you will be aware that GB recently entered the FINA World League and drew home and away matches early in 2009 against three of most powerful nations – Montenegro, Italy and Romania. The entry has now been cancelled on financial grounds.
Here, we reproduce Neil Wilson’s article in full. It was headlined "Funding Crisis Sees London 2012 Polo Hopes Washed Away".
For 19-year-old Sean King, it will mean the end of his Olympic dream. For team captain Craig Figes, aged 30, the end of his international career.
For performance director Nick Hume and head coach Jerome Read, it may mean looking for new jobs.
A decision by UK Sport's board not to allocate realistic funding to eight Olympic and four Paralympic sports has had an immediate and catastrophic effect on the lives of 32 young water polo players and their coaches.
Even before UKS meet again on January 29 to decide how much of a consolation pot of £12 million each will receive, British Swimming, water polo's governing body, have moved to cancel 90 per cent of its Olympic squad's competitive programme next year.
Britain's men have been pulled out of the World League, just when they had been invited to make their debut in a powerful grouping of Italy, Montenegro and Romania. Every other international match planned has been scrapped.
There are fears that the High Performance Centre at Manchester and the regional centres will be closed after March and Great Britain training sessions curtailed because pool hire will be too expensive under the minimal funding which is likely.
Young players who signed one-year contracts for student homes to next July when they moved to join the squad in Manchester now fear they will not be able to pay their rent if their £600-a-month grants are ended.
'We just don't know where we are, nobody does,' says King, promoted to the senior squad in the autumn. 'There's a lot of fear about. Some moved homes and families to Manchester to be part of the squad.
'Some, like me, chose a university in Manchester to be on the squad. Now everything's been cancelled except a training camp in Italy next month which had already been paid for. If the worst happens, I'll finish my degree in 2010 and go abroad to play in a professional league. A couple of guys have already been invited to Italy. But it'll mean the end of our Olympic dream.
'I'm not saying we'd have won a medal in 2012 but, given the training time we've had for the past couple of years, we'd have performed creditably.'
Parents and supporters are so desperate to keep the programme alive that, at a meeting at Millfield School last weekend, they decided to try to enlist the help of former players such as Prince William and Max Clifford. They are talking of each paying monthly into a fund to finance Britain's Olympic programme. 'We have to do something. It can't end here,' says Sean's father David.
Figes, Britain's team captain, abandoned a professional career in Spain to join the programme two years ago. He moved with his girlfriend to Manchester and took a part-time teaching job to fund himself.
'There's lot of guys in debt, with contracts on accommodation they won't be able to afford and little chance of finding work in the present climate,' he says. 'At my age, I probably wouldn't have still been around in 2012 but, if this squad had been able to keep training as hard as it has until then, it would have done a decent job.
'Everybody's under huge stress. We heard about the funding problem a while ago and expected 10-15 per cent in cuts. But now, even if we get an even slice of what's left, it will be a 70 per cent cut and that won't even fund the hire of training pools.
'Several young players will get offered professional contracts in Europe but it's hypocritical to expect other countries to finance our Olympic preparations.'
Whatever UKS decide, Figes thinks it is too late because of the cancellation of the year's competitions. 'Even if we got money, we'll have lost a year. It'll be like we have to start all over again. You can't do that so close to the Olympics.'
Water polo supporters are encouraged to add their comments to the Mail website.
'FRIENDS’ GIVE CASH-STRAPPED GB POLO NEW HOPE (January '08)
Friends of Water Polo, an organisation launched in December 2008 to step up the battle to ensure GB participation in the London Olympics, have already made spectacular progress – and received literally hundreds of messages of support.
In the first few days, lobbying led to an excellent article by Daily Mail Olympics correspondent Neil Wilson (see general news page). This explains the financial crisis affecting the sport and how it impacts on prospects for 2012.
The Friends have now gone live with a new website, www.friendsofwaterpolo.co.uk. Other actions include:
*Securing a meeting with UK Sport officials on 16 January to discuss the crisis.
*Organising a petition to 10 Downing Street with the aim of gathering 10,000 signatures. To add your name, click on http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/WaterPolo2012/
*Outlining the Friends’ objectives and current progress in a special presentation to delegates at the NWPL annual meeting on 11 January.
Immediate aims of the group are to build a campaign which ensures that GB men’s and women’s teams are able to compete in three years’ time; and to investigate ways of creating significant new fund-raising for the sport.
The Friends are particularly concerned at the plight of young athletes who committed themselves to full-time training at the National High Performance Centre in Manchester – in many cases making considerable personal, social, financial and academic sacrifices – and now see their Olympic dream under threat from “savage” cuts in funding.
“The Games in London offer the unique opportunity of a wild card entry as host nation," say The Friends. "This will provide the impetus for a legacy beyond 2012 and the continued renaissance of the sport. To hold an Olympic water polo competition in London without GB teams being represented would be a tragedy given the history and tradition of British water polo.”
EX-GB STAR HITS THE HEADLINES (AUGUST '09)
The Times newspaper recently reported the police hunt for former Great Britain water polo captain Mick Hale after hundreds of investors accused him of disappearing with their life savings.
Hale, now 60, was a star player with GB and Walsall's National League team in the late 1960s and 1970s.
The Times revealed that he vanished from his luxurious home in South Africa, where he ran an apparently successful asset management company that was popular with British expatriates. "At least 20 million rand (£1.55 million) has been reported missing from the accounts at MJCM Insurance Brokers, including the savings of his wife and brother-in-law," the report states.
For the full story, click on
www.timesonline.co.uk/to1/news/world/africa/article6735316
