General News
LANCASTER CHALK UP ANOTHER DOUBLE SUCCESS
National League champions Lancaster completed another double triumph when they defeated Bristol Central 13-7 in the final of the British Championships at Manchester Aquatics Centre (21 Feburary).
The result was never really in doubt once four goals from Tom Curwen helped Lancaster to a 6-1 lead in the first period.
Bristol, however, will be satisfied with their first appearance in the finals after a three-year absence. A fine team performance ensured a 10-7 victory over City of Manchester in the semi-final. Lancaster beat Rotherham 13-8 in the other semi-final.
Rotherham claimed the bronze medal position with a narrow 9-8 success against Manchester.
In the women's competition, City of Manchester defeated West London Penguin 8-7 in the final.
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 Board of British Swimming.
NWPL and NWWPL league programmes will continue to run independently in 2010 as already arranged. 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.
TYLDESLEY'S MAVIS awarded mbe
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."
