ESSEX WATER POLO REPORT
Water polo in Essex ended the year on a
positive note with the county winning the
East Region Senior Water Polo Championships
at Bishop’s Stortford School in November.
The squad, consisting of six players from
Basildon, two each from Chelmsford and
Colchester and one from Clacton, beat
Cambridgeshire 3-0 in the final.
One of Essex’s major assets at the
championships was its 17-year-old goalkeeper
Rob Padden. He let in just five goals in
four games and continues to develop as part
of the GB Junior squad, which is competing
in the English National League, and playing
in European age-group tournaments.
Rob is a product of Brentwood Swimming
Club’s thriving junior polo section, and
currently plays with the senior squad at
Basildon.
On the subject of junior polo, Matt Dempsey
and myself, who are part of the East
Region’s Water Polo Development Committee,
organised the inaugural East Region Junior
Water Polo Championships in October, which
was won by Hertfordshire.
The success of the event has prompted the
East polo committee to approach the East
Region’s board for funding to run an East
Club Championships, to take place over three
Saturdays at venues around the region.
This would provide junior teams, who do not
currently have any formal leagues, with much
more polo – and something to aim for.
Positive though this is, it should be
remembered that, to my knowledge, junior
polo is active at only five clubs in Essex:
Brentwood, Chelmsford, Clacton, Ongar and
Basildon.
It’s no surprise therefore that in Essex,
the majority of senior water polo is played
by men in their late 30’s and older. Eastern
Otter, an amalgamation of Ilford and
Stratford water polo clubs, regularly play
with a team with an average age of 47, and
Harlow are similarly ‘age enhanced’.
Thanks goodness Alf Jordan doesn’t play for
either of them, or the figures would be
truly horrendous!
Joking aside, there is a very real prospect
of more clubs folding over the next five to
ten years unless this is addressed.
Therefore in 2007 we will be working with
the East Region and approaching this
Committee for advice and support on
starting, or re-starting in some cases,
Mini-Polo and junior polo at clubs where an
interest is shown.
We want to see polo viewed as a positive
asset within swimming clubs, and work with
them to encourage people to take part in
this demanding and rewarding game – which
over the decades has produced some truly
great athletes – and Alf.
On the subject of grumpy old men, or more
specifically referees, Mick Bowerfield, the
Essex Water Polo League Secretary and myself
are in the process of overhauling the
refereeing situation, to tackle the lack of
whistleblowers in the county.
All clubs will each be asked to nominate
four referees by the end of February 2007,
who will be allocated to Essex League
matches which start in April.
Between now and then a number of short
refereeing clinics will be held around the
county, run by top refereeing advisor Chris
Freebury, and clubs will also be sent
supporting information, useful for both
players and new referees.
Finally, I’m sorry I haven’t been turning up
at committee meetings, but now that myself,
Matt and Mick have developed a proper list
of projects and activities for 2007, I’ll
actually have something to bring to the
table.
Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year
Dave Warriner
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