May 24, 2017
Submitted by Dynamo WPCThe weekend of May 6-7 was one for the history books as Dynamo Water Polo Club (Atlanta, GA) hosted the first-ever USA Water Polo youth tournament in Georgia. 64 girls & boys from Gator Water Polo (Gainesville, FL), STAR Aquatics Water Polo (Greensboro, NC) and DWPC came together for fun and fellowship. In addition to great 16U & 14U matches for both boys and girls, the event also offered mixed games, with teams decided on deck. On Saturday night, 100+ players and parents gathered for dinner together at the host hotel, just minutes from the pool.
“The games in Atlanta were a phenomenal experience for our athletes and their families,” reflected STAR WPC head coach Eric Gordon. “We’ve been working hard to establish the sport in North Carolina but there are very few teams for us to play against. Competing against teams from Georgia and Florida was a chance for our teams to play together against players their own age and to use and build upon the skills that we’ve been practicing.”
"The idea for this tournament came from conversations with new USAWP South East zone chair Kurt Predmore," explained tournament director Stu Sheldon. "Kurt, the SEZ, and USAWP are all truly committed to the 'polo in every pool' mantra. This fun event is one small piece of the puzzle," added Sheldon. The event featured a San Diego Shores Water Polo Club reunion on deck. STAR WPC head coach Eric Gordon caught up with Dynamo masters players and Shores alumni Kristina Garcia and Kevin May, whom he coached as 16Uers at the storied SoCal club.
