Official Club Name: Willamette Valley Water Polo (WVWP)
On The Net: www.wvwp.org
Club President: Dale Kinsey for 2009-10
Coaches: Steve Sessa - Head Coach, Chris Edison - Assistant Coach, Craig Martin - Assistant Coach
Age Groups: 14U Co-Ed, 18U Boys, and 18U Girls
Number Of Members: 65
How Did They Start?: The club was started by nine years ago by Fred Jackson as a way to give the new high school team in the area more opportunities to play outside of their regular season. About six years ago Head Coach Steve Sessa came on board with Assistant Coach Chris Edison and the two opened up the club to more than six high schools and countless junior high schools and grade schools.
Where Is Home Base?: The team practices and players all their home games at the Albany, Oregon community pool
Who Do They Play?: The club gets involved in all the tournaments they can in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington). They also take part in USA Water Polo National Championships such as the S & R Sport Junior Olympics.
A First Time For Everything: In 2009 the Willamette Valley Club qualified both their 18U boys and 18U girls for the S & R Sport Junior Olympics. This is the first time the club has ever had a team in the Junior Olympics.
Dedication To The Game: Despite most players and coaches living some 25 minutes from the home pool in Albany, Oregon it doesn't deter excitement or interest in club members. Local pool time is hard to come by and even then can be quite costly. The club only gets about six hours a week of pool time for a club of 65 athletes, but as it has been shown, hard work can pay off with a trip to the Junior Olympics.
Down The Road: Coach Sessa hopes that down the road the Willamette Valley Club will continue to offer kids in the area an inexpensive place to play water polo. He also hopes that club alumni will come back to the program and give back to an organization that gave them a great start.
On To College: Despite being a relatively new club the WVWP group has sent some players on to the collegiate game. Chloe McRae went on to Cal State-Monterrey Bay, Evan Folz to San Joaquin Delta, Kailey Carter at Merced Community College, and Mac Hance at Saddleback Community College. In addition several players have gone to club action at Oregon State and the University of Oregon.
For more information on the club check out their website at
www.wvwp.org
