First Water Polo Tournament in Christchurch since the 2011 Feb 22nd Earthquake

It has been just over 18 months, 562 days to be exact since the February 22nd earthquakes and two years and two days since the Sept 4th one.  It has been a tough road for the Water Polo Community in Canterbury, losing over 75% of their membership, due to families leaving the city, either on a permanent or temporary basis, the current economic climate and more so, losing aquatic facilities. Prior to the February earthquakes, Water Polo in Canterbury had over 44 hours of pool space a week and was one of the leading aquatic sports in the region. With the demise of QEII and the only deep water pool which is available at the Jellie Park Recreation and Sports Centre, Canterbury Water Polo’s water space was cut back to 10.5 a week.

The role of Development Officer has diversified as such and was more about, keeping the sport going, by prioritising the needs of the younger age group players, sports recovery and basically keeping its head above water, post-earthquakes. The aim was least to retain some membership numbers and give the two clubs in Christchurch, the QEII Crushers and Wharenui Fury support as the Regional Sports Organisation. The Year 7&8 (intermediate school) competition is still going strong and ticking along, with 28 teams playing in the school terms, but with limited time available, the playing time was modified to 2 x 7 minute quarters, so at least the all the kids that wanted to play, could do so in the limited time slot of 2 ½ hours on Friday nights.

Canterbury Water Polo have finally secured some extra pool space this term for a one off South Island U16 Mini Tournament, at the Jellie Park Sports Pool, next weekend from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th September as a build up for the South Island club teams to prepare for the NZWP U16 Div. 1 Nationals in Invercargill’s Splash Palace from Sept 30 – Oct 6. An invitation was put out to Otago and Southland Water Polo clubs, with Southland bringing up both their teams and Otago players boosting the Crushers numbers in both the boys and girls teams and also Wharenui Fury have both their boys and girls teams playing in the tournament as well. Games will run on Friday night, 7-10pm, Saturday 3-8pm and Sunday 7am-1pm, with teams playing a triple round robin with 20 games being played over this weekend. We also, hope to have available some good quality refereeing from Fraser Bickley, the only current A grade referee in Christchurch, past NZ Assistant Senior Women’s and Junior Women’s Coach, now father of 5 month old twin boys, Cade and Leo, Zoltan Boros, a B grade referee and past NZ Senior Men’s player and also father to 6 months old daughter, Aniko, as well as Tim McVicar, an ex Marist Player and now living in Red and Black country and a full time Physio and Brendan Bowie, from Southland Water Polo, a high school teacher at James Hargest College in Invercargill, also boosting the B grade referee list.

Author: Deb Bowry, Development Officer for Water Polo in Canterbury