However, within a little more than 18 months, under motivated leadership and committed teachers in various secondary schools, this sport has grown into one representing SWD with pride.
Two u.19 teams for boys and girls, trained by well-loved coach and mentor, James Doddington, left for East London to participate in the SA Schools Waterpolo Tournament last week.
This popular water sport received a great injection with the new aquatics centre at Glenwood House, boasting the first ever waterpolo pool in the SWD. At the official opening of the pool and during the recent waterpolo schools league games, Glenwood's headmaster, Dennis Symes, emphasised that waterpolo had become the new buzz word for all watersport lovers.
The two dedicated teams representing the province trained hard and suffered for long hours in this pool. The youngest member of the two teams is only 14 years old, but teamwork, commitment and a dedicated coach ensured that this team left for the national champs well-prepared.
As usual this tour and the deve-lopment of the sport would not have been possible without the support of the organising committee, and especially local businesses and partners in sports. SWD Waterpolo was fortunate to have a committee and parents being willing to invest in the sport. World-ranked referee Ian Mellier (forming part of Oakhill Secon-dary School by invitation) donated his time and knowledge towards the development of the sport. Campbell Gregory, a young provincial and national player, who hails from George and is now at Stellenbosch University, has given up time to help coach the players and teach them the finer points. Together with very popular coach Doddington, SWD Waterpolo has grown tremendously over the past two years.
Two teachers, from Outeniqua High and York High, ensured that schools are represented well and provided immense support in developing and nurturing this exciting sport.
In addition to the municipality, the following local businesses in the Southern Cape contributed in the form of sponsorships and donations, to make this tour possible: Digifusion, Signpro, Crush Surf, Solr X, Isostar, Cape Pine, Fish Eagle Aquatics, Kwikspar, Palm Tyres, La Sport, Top Gear, George Municipality, SWD Aquatics, Arican Express, Pollocks Pizza.
The SWD Waterpolo u.19 boys team who participated in East London in the annual SA Schools Waterpolo tournament.
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