Seagulls break into GB water polo ranks
23 December 2009
Christchurch and New Milton Seagulls have ended 2009 on a new high. Following on from the swim team’s excellent performances culminating in their win at the Arena National Swim League Division 2 Finals, the club’s water polo squad have broken into the GB water polo set up for the first time in the club’s history.
Three young Seagulls water polo players have been selected for the GB Water Polo Talent Squad for boys. Charlie Roberts, Jackson Mullins and Sam Webber have all been chosen as part of a 60 strong squad following their success in a tournament at the end of the National Water Polo Academy held at Millfield School in the summer.
On hearing the news, Rob Webber, water polo coach at Seagulls said, ‘This is a fantastic result for the players and the club. It caps an outstanding season for all of our teams and players. To get 3 players into the 1995/96 talent squad – the youngest a player can be selected for GB Water Polo – is unreal. There are only 4 clubs in the whole of England and Wales with more players in the squad than Seagulls. When Barry Aldrick brought polo into Seagulls just 4 years ago, this wasn’t even part of our dreams. To be honest we didn’t even know that this existed!’
Every 2 years the GB Water Polo coaching set-up selects a 60 strong squad to target the European Junior Championships. The starting point is attendance at the Regional Training Centres throughout the UK – the three boys travel weekly to Exeter on Friday evenings with 5 of their Seagulls team mates. From here players are selected to train at the week-long National Academy each summer – this year 4 Seagulls players attended. The national talent squad is then selected from the players at the National Academy and from the coaches' knowledge of players around the country.
Webber continued, “This has been a true team effort. Charlie, Jackson and Sam couldn’t have made it this far without the support and help of many people. The coaches at Seagulls and the other clubs where they swim and train, the volunteers who run the Dorset Water Polo League and the county teams and the parents and helpers who make the club tick. But most of all from their Seagulls team mates who make sure that competition for places in our teams is fierce.”
‘In reality this is only the start for Charlie, Jackson and Sam. This is like reaching the foothills on a climb of Everest – a great achievement but the real work starts there. They will now attend monthly, weekend-long, training sessions with the GB Coaches. They will face regular tests, trials and tournaments, and will have to continuously compete for their places over the next 2 years. The talent squad will constantly change as it is trimmed to form an elite squad to compete for GB in the Junior European Championships in 2012.”
“For Seagulls it is also a new start. Now we have done something special at Seagulls – in swimming and water polo simultaneously. The challenge for the coaches and players alike will be to try and maintain this level of achievement. We have shown that we can open the pathway for talented competitive swimmers and turn them into some of the best young water polo athletes in the country. We have other talented players in our squads at this age group and below, who we hope to get into future GB talent squads. We are sure that there are other swimmers out there who could make the transition to this great sport and we are ready to help them achieve that goal. We think Seagulls has now earned the right to dream – 2016 is just 6 years away.”
Monday, 28 December 2009
Sunday, 27 December 2009
NATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE- 3 OUT of 3= PROMOTION
I would like to congratulate all of the Seagulls swimmers on achieveing the clubs highest ever ranking and position in the National Swimming League by leading the final gala from event 6 onwards making us Division 2 Champions.
Another solid team performance including a telling off from the referee to myself for our parents that would not be quiet after the long whistle - WELL DONE GREAT SUPPORT!
This has definately been the strongest team I have worked with and the support for each other was fantastic and we will definately be carrying this on into next years Division.
I have to particularly say a big well done to Megan Chapman, Alice Talbot and Ellie Kerslake due to the volume of events they completed gaining high positions in a range of age groups. Ellie claimed another double in the U13 and U15 Backstrokes, with Megan taking the U13 Breastroke and breaking the Club Record in the OPEN IM.
Alice also made it 3 out of 3 in each round by winning the U13 Freestyle.
I thought the older boys showed great character and played great role models by providing the base to the Seagulls chants as well as supporting everyone in the team. even if the did throw me in). The boys also went three seconds quicker in the canon relay than the last round with exactly the same team as did the girls who also performed out of thier skins providing the high flying notes for our chant. Thats what I call stepping up!
Well done to the U11 (Andrew, Ben, Lewis and Peter, U13 boys (Chris, Peter, Cianan and Ben) and U13 girls (Megan, Elie, Alice and Rachael) who secured double relay wins.
A huge well done to Chris Gannaway, Ben Wickens and Andrew Botros who continued their winning form as they have in each round in individual events.
However, the most impressive things was the team. The club had done its homework with huge amount of preparation before the league began, then on every race day and stuck to its guns with regards to the team ethic it wanted. Which put simply ..... it worked.
The swimmers worked for every point and controlled what they could control with the outcome of their races producing over 100 Individual personal bests and 7 club records broken over all 3 rounds they definately deserved this promotion.
So next year we have 100m events for 13 year olds and an open 200IM, as well as a move up in age groups for half the swimmers. Lets aim for the promotion gala and continue putting Seagulls up the rankings!
WELL DONE!
Another solid team performance including a telling off from the referee to myself for our parents that would not be quiet after the long whistle - WELL DONE GREAT SUPPORT!
This has definately been the strongest team I have worked with and the support for each other was fantastic and we will definately be carrying this on into next years Division.
I have to particularly say a big well done to Megan Chapman, Alice Talbot and Ellie Kerslake due to the volume of events they completed gaining high positions in a range of age groups. Ellie claimed another double in the U13 and U15 Backstrokes, with Megan taking the U13 Breastroke and breaking the Club Record in the OPEN IM.
Alice also made it 3 out of 3 in each round by winning the U13 Freestyle.
I thought the older boys showed great character and played great role models by providing the base to the Seagulls chants as well as supporting everyone in the team. even if the did throw me in). The boys also went three seconds quicker in the canon relay than the last round with exactly the same team as did the girls who also performed out of thier skins providing the high flying notes for our chant. Thats what I call stepping up!
Well done to the U11 (Andrew, Ben, Lewis and Peter, U13 boys (Chris, Peter, Cianan and Ben) and U13 girls (Megan, Elie, Alice and Rachael) who secured double relay wins.
A huge well done to Chris Gannaway, Ben Wickens and Andrew Botros who continued their winning form as they have in each round in individual events.
However, the most impressive things was the team. The club had done its homework with huge amount of preparation before the league began, then on every race day and stuck to its guns with regards to the team ethic it wanted. Which put simply ..... it worked.
The swimmers worked for every point and controlled what they could control with the outcome of their races producing over 100 Individual personal bests and 7 club records broken over all 3 rounds they definately deserved this promotion.
So next year we have 100m events for 13 year olds and an open 200IM, as well as a move up in age groups for half the swimmers. Lets aim for the promotion gala and continue putting Seagulls up the rankings!
WELL DONE!
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