Polominos seeing encouraging play in pool

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The Strathmore Polominos Water Polo Club has one game under their belt so far this season and the results that have transitioned from practice to a game situation have been gratifying for the coaches.
“The girls and the boys are playing quite well,” said head coach Brooke Zimmerman.
“They’re improving with every practice. They enjoy themselves and having tons of fun and that’s what really matters at the end of the day, is they want to come back the next day. The rewarding part for me is they are improving every day and they’re enjoying it.”
Zimmerman, who has a wealth of experience at a university level and as a coach in the Calgary Renegades program, said she has seen an improvement in the kids’ fitness levels, which made the young athletes better swimmers.
“Whether they’re passing, playing a game or doing shooting drills, they’re always physically active,” said Zimmerman.
“Every day they’re just getting better at swimming up and down the pool a lot faster. They’re passing a lot better, their legs are better, (and) actually looking to see who they’re passing to.”
Aside from the fitness aspect of the players’ games, she added that their knowledge of the sport has grown immensely because of their eagerness to learn; they don’t hesitate to ask questions.
“When I’m making calls, they’re really honest,” she said.
“That’s always a bonus when they’re learning. They’re eager to learn and they’ll learn that much faster.”
In their first game against the Calgary Mako, Zimmerman saw lots of encouraging teamwork in many aspects of the game, including shooting and passing. Although the team failed to score, Zimmerman was pleased with opportunities the players got around the net.
The club began the U10 Splashball Come and Try program on Nov. 6, offering beginners the chance to learn the fundamentals and basic skills of the sport.
“It’s insanely awesome,” said Strathmore-raised coach Jocelyn Gray.
“Growing up, we had a high school swim league and there were like six of us. It’s awesome to see a young age and see an extensive number of kids there. Especially for water polo because a lot of people don’t know what it is and the fact it’s in Strathmore now it’s huge.”
She added that she wants to see more teamwork and hopes the young players will come back wanting to play the sport.
The Come and Try program runs on the first Friday of every month, while the water polo side is holding open registration for the rest of the season. For more information you can e-mail Strathmorewaterpolo@gmail.com.