Two Western Province Schools’ Water Polo U14 teams – 1 boys and 1 girls – will be selected to participate in the 2018 Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival in Auckland New Zealand from 7 to 16 July.
In order to make the most of the opportunity – and amortise the costs over a longer time span – it is our intention for the teams to participate in both the U16 and U14 tournaments. The U16 participation would be in a lower division. The details will be forthcoming in due course.
The process is as follows:
• The appointment of coaches and managers is already under way. Applications for the U14 group have been scheduled to close on 12 March and will be made as soon as possible after that.
• Squad training sessions will be set down from 14 March. All players born 1 January 2004 or later are invited to the squad sessions.
• Pre-trials will take place during the week of 19 March.
• Trials will take place during the week of 26 March.
• Squad sessions, pre-trials and trials will all take place at Reddam Tokai. Times are still to be confirmed.
• Teams will be announced during the week of 2 April
• Pre-trials and trials are all closed sessions with no parents allowed in the pool area. Schools may be represented by one MiC or coach relevant to the U14 age group.
• Coaches and managers will formulate training sessions in the lead up to the departure date of 4 July. The Festival takes place during school holidays.
• Players should arrive in Cape Town on 19 July, this will result in the player missing the first two days of school in the third term.
This is a self-funded tour. We are waiting on final costs but they will be in the order of R55 000 per player. It is hoped that with an early team announcement fundraising activities could be undertaken to assist in defraying the costs.
