A JOs Wrap-Up and Positive Signs for Fall in The Northeast

The report I just posted on the Northeast Zone’s (NEZ) stellar results at the 2021 National JOs Session 3 paints a rosy picture for seven of the region’s clubs at the USA Water Polo’s top age group competition for this year.

[East Coast Rising: CT Premier, Capital Emerge Victorious At National JOs]

As you can read, the results for Capital, Connecticut Premier, Greenwich, Maverick, Navy, North Penn and Y Pro were nothing short of spectacular. Sending five teams, CT Premiere got three medals; first place in two age groups—14U boys platinum and 18U boys platinum—and place third in 16U boys platinum.

Capital, with a single entry—16U boys—had an even better (relatively speaking) result. They won all seven matches in their bracket, often by double digits, as Head Coach Miras Jelic’s squad took the top spot in the platinum division.

Greenwich did not send many of its best players but still walked away with a first-place finish in 12U coed and in the 14U boys gold bracket—with the win coming from their 12U boys.

After 18 months of uncertainty due to the challenges of COVID-19, these results are a shot in the arm for one of USAWP’s most important zones—noteworthy because despite being the most populous of the organization’s 11 regions, it has the lowest participation by percentage.

There’s more good news for the NEZ, which currently stretches one the coast from Maine to Maryland and goes as far inland as Western Pennsylvania. Starting on Saturday October 2, the Greenwich YMCA, home to Greenwich Aquatics, will host eight 14U coed matches, followed by five 12U matches the next day, part of three weekends of 12U and 14U competition—the first Tri-State competition since play was suspended in March 2020.

The news on 16U / 18 is also bright. Capital and Navy have joined forces to offer competition at their respective facilities—the immaculate St. James in Springfield, Virginia and The Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Recently, Tom Popp, head coach for the Naval Academy Aquatic Club (NAAC) sent an email to all interested clubs regarding competition that will be offered starting as soon as this weekend with Navy AC Invite (August 28-29) at the Naval Academy.

Up next is the Battle of the Beltways (September 11-12), which will also be located at Navy. Ken Vincent, like Popp part of NAAC and The Naval Academy’s varsity (collegiate) program, has stated that Navy Aquatic will continue to host additional tournaments for high school varsity and junior varsity in October and November as “It is exciting to get back to playing water polo”—a sentiment most would agree with.

Another indication of promise in the region is the emergence of an age group program at Asphalt Green, the finest aquatics facility in New York City. Overseen by Matt Guerrerio, this program is an extension of the youth program that has existed for more than a decade at AG. The club’s first-ever matches will take place at the Greenwich YMCA on October 2 when their 14U coed squad faces Greenwich—an auspicious start indeed.

Dallas showered USA Water Polo participants with love. Photo: M. Randazzo

There is a sobering reality for the zone; Tiger Water Polo, long one of the region’s strongest, has yet to reopen after being shut down by host Princeton University due to COVID concerns. And, USAWP has not been a direct presence in the region; the NEZ board, chaired by Andy Lewandowski, has made important strides with programming and competition, but the critical question of how he and his member clubs will work with American Water Polo (AWP), the dominant organization in polo-rich Pennsylvania, remains unanswered.

[On The Record with Andy Lewandowski, Board Chair for USAWP Northeast Zone]

There’s also the opinions of Mihai Radu, a board member for the Brooklyn Water Polo Club, who recently excoriated USAWP for its lack of commitment in the nation’s largest city.

What did USAWP do? Bupkis! They build the biggest natatorium in California as if they need pool number 1235 in that state. In NYC if you look for a shingle with USA Water Polo on it you will die old before you find it.

In this entire city there are only two pools adequate for water polo 25M and all deep. We started a club about 5 years ago and we struggled to find pools. Do you think USA Water Polo gave us a sticker for free? Nope. They charge us fees on top of fees and nothing in return.

Things ARE looking up in the Northeast, but there’s a lot of work to be done to grow polo in the country’s more populated—and therefore most attractive—region.