DWPL News

Kelloggs ASA Swimtastic Awards 2012

Sat, 19 May 2012 06:11:00 +0100

Nominations now open.

The Kellogg’s ASA Swimtastic Awards 2012 will make their way to Sheffield’s Ponds Forge on Saturday 20 October 2012 where the cream of British Swimming, Diving, Synchro and Water Polo will again be joining unsung swim stars from across the UK in a celebration of swimming.

The 2012 event will be bigger and better than ever with a glittering ‘Oscar-style’ awards ceremony hosted by former Olympian, Steve Parry, and a ‘Swim with the Stars’ session where nominees will once again get the chance to make a splash with a host of aquatic heroes many returning from a home Olympics!

So, if you are dedicated to swimming or know someone who has overcome great adversity to get in the pool nominate them for an ASA Kellogg’s Swimtastic Award! Click to watch highlights from last year's ceremony and view pictures and information of all the winners since 2006.

The awards are divided into 12 clear categories, acknowledging people of all ages and abilities. This year also sees the arrival of a new award, sponsored by the Sun newspaper, for an individual, family or group who have been inspired to take up swimming in this Olympic year.

Click to find award definintions and make your nominations or download nomination form (pdf) or word document.

GB Women suffer narrow water polo defeats in 2012 World League campaign

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:54:00 +0100

The British Gas GBR Water Polo team got off to a frustrating start at their World League Preliminary competition after losing 9-8 to Russia in Volos.

After a solid performance in the first three quarters the Brits led their Olympic rivals with just two minutes left on the clock. The Russians, who finished fourth in the European Championships earlier this year, fought back to get the equaliser and the final goal which ultimately gave them the win.

But the result is promising for the Brits who will face the Russians again in July in the group stages of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Captain Fran Leighton said "We're really pleased with tonight's performance but we're obviously disappointed with the defeat after leading in the last quarter. We have improved on London and converted more 'man up' opportunities tonight which is promising and now we're looking forward to playing the rest of the games."

The Brits, who have just returned from a promising Visa International at the London Water Polo Arena, had no time to rest on their laurels and were back in the pool on 11 May 11 with matches against World Champions Greece and reigning Olympic champions, the Netherlands who were both be looking for victory after failing to qualify for the 2012 Games.

The British Gas as they slipped to narrow defeats against Greece and the Netherlands.

Having lost out by a single goal in their opening match, the Brits entered their two games on Friday in high spirits against hosts and reigning world champions (Greece) as well as reigining Olympic champions (the Netherlands).

It was another good team effort. But despite two more encouraging performances, the Brits ultimately fell short by a single goal, losing 8-7 in both matches.

After Greece pulled away to 3-0 lead, the British women stormed back into the game, winning the second and third quarters to tie the game 6-6 after three quarters.

And while the Greeks prevailed in the final quarter, British captain Fran Leighton admitted the team were looking forward to taking on their hosts in their second match.

"It was another good team effort," said Leighton. "We played well and our strong third quarter put us back in to the match. We're looking forward to playing them again in the next leg."

Chloe Wilcox and Ciara Gibson-Byrne both scored doubles while Fiona McCann, Frankie Snell and Fran Clayton scored the British goals.

With little time to recover, the Brits took on the Netherlands in their second match of the day. Again the British fell behind early on, losing the first two quarters 2-0 and 2-1 but a third quarter fightback, winning it 5-3, put them one goal behind ahead of the final quarter.

The Dutch managed to hold on with a 1-1 draw in the final quarter but there were more positives to take for the British.

"After a disappointing start to the match we fought back well, scored some good goals and stayed solid in defence," said goalkeeper Rosie Morris. "Unfortunately it wasn't good enough to be the current Olympic champions."

Chloe Wilcox scored another double, as did Fran Leighton, while Ciara Gibson-Byrne, Claire Nixon and Fran Clayton scored the other goals for GB.

BRITISH GAS GBR WOMEN'S WATER POLO TEAM AT WORLD LEAGUE QUALIFIERS 2012

Rosie Morris (GK)
Robyn Nicholls (GK)
Alex Rutlidge
Hazel Musgrove
Angie Winstanley - Smith
Fran Leighton
Lisa Gibson
Ciara Gibson-Byrne
Becky Kershaw
Fiona McCann
Francesca Painter-Snell
Chloe Wilcox
Rachel Drabble
Claire Nixon
Fran Clayton
Vicky Bowen

GB Women Water Polo 4 v 11 Hungary

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:47:00 +0100

The British Gas GBR Women’s Water Polo team lost out in the bronze medal match but left the VISA International with their heads held high.

Competing against familiar foes Hungary – who defeated them 19-9 en route to bronze at January’s European Championships – the Brits slipped to a 11-4 defeat in their last match at the Olympic Water Polo Arena before the Games themselves.

The Brits had lost their group match against the Hungarians 17-10 on Friday but bounced back on Saturday with a rousing performance in a 7-6 defeat to World Cup champions USA.

But while he admits some form of emotional hangover after the American game was difficult to avoid, British head coach Szilveszter Fekete insists he couldn’t have asked for much more from his players at the tournament.

“Yesterday we had a good game but we finished at nine and were having breakfast for this game at seven this morning,” said Fekete. “So I think we were tired physically and mentally after that. Over the tournament this has been a good week for us though. This is the top level and we didn’t have any competitive games to prepare since the Europeans in January. It’s been a good beginning to our last phase of preparation through to the Olympics."

The opening encounters were tense with both teams hitting the woodwork before Hungary pulled two goals clear. Ciara Gibson-Byrne found space to hammer home with two minutes remaining before British goalkeeper Robyn Nicholls saved a one-on-one late in the quarter to keep the score 2-1.

Hungary continued to threaten in front of goal and added two to their tally in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Brits found opposition keeper Orsolya Kaso in fine form, the Hungarian saving goal-bound shots from Frankie Snell, Chloe Wilcox, Fiona McCann, Rachel Drabble and Gibson-Byrne during the eight minutes.

Hungary pulled clear in the third quarter, adding five goals to their tally although the Brits did find the net again through Lisa Gibson, the centre forward tapping in after Angie Winstanley-Smith’s unselfish pass.

At 9-2 down with a quarter remaining, the Brits refused to let their heads drop and tried to manufacture a way back into the game. Winstanley-Smith hit the bar early in the quarter before winning a 5m penalty from Wilcox’s pin-point pass with McCann making no mistake from the free shot.

The Hungarian defence proved frustratingly solid and they added two more goals, an outside shot and a tap-in from the pit to secure the win.

But the Brits finished on a high note as Gibson-Byrne spotted Kaso off her line and sent home a nonchalant lob for her second goal of the game.

And British captain Fran Leighton admits they will only be taking positives from the tournament as they travel to Greece next week for a FINA World League preliminary competition against Russia, the Netherlands and Greece.

“If you look back at the games we’ve had this week, all of them have been positive,” said Leighton. "Unfortunately we were a bit disappointed today but hopefully we can start to rectify that ready for the Olympics. We’ve got another six games next week which has got to be good. Before this we’ve not had a game since the Europeans so it’s great to be going to another competition.

“We’re playing different teams as well with different styles so it will be tough next week as well but we’re all looking forward to it.”

GB goalscorers: Ciara Gibson-Byrne (2), Lisa Gibson, Fiona McCann

London 2012 water polo draw for the group stages

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:58:00 +0100

British water polo players learned their Olympic fate as the draw for the group stages of the competition were made.

The men’s GB squad face a difficult opening week with their Group B competition in the form of Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, USA and Serbia.

Craig Figes, Captain of the British Water Polo Team said: “It’s a really tough draw. Serbia, Montenegro and Romania were the top three teams at the European Championships this year and Hungary have won the gold at the past three Olympic Games. Throw the USA into the mix and we certainly have a fight on our hands. Getting the chance to play against the very best teams in the world is what we train for; there is nothing better than playing against the very best. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to see how far we have come in the last few years and the challenge is one we will enjoy.”

Group A will see Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, Australia and Croatia battle it out to make it through to the medal matches.

The top eight teams will progress from the group stages to the final week for the medal play offs.

The British women fared better with the luck of their draw. They will face Italy, Russia and Australia in group B. Group A will be Hungary, Spain, China and the USA.

Australia are one of the favourites to take the top spot at the Games, having won every tournament they have played in this year.

Fran Leighton, who captains the British Women’s team said: “All the games at the Olympics are going to be tough but we’re pleased to have a mixture of European teams as well as Australia. We’ve had the chance to play against Australia this week in London and know what we need to do to improve against them. We’re going to Greece for the World League matches next week then we’ll be go back to Manchester and continue to train hard and focus on London 2012. After experiencing the fantastic support this week at the Water Polo Arena, we can’t wait to get back in July for the Games.”

All eight teams in the women’s competition will progress through to the second week to play through for the medal places.

GB Women Water Polo 6 v 7 USA

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:50:00 +0100

The British Gas GBR Women’s Water Polo team underlined their Olympic potential as they pushed USA all the way in their final group game of the VISA International.

After slipping to an early 4-0 deficit, the Brits fought their way back into the match, pulling within one goal for much of the second half before an agonising 7-6 defeat. The Americans are one of the favourites for gold at London 2012 and had won both their group games at the VISA test event with Australia and Hungary. But with a partisan crowd behind them, the Brits matched their experienced opponents in every part of the pool. And while the final equaliser ultimately evaded them, British head coach Szilveszter Fekete agreed it was his team’s finest performance of the competition.

"I think today was a really good game for us," said Fekete. "We showed good concentration, good fight, good discipline. We stayed organised throughout in defence. We started a little bit nervous, perhaps that was emotions in our first game against the USA. But after that I think we were equals with the World Cup champions and one of the big favourites for the Olympics so I'm very happy."

The Americans started positively, scoring two early power plays and adding another two goals as the British attack struggled to find a way past USA goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong. But momentum swung after British keeper Rosie Morris saved a 5m penalty and Lisa Gibson latched on to Frankie Snell’s pass to pull a goal back.

The second quarter begun with a Snell goal on the man-up before Ciara Gibson-Byrne scored her first of the tournament to reduce the deficit to one minutes later. The Americans responded with a goal of their own before Gibson-Byrne struck again, finding space on the right wing and firing home with 35 seconds left in the second quarter.

With the score at 5-4 to USA at half-time, the British crowd could sense an upset and American keeper Armstrong proved her worth with smart saves to deny GB forwards Angie Winstanley-Smith and Fran Leighton.

The Americans added one goal in the third quarter but at 6-4 with one quarter to go, the match was hanging in the balance. Snell scored her second half-way through the quarter but USA responded with one more of their own to pull two ahead again.

Snell completed her hat-trick as the fourth quarter came to a close and while the Brits couldn’t quite squeeze over the line, the centre back insisted the performance was a huge confidence boost for the team.

"That was so amazing," said Snell. "The crowd were really unbelievable. Playing in front of that many people really lifts you up. It was such a good fight from all the girls in the team. To come back from four goals down and how we clawed our way back into it was brilliant and although we did lose it was such a good result for us."

The Brits will face Hungary in the bronze medal match on Sunday after the Hungarians lost their final group match 17-12 to Australia.

GB goalscorers: Frankie Snell (3), Ciara Gibson-Byrne (2), Lisa Gibson

GB Women Water Polo 10 v 17 Hungary

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:43:00 +0100

The British Gas GBR Women’s Water Polo team were edged out of a scrappy second game against Hungary at the VISA International at the Olympic Water Polo Arena.

The Brits reached double figures for the first time at the Olympic venue but let their opponents slip away in the second and fourth quarters of the match.

European bronze medallists Hungary – who secured their Olympic spot at the recent Qualification tournament in Trieste – eventually won through 17 – 10.

But after the Brits more than doubled their tally from their opening 10-4 defeat to Australia, British head coach Szilveszter Fekete admitted he was pleased with his team’s improvement in front of goal.

“It was a different game to yesterday,” said Fekete. “That was good defence and not very focused in attack. Today we were better, especially at the beginning. There were more fights today so it wasn’t easy but I think we were better in attack but it was a good game for the girls to play.”

Both teams traded punches in a dramatic first quarter with the Brits equalising four times before Hungary added one more to lead 5-4 at the first break.

Aine Hoy and Chloe Wilcox put home the first two equalisers from man-ups before Frankie Snell scored the Brits’ third from a 5m penalty and Lisa Gibson fought free and put home a cute lob for their fourth.

Hungary’s accuracy on the powerplays paid off in the second quarter as they pulled clear with four more goals before Snell gave the Brits hope with her second goal to make the score 9-5 at half-time.

The third quarter was the tightest of the game with each team adding three to their total before Hungarian goalkeeper Orsolya Kaso saved a penalty at the death.

Wilcox and Gibson added their second goals in the quarter while Fiona McCann also got in on the act to keep the score 12-8 with the crowd noise reaching new volumes in the Arena.

Hungary pulled clear in the final quarter with another five goals as the Brits resistance faded but Gibson completed her hat-trick with an audacious outside shot on the buzzer then added a fourth to take the Brits past double figures late on.

And Gibson admitted the crowd had played their part in spurring the team on in London.

“It was a great game to play in. It was a lot of fun and the crowd were absolutely phenomenal,” said Gibson.
“When we’re playing you don’t hear it because you’re focused on what you’re doing but when you score a goal, you hear the crowd and it really fires you up. It’s always nice to score goals so I’m happy with that. I know I’ve got things to work on though but it’s nice to have positives as well as that after a game.”

USA sealed their second win of the competition with a hard-fought 10-9 defeat of Australia in the other match on day two. The Americans faced Great Britain in the final round of group matches on Saturday.

GB goalscorers: Lisa Gibson (4), Chloe Wilcox (2), Frankie Snell (2), Fiona McCann, Aine Hoy

Brits go down fighting in VISA International opener

Fri, 04 May 2012 14:01:00 +0100

British women impress against Olympic favourites Australia in first match of test event at Olympic Water Polo Arena.

The British Gas GBR Women’s Water Polo team showed their fighting spirit in their first match at the Olympic Water Polo Arena in the VISA International. Competing against one of the best teams in women’s water polo in the shape of Australia, the Brits rose to the occasion in front of a 3,000 strong crowd, holding their opponents to 2-1 losses in each of the first three quarters.

The Australians’ strength showed in the final quarter as they pulled away but a 10-4 defeat to this season’s Pan Pacific champions was no disgrace in their first match of the four-nation competition. It could have been a different story for the Brits, who earned 15 man-ups during the game but a fired-up Alicia McCormack kept them at bay in the Australian goal, conceding just once in each quarter.

And British Head Coach Szilveszter Fekete admitted he was satisfied with how his players had matched up against one of the Olympic favourites.

“We had opportunities that we didn’t take but I think generally it was a good performance,” said Fekete. "We had good intensity, good movement and a very organised defence. Australia is always a hard game. This season they have won every tournament they have participated in and I think at this moment they are one of the best teams in the world. So I think it was a good performance up until the last four or five minutes.”

Spurred on by a noisy crowd, the Brits started strongly with Chloe Wilcox converting from an early man-up to give them a 1-0 lead. Australia struck immediately back on their own man-up and after an even first quarter edged in front from another power play situation.

Rosie Morris starred for the Brits with a couple of saves early in the second quarter and after Australia added a third on the counter, GB captain Fran Leighton pounced to rebound Angie Winstanley-Smith’s shot after it was parried on to the crossbar. Another goal in the final minute of the quarter gave the Australians a 4-2 lead at the half-time break but after conceding early in the third, Fiona McCann added the Brits’ third goal from inside the 5m line.

Australia pulled clear as the Brits faded in the final quarter but after Winstanley-Smith earned a penalty in the final minute, Rachel Drabble converted with aplomb to ensure the Brits left the pool on a positive note.

And McCann admitted their first competitive experience at the Olympic Arena was a memorable one.

“We started with a bit of nerves but once we got into the game it went alright,” said McCann. "The Australians are a great opposition – they’re really strong. It was a fantastic game to play because now we know what’s going to hit us when we come to the Olympics and we can learn from this to prepare for the Games. When we first walked through the door, we were all a bit taken aback but once we’d got through the line-up, everyone was buzzing. The atmosphere was great and it wasn’t even full tonight so when the Olympics come it’s going to be fantastic.”

World Cup champions USA defeated Hungary 11-6 in the other game in London and the Hungarians will take on Great Britain in their second game on Friday.

GB goalscorers: Chloe Wilcox, Fran Leighton, Fiona McCann, Rachel Drabble

Winstanley-Smith targets winning start at VISA International

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:27:00 +0100

Water polo star says the British women will not be overawed on their first visit to the Olympic Water Polo Arena.

Angie Winstanley-Smith insists the British Gas GBR Women’s Water Polo team are determined not to be overawed as they visit the Olympic water polo arena for this week’s test event.

The Brits are preparing for a hectic schedule in May which will see them take on Australia, USA and Hungary in the VISA Water Polo International from 3 to 6 May.

They will then travel straight out to Volos in Greece for their FINA World League preliminaries against world champions Greece, Olympic champions the Netherlands and Russia.

With the temporary arena in the Olympic Park only completed in April, the British team are yet to see inside the iconic 5,000 seater venue. But while Winstanley-Smith admits the squad are desperate to taste a sample of the Olympic experience, she is adamant they’re not in London to make up the numbers.

“At the end of the day, for us as a team it’s great to go down there but we need to keep focused on the game,” said the British forward. "We can’t let the atmosphere get too much for us because we need to play well. So we’ll keep focused on that really. Obviously we are all excited though. It will be brilliant to go down and see how much the village has come along. None of us have seen the pool yet either so it’s very exciting to have that chance.”

While not all of them will return for the Olympic Games in July, head coach Szilveszter Fekete is taking the full squad to London and Greece as he gives each player a chance to impress. And Winstanley-Smith admits she’s pleased each member of the squad will be able to enjoy the Olympic Park experience at least once.

“We all know selections are going to have to be made and there will be big rotations over the next two tournaments so everyone gets a game,” said Winstanley-Smith. “It’s a lovely opportunity to go down as a whole. We’re a squad and a family so to experience the Olympic Park all together this week and play there are test it out will be nice. Whether you make the Olympic team or not, everyone will get the chance to go down and soak up that atmosphere.”

Provisional Team Lists for the VISA Water Polo International and the FINA World League Preliminary (subject to change)

VISA Water Polo International (3 to 6 May)

Rosie Morris
Robyn Nicholls
Vicki Hawkins
Hazel Musgrove
Angie Winstanley-Smith
Fran Leighton
Lisa Gibson
Ciara Gibson-Byrne
Aine Hoy
Fiona McCann
Frankie Snell
Chloe Wilcox
Rachel Drabble

FINA World League Preliminary (10 to 13 May)

Rosie Morris
Robyn Nicholls
Alex Rutlidge
Hazel Musgrove
Angie Winstanley-Smith
Fran Leighton
Lisa Gibson
Ciara Gibson-Byrne
Becky Kershaw
Fiona McCann
Frankie Snell
Chloe Wilcox
Rachel Drabble
Claire Nixon
Fran Clayton
Vicky Bowen

Applications are invited for Kellogg’s Swim Active Fund

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:21:00 +0100

Find out if you are eligible to apply and download the application form here

In April the ASA were able to highlight that through the Kellogg’s Swim Active fund, Kellogg’s has been able to direct more than £140,000 into community swimming across 19 projects.

While it is fantastic to offer support to these wonderful projects across the country the partners in the Kellogg’s Swim Active Program, Kellogg’s, the ASA and the Swimming Trust were not happy that investment was only able to be given to 5% of the total number of applications received. In light of this information a decision has been taken to narrow the application criteria to avoid applicants wasting their time on submissions.

The level of demand for grants has been exceptional in previous rounds, with a heavy focus on applications around school swimming. With this in mind the application criteria has been narrowed down to focus on learn to swim projects. Application guidance information has been available since April to allow interested applicants more time to prepare their submission.

Since publishing the guidance information and providing a more narrowed focus, the Swim Active Team has received comments from interested applicant regarding the length of time provided for application submissions and the timing of delivery. They have reacted to these comments by extending the application submission period , and adding in an extra meeting for the Kellogg’s Swim Active National Awarding Panel. They are hoping that these changes enable them to advise applicants more closely. The National Awarding Panel of the Kellogg’s Swim Active Grant will meet during the week of 12 June 2012 and 6 August 2012.

Please click to view the application guidance information and grant criteria. Please read the guidance information carefully before or whilst completing the application form.

Applications are invited until 12pm on 1 August via email to swimactive@swimming.org. Applications received in hard copy, via post or after this time will not be accepted.

Please click to view the application form.

Any questions should be directed to swimactive@swimming.org

London 2012 selection policy

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:02:00 +0100

We are bringing this document to your attention as a number of junior Dorset water polo players are already showing considerable potential. One of the selection policy's objectives is to select athletes with the potential to form the Senior Men's and Women's teams in the Olympics of 2016 and 2020. It lists factors for which the Selection Panel will draw information on Accuracy, Consistency and Improvement of individual athletes. We hope coaches will note these points to develop our players to their full potential.

Download selection policy for the Great Britain Water Polo squads for the London 2012 Olympic Games

Hucknall take on GB U20 men

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:46:00 +0100

Great Britain Under-20s are playing Hucknall in a special match at Hucknall Leisure Centre at 3.30pm on Sunday 22 April 2012 in preparation for a tournament in Hungary.

The match will be a good test for the respective teams — the under-20s against an experienced men’s team and the Hucknall players against some of the best youngsters in Britain.

It is also the first time any international representative side have visited Hucknall to play a friendly.

Team 2012 presented by Visa programme boosts GB medal hopes

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:37:00 +0100

UK Sport, the nation’s high performance sports agency, has today announced a £750,000 cash injection, funded by the Team 2012 presented by Visa programme, to be invested in the final 100 days of Olympic preparation and 133 of Paralympic preparation, and boost Britain’s medal hopes for London 2012.

The additional award, adding to the existing £312 million investment of National Lottery, Government Exchequer and Team 2012 funds into Britain’s sports and athletes for the current Olympic cycle, is aimed at giving sports the opportunity to invest in additional opportunities to fine tune their preparations for the Games.

The investment in each sport is roughly equivalent to £1000 per athlete that will be selected for the Games, and, after submitting a business case to UK Sport for this additional money, most sports have opted to invest in three key areas in order to enhance their final preparations;

• Additional training camps and competitions – for example the GB Men’s Hockey team will now be travelling to the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia in May and the GB Men’s Water Polo team will now be inviting Italy, the current World Champions, to attend their preparation camp ahead of the Games to gain competitive experience against a top team

• New kit or equipment – for example the British Wheelchair Tennis team are investing in protective wheelchair covers to keep players’ chairs in top condition when they travel and the British Cycling team will be investing in a rest and recovery package for their athletes for use both up to and during the Games, such as white noise generators and posture control, reading and relaxation chairs

• Supplementary expertise in coaching, science or medical backup – for example the GB Synchronised Swimming team will be able to access the expertise of an internationally renowned choreographer and coach and British Cycling will be investing in more soft tissue therapy support for their BMX and track cyclists.

This investment in British Olympic and Paralympic sports will play a crucial part in supporting the British team’s preparations for London 2012.Team 2012 additionally helps to fund support programmes run by the British Olympic and Paralympic Associations and over the remaining days to the Games, fundraising efforts will continue in a bid to ensure Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic teams are the best prepared in history.

Sir Matthew Pinsent, four time Olympic gold medallist and Chairman of the Team 2012 Appeal, said: “Team 2012 exists so that, come Games-time, athletes are in a position where they can say to themselves ‘Everything is in place, I’m in the shape of my life and I couldn’t possibly be better prepared.’

“The extra Team 2012 funding awarded by UK Sport to our Olympic and Paralympic sports today marks the final 100 days of preparation before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games and will be used to give our athletes an extra boost. To help ensure no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of excellence, we’ll be continuing our fundraising efforts in these crucial final days and hope to raise £20million in total to support the preparations of Olympic and Paralympic athletes this summer.

“From providing extra training camps and competition experience, to new equipment or additional sports science and medical support, this money will ensure a fantastic platform on which to send ‘Our Greatest Team’ to the Games.”

Liz Nicholl, Chief Executive of UK Sport, said: “I am delighted to be able to offer our sports this additional investment for them to seek out key opportunities to boost their final 100/133 days of preparation and help give our athletes a winning edge come Games time.
“British athletes are among the best funded and supported in the world and UK Sport is hugely grateful to the Team 2012 supporters, as well as The National Lottery and our Government for their incredible support for our ambitions for success at our home Games in London.”

Joanna Wray, World Class Programmes Manager for British Water Polo said: "UK Sport’s additional funding will add a huge performance benefit to both of our squads in preparation for the Olympic Games. For the men, it means we can bring a world class country into our holding camp to participate in a number of official matches.

"This will bring the best preparation for the squad prior to the Games and will give them the opportunity to play an Olympic opposition and share knowledge prior to entering the Village.

"For the women we can add a competition to our Olympic preparation. Whilst the holding camp is based in Hungary with the national team playing friendly competitive matches, we will not have played a competition since May, and adding an official competition lends to more pressured official matches that can prepare the athletes even better."

ASA National Age Group Girls Water Polo Championships 2012

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:39:00 +0100

Invicta’s Academy Girls Team stormed their way to victory in a straight set of wins at the ASA National Age Group Water Polo Championships 2012 which took place at Manchester Aquatics Centre on 24 March.

The South East team started the day with a 15 – 2 victory over home team, City of Manchester with a total of seven girls getting on the score sheet. The team then went on to beat eventual runners up Tydesley 6-4 and third place finishers City of Liverpool 8-2.

Invicta’s, Mhiari Nurthern managed to score in each match racking up an impressive total of 10 points to finish as second highest goal scorer of the competition behind Tyldesley’s Grace Rowlands only who clocked15 sensational goals!

Second place Tydsley also performed well throughout the competition losing only to Invicta. The match between the two top teams was closely fought, finishing a nail biting 6-4 in Invicta’s favour.

Third place on the day was City of Liverpool while home team City of Manchester finished fourth despite having two of the top five goal scorers in their team.

For a full list of results and match statistics click here.

ASA National Age Group Boys Water Polo Championships 2012

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:37:00 +0100

Croydon’s Academy Boys Team emerged victorious at the ASA National Age Group Water Polo Championships 2012 which took place at Manchester Aquatics Centre on 24 March.

The team which included fifth highest goal scorer of the competition, Ashley Castle started the tournament well by winning two of their three Group B matches. In Group A the team from Invicta had also started well winning all four of their qualifying games.

The semi finals saw Croydon take on home team City of Manchester beating them comfortably 9-1 while Invicta played a much closer match against Sedgefield. Even a hat-trick by second highest goal scorer, Ben Turnbull couldn’t help Sedgefield claim a place in the final with the match finishing a close 5-3 in Invicta’s favour.

The climax of the competition saw Group A winners Invicta take on Group B victors Croydon. The match proved an exciting end to the day’s hard battles with impressive goals from both sides. Croyden eventually stormed to victory stealing the show with an extraordinary 10- 3 win over their rivals.

Home team City of Manchester finished third after a nail biting third and fourth place play off with Sedgefield which finished 4-3 to the North West team.

Watford finished fifth, just ahead of City of Sheffield. City of Birmingham, Welsh Wanderers and Cheltenham finished seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.

For a full list of results and match statistics please click here.

Dorset ASA Water Polo News

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:10:00 +0100

Coaches are now using Dorset ASA Water Polo Facebook page to post news of trials, events and results.

To view / join visit http://www.facebook.com/groups/20916437608/

ASA Suspended Clubs

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:22:00 +0100

Click to find out the list of clubs suspended from membership of the ASA due to non payment of the 2012 membership fee.

Clubs will not be insured to play or train with any of the above teams and their players until such time as the suspension is lifted..

Local Leaders get set to celebrate London 2012 across the UK

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:44:00 +0100

London 2012's Local Leaders programme provides ideas and tools to help make the most of the Games by creating celebrations around London 2012 events.

Over 7,000 people have already signed up as Local Leaders, enabling them to access official branding and toolkits and start preparing their community for London 2012.

Wide range of initiatives

Garden for the Games provides Local Leaders with hints and tips from experts, including Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins, on how to get your gardens, streets and local spaces ready for the Games.

Once the Olympic Flame arrives in the UK on 18 May, Local Leaders are being encouraged to Line the Streets and help bring their community together to welcome the Flame.

On 27 July, the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games will be watched by over a billion people around the world, and Local Leaders can take part by hosting an Opening Night In

Unforgettable summer

Local Leaders are also being encouraged to celebrate Super Saturday on 4 August, the day when the most medals are awarded during the Olympic Games, by hosting barbecues and activity days.

For the Paralympic Torch Relay, Local Leaders can celebrate the flame lightings by lighting up every corner of the UK with a lantern or taking part in a lantern procession.

Finally, for the last day of the Paralympic Games, Local Leaders will be provided with ideas to bring together friends, family and neighbours for the Last Day of the Games, seeing out an unforgettable summer in style.

'Brilliant organisers'

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: ‘Local Leaders are brilliant organisers in every community around the country and play an active role in celebrating national events at a local level. Through this programme, Local Leaders will help provide opportunities for everyone around the UK to join in with the London 2012 Games.’

Local Leaders can put their celebration events on the London 2012 Join In listings website, giving local community celebrations exposure on what will be one of the most visited websites in the world during 2012.

Derek Twine, Chief Executive of the Scouts said, ‘Local Leaders is a perfect way for our Scouts to get involved in celebrating the Games all across the UK.

'We're encouraging our Scout leaders to sign up and get the Scouts lining the streets for the Olympic Torch Relay and holding Opening Night In parties.'

Read the full media release

Sporting legacy boost for South Dorset Community Sports Trust

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:23:00 +0100

South Dorset Community Sports Trust has secured £50,000 of Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund for Osprey Leisure Centre.

The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.

This funding will enable the project to refurbish its Leisure Centre to enable better access to its upper floor building and create a welcome and café area. Installation of a new rehabilitation gym and lift access will enhance the participation experience for disabled participants.

Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “This investment will create a fantastic sporting legacy for Portland.”

“This fund has really hit the mark with sports clubs in South Dorset. It shows we’re offering the legacy that people want for their local community. For hundreds of clubs and tens of thousands of people, 2012 will be the year their local sports facilities got better.”

General Manager of the centre, Nigel Williams said: “Being situated on the door step of the Olympic National Sailing Academy the 2012 legacy of the award could not be clearer. I have been asked many times over the years if hosting the games and Paralympics will be worth it for sport in the area and now the whole community will not only be able to see the evidence but also benefit directly from Sport England’s investment”.

The project is one of 350 local community sports groups who have been offered a total of £17.4 million in Olympic legacy funding through the Inspired Facilities Fund.

The investments announced today will breathe new life into tired facilities that can be unattractive to sports participants, difficult to maintain and run. Grants have also been offered to convert existing buildings into venues that are suitable for grassroots sport and to allow local clubs to buy the facilities they use.

Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP, said: “We want to use the Olympic and Paralympics next summer to inspire a generation to get involved in sport across the country. This is why as part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme we invited community sports clubs to apply for funding to upgrade their facilities.”

Inspired Facilities has been designed to be as simple and accessible as possible for potential applicants, with a shorter form and a catalogue of ready-made options to choose from. This is the first of five funding rounds of Inspired Facilities; the second round opens on 1 February 2012, offering hundreds more local groups the chance to bid for a further £10 million of funding.

Places People Play is being delivered by Sport England. We are working in partnership with the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA) with the backing of The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the London 2012 Inspire mark.

LOCOG Chair, Seb Coe, said: “This is a fantastic funding project that will deliver a real legacy from the London 2012 Games. It will provide a whole range of sporting opportunities for young people through improved facilities and will I hope inspire them to take up sport.”

The announcement was welcomed by the Local Government Association. Cllr Chris White, Chair of its Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: “In spite of budget pressures, councils are striving to keep supporting local sports clubs and want to work with them in creating a lasting and meaningful Olympic and Paralympic legacy. This much-needed funding will hopefully act as a catalyst to further strengthen local partnerships between councils and sports clubs and get more people playing sport.”

Notes

For more details about the project, please contact Nigel Williams 07801150200

Inspired Facilities

Inspired Facilities is part of the Places People Play legacy programme. At least £52 million will be invested through Inspired Facilities. Responding to unprecedented demand, Sport England has made over £7 million of additional awards in the first round of investment decisions, taking the total to over £17 million^{^[1]}. There will be four more funding rounds as part of Inspired Facilities, with the second round opened on 1 February 2012.

At least £35 million of the funding will go to community and voluntary organisations, through grants of between £20,000 and £50,000. The remaining funding will be open to a wider group of organisations, including councils and schools, with grants of up to £150,000 available.

To make sure the technical elements of the application process don’t put off groups with good projects, Sport England has created a catalogue of typical facilities developments and improvements, based on what sports clubs have told us they need.

[1] £5 million of the additional funding has been brought forward from subsequent funding rounds, but Sport England will consider adding to the total budget for Inspired Facilities should demand remain high in the four remaining funding rounds. The remaining £2.4 million is additional Exchequer funding for this programme.

More Water Polo test event tickets on sale 3 April 2012

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:37:00 +0100

More tickets to the Visa Water Polo International, a London 2012 test event, will go on sale on 3 April, at 10.00am.

Tickets will be available for all four sessions of Water Polo from 3-6 May, priced from £5-£15, giving spectators the unique opportunity to watch international sport in the Olympic Park just weeks ahead of the Games.

Visa (debit, credit, prepaid) is the only card accepted for online ticket sales for the London Prepares series event (www.ticketmaster.co.uk/londonpreparesseries).

At the Visa Water Polo International, taking place in the newly built Water Polo Arena, the Great Britain women’s team will line up alongside teams from Australia, USA and Russia, testing the venue for the very first time.

Debbie Jevans, London 2012 Director of Sport, said: "As with all our test events, tickets sold quickly for Water Polo when they went on sale last month. We have worked hard to be able to offer more tickets to fans to enable them to watch the forthcoming test events and we are delighted that we have been able to achieve this. Spectators play a key role in helping us test our operations as we continue to look at and test crowd flows as well as athlete movements, our workforce and of course the field of play.”

ASA Inter-Regional Championships 2012 Academy Boys (97 and under) results

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:59:00 +0100

The Inter-Regional Championships were held on 24-25 February 2012 at Gloucester

Click to view results