Water Polo Takes a Deep Dive This Season
Marco Polo is a popular game for those who invade swimming pools during Summer months. A game that will not have any relation to the actual Marco Polo 13th-century Italian trader and explorer. But there is an explanation that is said to have a connection to this water game.
Head Swimming & Water Polo Coach Page Small ready for a new Hawk Challenge.
“Legend has it that the famed explorer didn’t really have a clue as to where he was going”, showing the need to have a person ‘It’ that starts the game by calling out-Marco….while everyone else in the pool replies-Polo and the water tag game is on!!
What does this have to do with an article, on The ReSporter that covers sports, for Canyon Lake High School? Coming in August will be a new Hawk Sport that will change that first name of Marco to ‘Water’ Polo (WP) and thus a new sport.
Water Polo is usually seen during those Summer Olympics or in most colleges that compete mostly coming from those California schools.
CLHS has hired a new Swimming and Polo Coach in Page Small who will be taking the reins starting in August and now giving Hawk Athletes a chance to play a sport without pads.
“This will be a challenge and I am very excited to be working at Canyon Lake,” Coach Small stated.
On how he found Canyon Lake? “I had been to Texas on 4 different occasions in the Arlington and Portland areas and I had a buddy who retired from the Navy who was living at the Vaaler Creek Golf Course near Blanco and we came out and visited and just liked the area,” Coach Small said. “We had been thinking for two or three years bout moving and so I started searching coaching sites and knew that there were some San Antonio schools that played Water Polo and then one day I saw that Canyon Lake was looking for a coach.”
Way to Go Hawks & Swim The Lake!!
Coach Small continued, “I was concerned that my teaching credentials would not transfer because coaching in California doesn’t require that you teach in a school like Texas does.”
Water Polo will resemble soccer back when Canyon Lake first opened their doors. The Hawk Soccer teams competed against larger schools which delayed their success. Then about 5 years ago the actual ‘foot’ball sport started to find success. That was when CL’s district opponents became like-minded in size helping both boys and girls being able to achieve, on field, success.
Canyon Lake’s WP Team will be in District 25 with all the Comal ISD schools along with Alamo Heights. Davenport will join Canyon Lake as the only school representing the 4A classifications but Davenport has an advantage having a pool that is deep enough for this sport and thus, they have started a team giving them a head start.
The State of Texas has 175 schools signed up for Water Polo and Canyon Lake will be the only 4A school (along with Davenport) to pit their water skills against those larger schools.
Region I 49 Region III 41 Region II 45 Region IV 40 (CLHS Region)
“We will be looking for like level teams right now,” Coach Small said in response to this year’s schedule. “Playing 18 games this year will be our goal and 10 of those will be district games…the good news is having no rain outs.”
Go Hawks & Stay Cool in the Pool.
Coach Small gave more educational thoughts, “Water Polo takes 1 hour approximately to play.”
On what type of situation with getting enough people for starting this season? “I will get enough players…I was called the pied piper at my previous schools and tried to get those fringe kids for a chance of making the team. I also hope to have some students on our swim team converting but the good news is being a sport that can beat the Heat….when you don’t know you are sweating.”
“I have coached All Americans that did not have speed but they worked their tails off to become accomplished in Water Polo…but I have also worked with Novice students and if you can have speed and aptitude and of course, being Coachable then we can accomplish some goal and hopefully time and patience will help develop confidence!” Coach Small.
Make us Hawk Proud Water Polo Team!!
So, what we have here is a sport that season starts August 5th and a pool that will need to be deeper for enjoying a home field advantage.
Davenport opened their doors 3 years ago and already has a legit pool and that will be the closest venue for playing our home games.
This looks like a great way to enjoy the heat with a chance to play Water Marco Polo during the hottest time of the year deep in the heart of Texas.
Welcome Coach Short and hoping Water Polo will develop into a sport that can combine fun with hard work since Canyon ‘Lake’ does have a name lending itself for swimming to survive!!
Go Hawks!!
