Water Polo
Junior Varsity Team
The Royals JV team had a very successful season. They were able to capture the Provincial B Division Championship. This is a huge accomplishment as most of the other teams in this division were of varsity age. Congratulations Royals JV water polo team.
The Royals JV team had a very successful season. They were able to capture the Provincial B Division Championship. This is a huge accomplishment as most of the other teams in this division were of varsity age. Congratulations Royals JV water polo team.
Junior Varsity Female - Megan Duff
Megan put team before self. The JV team this year won the “B” division Championship. A Selkirk JV team has never won the “B” Division title. At the start of the season, I realized that the team needed some strong leadership. Megan seemed like a good fit as she had played the year before, had a strong speed swimming background, and had friends on the JV team. When I first approached Megan, she was not entirely happy about the plan, but she rose to the occasion. She provided speed and experience to the team as well as that “je ne sais quoi” that strong leadership provides. Congratulations Megan |
Junior Varsity Male - Fynnley Pearson
Fynnley is my first second generation water polo player as I coached his mom way back in ’95. The apple has not fallen far from the tree. Make no mistake, Fynn is a great player and he has the physical skills to dominate a game. But he has the even rarer ability to make those around him play better. When you have player on a team that is noticeably better than others, you notice how they treat those around them. Fynn helped his team along for the entire season: he offered positive advice and he never shied away from passing to an open teammate when he could have scored himself. Fynn’s ability to bring his team up to his level brought home the Provincial Championship for the Royals.
Congratulations Fynn
Fynnley is my first second generation water polo player as I coached his mom way back in ’95. The apple has not fallen far from the tree. Make no mistake, Fynn is a great player and he has the physical skills to dominate a game. But he has the even rarer ability to make those around him play better. When you have player on a team that is noticeably better than others, you notice how they treat those around them. Fynn helped his team along for the entire season: he offered positive advice and he never shied away from passing to an open teammate when he could have scored himself. Fynn’s ability to bring his team up to his level brought home the Provincial Championship for the Royals.
Congratulations Fynn
Varsity Team
The Royals Varsity Team had a very successful season. Rising to be ranked has high as third in the Province going into the final weekend. The team finished fifth after a tough loss to Garden City. This was the second highest placing in the last 20 years. With most of the team returning next year and a strong supporting cast moving up from JV, great things are in this team’s future.
The Royals Varsity Team had a very successful season. Rising to be ranked has high as third in the Province going into the final weekend. The team finished fifth after a tough loss to Garden City. This was the second highest placing in the last 20 years. With most of the team returning next year and a strong supporting cast moving up from JV, great things are in this team’s future.
Varsity Male - Josh Boulton
Josh joined water polo in grade 10 when a shy gangly grade 10 boy arrived on the deck. He learned the game without the benefit of having a pool to train in that year. I was surprised that anyone returned to the team after that year, but Josh returned in grade 11 and in grade 12. I didn’t really understand Josh, until I was fortunate enough to see him play the saxophone in the Jazz band at a PD conference one day. At that moment, I realized that Josh was not coming to water polo looking to fulfill some secret desire to dominate the pool and the athletic world. He was clearly already a dominant force in the jazz band. Josh was coming to water polo because he enjoyed it and because he wanted to better himself and be a part of a team. In reflecting upon that, it helped me to understand that the courage to reach outside of your comfort zone, believe in yourself and to support the Royals Sports community is the most valuable role an athlete can have. If we all took steps outside our comfort zone and tried new and difficult things as people and as a community we would all be better. Thanks, Josh for this valuable lesson.
Congratulations Josh
Josh joined water polo in grade 10 when a shy gangly grade 10 boy arrived on the deck. He learned the game without the benefit of having a pool to train in that year. I was surprised that anyone returned to the team after that year, but Josh returned in grade 11 and in grade 12. I didn’t really understand Josh, until I was fortunate enough to see him play the saxophone in the Jazz band at a PD conference one day. At that moment, I realized that Josh was not coming to water polo looking to fulfill some secret desire to dominate the pool and the athletic world. He was clearly already a dominant force in the jazz band. Josh was coming to water polo because he enjoyed it and because he wanted to better himself and be a part of a team. In reflecting upon that, it helped me to understand that the courage to reach outside of your comfort zone, believe in yourself and to support the Royals Sports community is the most valuable role an athlete can have. If we all took steps outside our comfort zone and tried new and difficult things as people and as a community we would all be better. Thanks, Josh for this valuable lesson.
Congratulations Josh
Varsity Female - Bibi Tozzi
Before the season, Bibi would likely have voted to stay on the bench or work the bench as she did last year, but she got in the water and soon showed us how it was done. Bibi was a student of the game: she worked at each game and practice to get better, achieving in a year of play a level that most players don’t reach in three. She played with a smile but also with a toughness that I didn’t expect. A nod and in she would go to cover that long-haired, greasy guy from Kelvin. It was a job that she took pride in. By the end of the season, she was able to cover anyone in the league and to do it in a sport where defensive specialists are hard to come by. Bibi’s valuable lesson for us all was that an eye for improvement and working hard at every opportunity in sport and in life will help one to accomplish great things.
Congratulations Bibi.
As an aside, Bibi is the 7th member of the Grahame-Tozzi household to play Royals Water Polo. With me as the coach (I never had the opportunity to play for Selkirk), we would challenge any other family out there. Get out your speedos people!
Before the season, Bibi would likely have voted to stay on the bench or work the bench as she did last year, but she got in the water and soon showed us how it was done. Bibi was a student of the game: she worked at each game and practice to get better, achieving in a year of play a level that most players don’t reach in three. She played with a smile but also with a toughness that I didn’t expect. A nod and in she would go to cover that long-haired, greasy guy from Kelvin. It was a job that she took pride in. By the end of the season, she was able to cover anyone in the league and to do it in a sport where defensive specialists are hard to come by. Bibi’s valuable lesson for us all was that an eye for improvement and working hard at every opportunity in sport and in life will help one to accomplish great things.
Congratulations Bibi.
As an aside, Bibi is the 7th member of the Grahame-Tozzi household to play Royals Water Polo. With me as the coach (I never had the opportunity to play for Selkirk), we would challenge any other family out there. Get out your speedos people!