Terry Schroeder Leading Team USA Once Again VOLUME 23, NUMBER 1, SPRING 2008 Inside – Women’s Water Polo College Overview What’s Inside... WATER POLO VOL. 23, NUM. 1, ® SPRING 2008 FLIPTURNS USA WATER POLO NATIOnaL OFFICE ON THE COVER . 2124 Main Street, Suite 210 ® Huntington Beach, CA 92648 USA Men’s Olympic Letter from the CEO. 2 The new Water Polo Flipturns . It’s fl ippin’ awesome. (714) 500-5445 business Team Head Coach (714) 500-5449 membership (714) 960-2431 fax Terry Schroeder. Cover photos courtesy of Letters to the Editor . 3 USA WATER POLO NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER Jeff Shewmon and Pepperdine 11360 Valley Forge Ave. Athletics Los Alamitos, CA 90720 Water Polo Times . 4 (562) 799-8506 business (562) 799-8508 fax WEB SITE National Team Update . 6 www.usawaterpolo.org CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Christopher Ramsey In the Club. 14 EXECUTIVE AssISTanT TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Chelsea Johnson 5 Meters. 22 CONTROLLER Ulises Sam DIRECTOR OF PLannIng and ADMINISTRATION In the Zone. 26 Susan Warner Hopkins DIRECTOR OF MaRKETIng and COMMunICATIOns Calendar of Events. 28 Christine Bird MEDIA RELATIOns ManagER Greg Mescall DIRECTOR OF REGIOnaL SPORT DEVELOPMENt (EasT) Also In This Issue... Liz Grimes States include: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, Golf Tourney Recap . .8 South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Men’s Elite Battle It Out DIRECTOR OF REGIOnaL SPORT DEVELOPMENt (CENTRAL) Masters . 11 Joe Linehan FLIPTURNS® FEMALE WATER POLO SUIT FABRIC CONTENT // 85% Polyester/15% Xtra Life Lycra ® States include: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Premier Annual Meeting . 19 DIRECTOR OF REGIOnaL SPORT DEVELOPMENt (WEST) Kai Palchikoff pg Hot Shots . 20 States include: California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Hawaii, Alaska, League 10 Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and Montana NATIOnaL TEAMS ManagER Nikki Jost MEMBERSHIP SERVICES COORDInaTOR Look Ahead... Drew Willems Next Issue BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bradford Bowlus, Michael Graff (Chairman), Lynn Kachmarik, > 2008 Summer Olympics Preview Jeremy Laster, Ed Reynolds, Rachel Scott, William Smith EDITOR Greg Mescall CONTRIbuTORS Darcy Couch, Paulo Cesar, Todd Clapper, Chris Oeding, FLIPTURNS® MALE WATER POLO SUIT Jason Lynch, Mary Sprague, Jim Cullingham, Mary Pat Robinson, Joan Gould, FABRIC CONTENT // 85% Polyester/15% Xtra Life Lycra ® Ed Haas, Greg Mitre, Lisa Reyes, Carroll Vaughan, James Lathrop, Summit Photography, Sally Olds, Jeff Shewmon, Tracy Birdsell, Kevin Burke, Anderson Family, Pete Snyder, Fotos FPN, Fotos Hugo Rocha, Mirko Seifert, Rise Wendt, Michael Duffy, Holy Kiki, Gwen Golub, Michael Machnik, George Stransky, Mike Miller, > FINA World League Prelims Recap Stan Schwimer, Jamie Danishment PRINTING Publication Printers 2001 S. Platte River Dr., Denver, CO 80223 | 303-936-0303 pg12 CREATIVE NCAA Adrenalin, Inc. A 2008 Women’s Collegiate Overview 54 West 11th Ave., Denver, CO 80204 303-454-8888 | goadrenalin.com USA Water Polo Skip Shot Magazine (ISSN# 00431311) is published four times per year by United States Water Polo, Inc., located at 2124 Main Street, Suite 210, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. Periodicals postage is paid at Colorado Springs, CO 80901-9998 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Skip Shot Magazine, United States Water Polo, Inc., 2124 Main Street, Suite 210, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 usawaterpolo.org 1 57756_USAWTRPOLO.indd 1 7/18/07 6:22:12 PM letter from the CEO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR If you have a comment or question concerning Skip Shot magazine, send in a letter to the editor. You can write to Skip Shot Magazine: c/o USA Water Polo, 2124 Main Street, Suite 210, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 or send an email to: [email protected] USA WATER POLO CHRISTOPHER RAMSEY Dear Editor: In my five years of playing water polo, I’ve experienced my fair share quite expensive. Two months later, I also had to have a root canal, which Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Referee of injuries. I’ve pulled muscles, had sore shoulders and knees, received immensely increased the cost of my injury. I couldn’t eat solid foods for 10 scratches and bruises—just like every other water polo player. While these days, and I wasn’t allowed to play water polo until September. I may even Have you ever lost a game that you thought you deserved to win? Have you ever won a game that you thought you types of injuries are inevitable in water polo, several types of injuries can have to get my teeth replaced eventually, because they are so fragile and can deserved to lose? Have you ever attributed either outcome to officiating? be easily prevented. However, most players don’t take time to learn how to be easily damaged upon the slightest impact. Obviously I seriously regret not protect themselves until it’s too late. I write you with hope that this letter wearing a mouth guard. Among the many ambiguities of life, the rules of water polo and their interpretation by referees rank high. Of course will be read by both beginning players and veterans alike. Expressing my story is my way of increasing younger players’ aware- we have a rulebook describing minor fouls, exclusion fouls, penalty fouls, and other regulations. Yet fouls may be over- I strongly believe that every water polo player should wear a mouth ness of water polo’s dangers. While it is such a fun sport—I immediately ruled at any time if, in the judgment of an official, blowing the whistle would place the player fouled (or his/her team) guard. Last summer, I learned how important this is. Neither my teammates dismissed my dentist’s recommendation that I stop playing all together—the at a disadvantage. nor I ever wore mouth guards and hadn’t considered the option; we had al- amount of contact creates a high risk for such injuries. However, they can ways viewed them as excessive and annoying. However, in our first game at easily be prevented; e.g., keeping your nails cut prevents scratches, stretching The tension in water polo between the many rules and the one rule will apply a uniform approach with real game visual comparisons to help the Sacramento Valley Invitational in Davis, CA, my mindset changed dras- and exercises prevent shoulder and knee injuries, and most importantly, (“advantage”) often causes frustration on the part of players with referees, referees enforce common standards. tically. While counterattacking—a minute into a sudden death overtime—I wearing a mouth guard actually prevents head trauma such as concussions, was kicked in the mouth. Ordinarily, I would have kept playing. But instead bitten lips, cheeks, and tongues, tooth injuries, and damage due to braces— as well as rampant second-guessing from players, coaches, spectators— At the same time, we have formally partnered with the Positive Coach- I screamed as the pain shot through my entire head. I immediately panicked damage from a hit to the head or neck is drastically minimalized. The cost of sometimes even the official on the other side of the pool!. Was it a foul? ing Alliance to integrate their program and expertise into our own with when my tongue felt my teeth knocked out of place. As I pulled my hands treating these injuries can be quite expensive, and what’s worse is that one Should the foul have been called? By calling the foul, did the whistle inter- the goal of building a more positive sport culture in water polo. This effort away from my mouth, I saw they were covered in blood; the water below was may require future repair, as my tooth will. rupt a drive or counter that might have resulted in a score? just as red. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind: Did I still have all A mouth guard, on the other hand, can be specially made by your own includes guidelines for parents as well as coaches, and emphasizes a cul- my teeth? Where they going to be able to fix my mouth? How extensive was dentist and will last a lifetime. A mouth guard additionally gives me confi- At the international level, there is suspicion from many about the in- ture of mutual respect and constructive partnership. Phil Jackson of the the damage? Was my smile ever going to be the same? Would my mouth be dence and a sense of fearlessness while playing, because I know I’m protected tegrity of the game. Assignment of officials at international tournaments Los Angeles Lakers is a leader in this movement, as is Stanford Women’s healed by the time I was scheduled to take my senior portraits? Needless to and not as susceptible to injury as players without mouth guards. is scrutinized like tea leaves in a fortune teller’s parlor. Some keep track Water Polo coach John Tanner. PCA’s motto is: “Transforming youth say, I was terrified. But most of all I kept thinking to myself: Why didn’t I Clearly, it is entirely advantageous to wear a mouth guard while playing wear a mouthguard? water polo. I hope my letter and story provoke both beginners and veterans of events dating back 30 years to anticipate favoritism. Referees are some- sports so sports can transform youth.” We rushed to a local dentist office, and despite the fact that I was still to wear mouth guards. times treated like royalty for fear of prejudicing them against one team or As exciting as it is to announce new initiatives, it will be even more sat- bleeding, holding my teeth in place, and in a lot of pain, I didn’t get treat- another.