Exeter ladies Water Polo team finish top of the table in Division 3 in Manchester this weekend. However team Captain Amy Potter narrowly missed the final weekend in the tournament after being evacuated and losing all her kit in the Bolton fire. See the story on the DevonLive website.
The ladies won their final two games of the tournament this weekend, beating off previously undefeated leaders Cheltenham 10-5, and holding back Rotherham from a come back with a 10-9 victory, taking them to the top of the table.
The team was very relieved to have captain Amy Potter with them after she was evacuated the previous day from a friend’s room in the The Cube student accommodation in nearby Bolton.
Said Amy: “We all escaped unharmed but my belongings including all my water polo kit for the weekend and my GB kit, were left in the flat.
“My team rallied round and lent me kit to play in, and it’s been a bit stressful but it’s all worth it now we’ve won our league. I’m so proud of my team and the way they played this weekend.”
Team coach Kamz Powell congratulated the ladies, saying: “Exeter is a team of very young players – many of them still students, and so this is an amazing achievement in their first year of National League.
“They have worked together as a team and really raised their game in what is a well deserved win.”
Top goal scorer for Exeter was Jasmine Coleman.
The ladies will go on to play the Division 2 teams in play offs next year for promotion to Division 2.
Sponsorship is being sought from local organisations for next year to cover the entry and match costs.
Said Amy: “Most of us are students and so don’t have much money, and the travel and accommodation for our tournaments is really expensive.
“We’d be so grateful for any contributions from local companies, no matter how small.
“We really hope our performance will inspire girls to get involved in water polo – it’s a great sport that involves really good team working and skills, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
For more information or interviews please contact Louise Raymond on 07769210124.
Author Archives: philsyd
New date for the A.G.M is Tuesday 21st January 2020 at 7.00 PM
I am just letting you all know that the Waterpolo A.G.M has had to be postponed until Tuesday 21ST January 2020, same time, same venue. Sorry to have to do this but we have just had notification that regional waterpolo meeting has just been arranged and is the same date of our original A.G.M. As several members and coaches need to attend, this it was felt bet to postpone it.
This will give you more time to consider joining the committee and helping to run the Club.
OUR CLUB’S TALENT ON SHOW NATIONALLY… and we need your help!
We are looking for your help to make it happen for Exeter Ladies’ Waterpolo
Background – The Men’s and Women’s British National Waterpolo League has been running in the current form since 2010, the league is going from strength to strength with the standard of water polo attracting players from all over the world to join teams making the league increasingly competitive. The league now comprises of the top 64 teams from England, Scotland and Wales – 40 men’s and 24 women’s. For the first time this year the top tier Super 5s was even televised on the BBC!
This coming season there will be four new teams taking part in the BWPL, after battling through closely fought qualifying tournaments at the end of last season. In the women’s competition, Exeter and Watford won promotion! It all came down to the final game, which was really exciting and played in front of a packed house in Northampton, Exeter and Watford clashed in the nail biter to decide which team would go through. Victory to Exeter 5-4 meant Exeter Women’s team won, their first successful team entry into the British National League! What is more exciting is that the Exeter Women’s team is made of lots of young home grown talent who have come up through Exeter Water Polo and Swimming Club.
This is an amazing opportunity to for a group of local girls to play at the highest Club standard. We have 13 in a match day team, but about 20 in the squad with the youngest in the team being only 14 years old, and we have worked hard week in week out, training as a team with the sole aim of winning entry to the National League. Now we have, we are so excited to continue this hard work ready for the National League season starting in September. The are 3 weekend competitions in Northampton (September), Sheffield (October) and Manchester (November) in which we will play between 3 – 4 games each time, there then is potential for play-offs and promotion, so the stakes are high!
Saturday 21st and 22nd September saw us in our first ever weekend of National League competition with wins against Southampton (17-3) and Watford (10-3) and single hard fought defeat to Penguin Emperors (London) (7-14). See us finish in 3rd out of 8 in the overall standings after the first round.
How can you help??
We are looking for help in any way you can!
We are looking to raise funds to cover the cost of the league entry fees which is £2500.
- Do you know a business large or small that we can approach for support?
- Do you have any ideas for fundraising opportunities?
- Can you support the operating of the club with any skills… you don’t even need to understand waterpolo!!
If you can help in any way please contact Tyna Crow
Exeter ladies national league debut
Exeter Ladies Waterpolo team will represent the city on a national stage this weekend, as they begin their first season in the National Waterpolo league.
And local house building firm Taylor Wimpey and Active Devon have given the team a big helping hand, with sponsorship donations totalling £800 (£500 from Taylor Wimpy, £300 from Active Devon) towards the league fees and expenses.
The team successfully won through the pre-season play offs, beating off tough competition from Manchester Comets, Watford, Cheltenham, Nova Centurion and Sunderland to reach the third division of the League, and will head to Northampton this weekend to play Southampton, London Penguins and Watford.
Team captain Jenny Herring said: “We’re really excited about playing our first national league this year, and are training hard.
“This is the first time in the history of the club that the ladies have made it to this national platform, and we have a strong team of determined players, so we’re hopeful that we’ll do well in our first year.
“We are so grateful to Taylor Wimpy and Active Devon for their generous sponsorship. Many of us are students and so we simply couldn’t afford the cost of the fees and other expenses. This sponsorship has enabled us to take part, and we also want to say a huge thanks to Kamz our coach and to all the volunteers who support the club and team.”
Richard Harrison, Land and Planning Director at Taylor Wimpey Exeter said: “We’re really proud to have sponsored Exeter Ladies’ Waterpolo team with £500 towards their first season in the national league. We’re aware that this is a first for the team to be recognised at this level, and it is a real honour to be able to support them as they go from strength to strength. We wish the team the very best of luck in training and for all future tournaments.”
The sport’s governing body also received good news this week when it was placed back on the National Curriculum for PE, bringing it back into the mainstream.
Suzie Tomlinson, team manager said: “We hope that our profile in the national league will encourage and inspire other local girls to take part in the sport. It’s a fantastic team sport which is great for self-confidence and positive mental health as well as strength and fitness.”
This weekend’s team consists of: Nina Rickards, Ella Louise Jones, Jai Powell, Millie Raymond, Madeleine Crow, Jasmine Coleman, Jess Garrad, Zandi Nduvane, Lucy Chard-Maple, Izzy Ewen, Jenny Herring and Nyah Tomlinson.
T-shirts kindly supplied by Wyvern Water Polo.
