It was an exciting weekend for the Kelowna Water Polo Club (KWPC).
The rapidly-growing program held a pair of exhibition games over the weekend as part of its winter development tournament at the H2O Centre.
Gaelan Patterson, a 10-year veteran of the Canadian men’s national water polo team, was featured in Saturday’s game between the KWPC and Calgary Masters water polo team.
It was an exciting display of elite-level skills that ended in a 13-11 win for the home team, but the Calgary squad got its revenge with a narrow 10-9 win in a Sunday evening rematch.
Patterson also led a water polo community referee workshop, which saw a strong turnout from youth and adult players in Kelowna.
Reflecting on the weekend, Patterson said it was great to join the KWPC for three days of fun and learning.
“The turnout for the first-ever Community Sport Referee Course in Kelowna was remarkable, and it was gratifying to witness the interest and teach the first generation of referees in Kelowna,” he said.
“Additionally, seeing participants enjoy training sessions and the mini-tournament was inspiring. Water polo has been a part of my life for nearly two decades, and filling the pool with games across all age groups was a fantastic way to conclude my time in Kelowna."
While the exhibition games gave fans a chance to see some high-level skill on display, it was the community tournament that kept things exciting all weekend long.
It attracted over 90 athletes between the ages of six and 60 from all over the Okanagan, as well as Vancouver, Calgary and Regina.
“The tournament and exhibition games served as a testament to the increasing popularity of water polo in the Okanagan region,” noted a media release from the KWPC.
“With growing interest, anticipation builds for the emergence of new teams in Vernon and Penticton, promising further excitement and development in the sport.”
The KWPC and Calgary Masters teams will play another two-game series in Calgary on June 1-2, while the KWPC is looking forward to the annual Kelowna Classic Lake Water Polo Tournament on July 13-14.
