2008 Summer Beijing Olympic Games Preview - Water Polo

2008 Summer Beijing Olympic Games Preview - Water Polo

Water Polo originated back in the late 1870's in England. It was introduced as an Olympic sport for men in 1900 and 100 years later, a women's division was created. The first gold medal in the women's division was won by Australia in the 2000 Sydney Games.

The matches are played in quarters. Each quarter is seven minutes long and features seven players on a team, including one goaltender. The goalie guards an area about 3x10 ft and is the only player able to touch the ball with both hands. All this happens while players are treading or swimming in water, about two meters deep.

Twelve teams will compete in the men's Water Polo tournament, and they have been divided into two groups. On the women's side, eight teams have qualified, and they have been split into groups of four.

Of the 12 men's teams, eight are from Europe. China, the host team, rounds out the field along with Canada, Australia and the USA. As for the women's tournament, the field is also dominated by European clubs, while China, Australia and the USA will also be represented. There are no South American or African nations represents in either tournament.

Hungary has been the dominant nation in men's Water Polo, as it has captured eight Gold Medals, twice as many as the next closest nation, Great Britain. With 14 all-time medals in the sport, Hungary leads the USA men by four total medals. As for the women, Italy won the Gold Medal in 2004. The United States is the only nation to medal in both Olympic Games since Water Polo became an official women's sport.

Aleksandar Sapic of Serbia is definitely a player to watch on the men's side. In 2006, he signed a contract valued at one million dollars over three years, the richest contract in water polo history, to play professionally in Russia. At 6-3 and 232 pounds, Sapic is extremely powerful at the attacker position. USA goalkeeper Brandon Brooks, a four-time All-American selection at UCLA, is the only player on the team's roster to call a state other than California home. He hopes to lead a talented American squad to the Gold Medal.

As for women's standouts, Russia's Sofia Konukh has the experience and talent to be a force. In the Sydney Games back in 2000, the then 20-year-old Konukh scored 11 goals, tied for the most in the tournament. She was recently named MVP of the 2008 FINA World League Super Final held in Spain. USA goalkeeper Betsy Armstrong will be competing in her first Olympics. She was named the outstanding goalkeeper of the 2007 FINA World Championships.

The USA Mens water polo team is amped up like never before. After finishing 11th place last summer at the 2005 World Championships, the team is focusing on developing a brighter future. Ricardo Azevedo, a Brazilian Olympian and USA Olympic Assistant Coach, took the reigns as head coach of the Mens Senior National Team in December 2005. He has recruited many outstanding Olympians to make their way back out onto the pool deck to mentor todays Olympic Hopefuls.

At the top of the long list is four-time Olympian Dr. Terry Schroeder, who is regarded as one of the all-time best water polo players in the world. Dr. Schroeder is serving as the Mens Senior National Team Assistant Coach along with Ryan Brown, the former womens water polo coach at University of the Pacific.

With a new coaching staff, seven returning Olympians and a new drive, the team is looking sharp and quickly gaining international respect from the best programs in the world. So far in 2006, the new team holds a winning record with goals of placing in the FINA World League Super Finals in August and the ASUA Cup this fall.

Among the stand-out U.S. athletes is two-time Olympian and team captain Tony Azevedo (Long Beach, Calif.), who recently finished up a tremendously successful professional season for the Italian team Bissolatti Cremona, along with U.S. teammate and 2004 Olympian Jeff Powers (San Luis Obispo, Calif.). Azevedo, who is also the son of the new head coach, was a leading scorer in the Italian Division I league and says he did it all to help get the U.S. back on the medal stand in 2008.

Women

Renowned throughout the international water polo community, the USA Water Polo Womens National Team Program is now the most decorated program in the world and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Three-two time Olympians are returning to the National Team to lead the U.S. into the Beijing Olympic Games. Team Captain Brenda Villa (Commerce, Calif), Heather Petri (Orinda, Calif.) and Ericka Lorenz (San Diego, Calif.) have been there since the teams Olympic beginnings and with Silver and Bronze Olympic Medals under their belts as well as a plethora of other international accomplishments, these three make up the perfect trio to lead the U.S. women to an even more successful future. Two-time Olympic head coach Guy Baker has put together a new team with depth and unity unlike any other. Veteran players like 2004 Olympian Natalie Golda have been working hard with newer stand-out athletes including 2006 collegiate MVP Lauren Wenger (USC) and 19-year-old Kami Craig to create a dynamic force that will pose a threat at both ends of the pool.

Since the teams Bronze Medal finish in the Athens Games, team captain Heather Moody has found her place on the new team at the side of the pool. As the assistant coach, along with Olympian Kyle Kopp, Moody is teaching the next generation of Olympic athletes the skills that helped her to become one of the best in the world. Also on the side-lines for Team USA is 2000 Olympic goalkeeper Bernice Orwig, who is sharing her knowledge of the cage to Emily Feher (Santa Ana, Calif), Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Jamie Hipp (Fresno, Calif.), the goalie Hopefuls for 2008.

ALL IN THE FAMILY:

Two-Time Olympian Tony Azevedo (Long Beach, Calif.) is preparing to tack another Olympic Games on his long list of water polo accomplishments under the direction of his father, Ricardo Azevedo, who was named Senior National Mens Team Head Coach in December 2005. Tonys sister, Cassie, recently graduated from CSU Long Beach as a water polo All-American. Mother, Libby, plays on the Long Beach Moms water polo team.

TEAM BONDING:

The U.S. Senior National Womens Team began a tradition of making morning workout every Friday fun for the whole team. Every week, the team decides on a theme for Fridays weight workout. On Fridays, take a peek in the weight room and you will see every athlete and coach dressed in the theme of the week. Last week it was super heroes!

LESSONS ABROAD:

Thirteen USA National Team Athletes spent winter 2005-2006 playing professional water polo in Europe, the worlds water polo hotbed. Athletes who played professionally this year include Brian Alexander (Santa Ana, Calif.), Tony Azevedo (Long Beach, Calif.), Ryan Bailey (Long Beach, Calif.), Spencer Dornin (Laguna, Calif.), Jaime Hipp(Fresno, Calif.), Peter Hudnut (Hollywood, Calif.), Rick Merlo (Fresno, Calif.), Heather Petri (Orinda, Calif.), Jeff Powers (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), Brenda Villa (Commerce, Calif.), Adam Wright (Seal Beach, Calif.), Ericka Lorenz (San Diego, Calif.), Jesse Smith (Coronado, Calif.) and Layne Beaubien (Coronado, Calif.). More athletes are planning to play in the upcoming 2006-2007 season.