Team chemistry an asset for the 16&U Boys Tasmanian team as they get ready for the AYWPC

The 2022 Australian Youth Water Polo Championships are just a few days away and the enthusiasm is growing across the country, with over 2,500 between competitors, officials, staff and support personnel about to arrive in Brisbane for one of the hallmark events on Water Polo Australia’s national calendar.

For many of the young players across the 14&U, 16&U and 18&U categories the 2022 AYWPC will be one of the first opportunities to play interstate in almost three years, something that makes anticipation grow even bigger.

“Everyone is looking forward to it!” confirmed Archer Lane, one of the players representing Tasmania in the 16&U Boys age group.

“Some of the boys in the team haven’t played interstate since 2019 due to COVID-19 and the many cancellations we had, so they are eager to get back into the pool,” he said.

The journey to the AYWPC has not always been smooth sailing for the Tasmanian team. Still, Lane is confident the team is ready to take up the challenge and make the most of the tight-knit connections and good chemistry within the squad.

“Preparations have been good. We have all been training hard for the competition and are excited to be going to Brisbane,” he said.

“We are all from Hobart and have played with each other in different teams and clubs over the past few years, so we all know our strengths really well. We also get along really well personally and we have quite a bit of fun together, which helps.

“Our coach Deane has been one of our main coaches for the past few years and we understand his style of coaching and what his expectations are for us, as a team and as individual players, which works well for us.”

Archer recognised that the AYWPC will be a great chance for the Tasmanian team to get exposure to different styles and levels of water polo in the pool, also in preparation for other national events.

“It’s great to be able to challenge ourselves against some of the bigger and stronger teams. Plus it gives us more training and exposure in preparation to the National State Championships later in the year,” he said.

“We do know the standard of competition to expect as the majority of our team played at the WPA Summer Slam in January. We’re all gained a bit more confidence from that and we are now looking to improve ourselves as a team, and gain a few more wins on the board.”

The AYWPC are set to be held from 14-18 April 2022, with teams from across the country converging on Brisbane for five days of water polo fun and action. The draws for all age categories can be viewed here with all the information about the event also available on the event website.

Looking for things to do while in Brisbane for the AYWPC? CLICK HERE to find out more