Marist Auckland Waterpolo

With the first Senior National Championships around the corner both the senior women and senior men teams take shape as coaches announce their squads. Click here for the current senior men and women's squads.

For a change Marist isn't losing its top players to overseas clubs but can actually announce a new player transferring to the club. After years of collecting pool entry fees from Marist players at Sacred Heart College Aquatic Centre, New Zealand Senior Women Representative Sarah Pattison finally made the move away from her home club Maranui to Marist Auckland. Sarah moved back to Auckland in 2003 but kept playing for the Maranui Mudcrabs through to the 2005 season. For the recent Commerce and Science graduate of University of Auckland the decision to turn her back on Wellington was a tough one. "Maranui will always be special to me but to get where i want to be i need to train and I see Marist as the right choice to achieve this." We welcome Sarah in our midst and whish her the very best for the 2006 season.

I started playing before most of the current players were born back in 1981 at the freezing cold outdoor Olympic pool in Newmarket with the Newmarket club at under 15 level. Had a hand in starting off AGS water polo in that same year. Played in the AGS team through a 3 season 54 game unbeaten streak from 82 through 84. From that team emerged two provincial rugby players, one All Black half back, one basketball/waterpolo, dual international and a first division lotto winner. Unfortunately I was none of these men.

I did however manage to play NZ schools and NZ seniors in the same year in 1985, after I had left school (school attendance never used to be a selection criteria). I continued to play for NZ on and off through till 91 and scored a staggering no
international goals.

Played in Ludwigsburg in Germany for a month or two in 1986 where I didn't mention the war and achieved an astonishingly poor level of German. I spent a couple of years back in NZ and set up the water polo program for the Henderson Pool and ran that for a couple of years introducing water polo to the schools out west.

From '91 to '96 I moved to France and played 1st 2^nd and 5th division there for the Macon and Nancy clubs while developing a taste for expensive wines and smelly cheeses. Also helped out coaching the Nancy women's team who won the French championship three times and made the last 8 in the European Cup.

I retired from goalkeeping and joined Marist in 97 and won my only national titles with them in 97 and 98.

I played for the world's second oldest polo club, London Polytechnic in the English league from 98 through to 2003 and the best we managed was a 2nd during that
time.

I have coached more schools than I care to mention, AGS (while Kurt Goldsworthy was a junior on the bench), Selwyn, Avondale, Kings to name a few as well as Waitakere senior womens and I was also assistant coach at 2 world champs with the national women's side with the highlights being beating the French.

I am currently working as a teacher at Kings College and own a goldfish named fluffy.

I have no strong musical preferences as long as there is a guitar and a drum I'll listen to it, otherwise trance, house, hip hop, rap - you name it I hate it.

Marist Women came second at the Senior North Island Championship played last weekend in Hamilton. Under the eyes of Hungarian Mens’ National Coach Denes Kemeny the girls had to admit defeat against Maranui in the final. Maranui also claimed the Men’s title beating NorthSport. After Marist leading 3 - 1 Maranui turned the game around a manged a 7 - 6 at the final whistle. More.

photos by Christine van Raalte

The Senior Women have finished their 2005 campaign winning both titles (National League and National Club Championship) convincingly keeping an unbeaten record throughout the entire season.

National League Squad

Nicola Ingoe (NZL Junior), Emily Cox (NZL Junior & Senior), Rachel Swindell (NZL Senior), Kylie McAneaney, Lisa van Raalte (NZL Junior), Louise Boston, Frankie Snell (NZL Junior & Senior, Kelly Mason (NZL Junior), Mandy Roberts (Team Captain), Roberta Stewart, Sam Schubert (NZL Junior & Senior), Julie Phillips and Jess Doorman

For the Senior National Championship Anna Sieprath and Amy Logan returned home from their overseas duties for University of Hawaii to join the team. Nicole Scott reactivated her water polo career to substitute Goalie Nicola Ingoe who suffered from a knee injury at the time. Roberta Stewart returned to Stanford University in May and was therefore not available for Club Nationals in Christchurch.

Coaches

Paul Monney/Olaf Adam

Manager

Trish Cox

Marist Senior Women players Lisa van Raalte (left) and Kelly Mason (right) with one of their numerous fans.