Practices
This week is the final week of summer practices, 6 pm to 7:45, at Citiparks Ammon on 2217 Bedford Ave., Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Hope to see you there Tuesday, Aug 14, and Thursday, Aug 16.
Next week, practice shifts to the Northside and Citiparks Sue Murray Swim Pool on Cedar Ave. The pool there is smaller, but we can still have some deep water to practice. Same dates and times. 6 pm to 7:45 pm on Tuesday, Aug 21 and Thursday, Aug 23.
The following week, when most kids have already started school, we’ll shift practices again, to Citiparks Highland Park Pool, the site of the Sept 1, 2018, game day with NCAA Teams. Highland Park Pool is behind the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium on Lake Road. Practices at Highland Park are still 6 to 7:45 pm on Tuesday, August 28 and Thursday, August 30.
The next six outdoor practices are all outdoors, so weather permitting, of course. The best opportunities for full pool scrimmages are this week, August 14 and 16.
Help is needed yanking goals and placing them at the various pools in the weeks to come. Those with bigger trucks and trailers, please ping Mark Rauterkus, 412-298-3432. That is generally a sticking point.
Kids: Pittsburgh Combined
The Pittsburgh Combined program is for scholastic water polo players from any school district in grades 12 to 6 — and it is being operated this season through the efforts of the South Park Aquatic Club and Coach Christian with the help of both Coach Mark Rauterkus and Joie Marhefka. We’ve been recruiting competitive swimmers, but have more slots on the team to fill. This week we practice on Monday, and Wednesday, August 13 and 15, 7:30 am to 10 am at indoors South Park High School pool. If you want to join us as we prepare that team for action this fall, we hope, then it is not too much of a pain to get your volunteer clearances and get signed up as an assistant coach.
Sign up Form
Labor Day Weekend, Saturday September 1, and Sunday, September 2, Renegades have games and the squad line-up of players is still INCOMPLETE. We are going to take 20 players, MAX, and then shut down the line-up. You must be a paid member to pay. And, there are going to be game fees too.
SIGN UP HERE at this page on Mark’s site. New Technology.
First game expected at NOON on Saturday, Sept 1, at Highland Park Pool, outdoors
Renegades include:
- 1. Ercan
Two games expected on Sunday, Sept 2, at W&J College, indoors, 60 S Lincoln St, Washington, PA 15301.
Renegades include:
- 1. Kiean Ashtari = goalie
- 2. Ercan
Long Term Plans: Water Polo Festival
The aim is to make Saturday, Sept 1, a WATER POLO FESTIVAL. This is the first time we’re able to play NCAA water polo games at an outdoor pool in a Citiparks facility. Many of the teams in the region want to attend, but this year we’ll only have W&J, PSU, Mercyhurst and Gannon. Perhaps we make next years a multi-day tournament and include more teams. Perhaps we run a camp for high school players the prior week and even include SKWIM in the shallow part of the pool.
PR help welcome
Help with the PR for the Sept 1 Game Day with NCAA Teams. We should use social media to spread the word of the games to various sites, groups and to our contacts. Anyone want to help with that? Email Mark@Rauterkus.com.
On Monday, Coach Mark is going to a summer camp with 100 kids and inviting the youngsters and their families to attend as spectators.
Spectator RSVP for PR reasons on Facebook
Getting spectators to sign-up for the NCAA Water Polo Games at Highland Park Pool on the Facebook page happens at https://tinyurl.com/y7wdf47t
If anyone wanted to pay a little bit of $ to boost that URL and promote the event, feel free to do so.
CLINIC leadership for the September 1 event.
We’d like to have EXPERTS lead on-going clinics for those interested in learning more about water polo while at the event on September 1. To sign up to lead part of the clinic, go to this page.
To sign-up to lead ONE or more of the 15-minute segments for the on-going clinic on Saturday, Sept 1 game day at Highland Park Pool, claim your spot and leave a little note on this page:
http://www.needtomeet.com/meeting?id=7k2z4yveV
Poll: Would you attend Thursday night practices at Chartiers Valley H.S. Pool? Take this poll.
http://www.needtomeet.com/meeting?id=9ij2174kV
If we don’t get 10 or more people to sign up, then we know we should not rent the facilities. Got to figure out the demand. Other options are still in the works, but let’s test the waters with this time, dates and location and see what everyone things. Leave a comment on that page if you wish.