Water Polo Team Impress at Semi-Final of National Championships

Fourteen boys from the Lower Four claimed an impressive third place at the semi-final of the English Schools’ Swimming Association’s National Water Polo Championships.

Having performed strongly in the preliminary qualifying round, the tournament, held at Northampton School for Boys, provided an excellent opportunity for the squad to demonstrate the skills they have been developing through the King’s Swimming Academy’s Water Polo sessions.

King’s faced strong opposition from Manchester Grammar School, Bolton Boys’ School, and the host school, all of whom have well-established water polo programmes and excellent reputations in the sport. Simply reaching this stage of the competition was a significant achievement for the King’s team.

The boys began their campaign against eventual winners Manchester Grammar School. After a slow start, they found themselves trailing by a couple of goals, having been unable to capitalise on early chances. Nevertheless, they responded well and delivered a strong overall performance, despite losing the match.

Their second match against Bolton Boys’ School proved equally challenging. The team showed clear improvement as the game progressed, but Bolton’s greater experience ultimately secured them the win.

In their final match against the hosts, King’s delivered their most impressive performance of the day. Taking an early lead and going several goals ahead, they looked in control before Northampton mounted a comeback. However, the boys’ passion and determination shone through, and they added further goals to secure a well-deserved victory.

This result ensured that KSW finished in an excellent third place in this highly competitive semi-final round.

Congratulations to the team – Harry C, Jonas H, Bryn L, Matthew P, Henry R, Rufus P, Henry W, Rory T, Tom C, Rook T, Monty E, Sam M, Teddy C and Thomas E – who all approached the day with enthusiasm and determination. Each player made valuable contributions throughout the day and were a real credit to the school. The experience will undoubtedly prove invaluable as they continue to develop their skills in the sport.

For any pupils interested in pursuing water polo outside of school, Worcester Crocodiles Water Polo Club run sessions on Thursday and Sunday evenings for all ages and abilities. Further details can be found on their website.