AS the Border continues to produce a growing pool of water polo talent, young players are being forced to face a harsh reality.
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Albury’s Bridget Johnston puts it simply: “When I finish school I’ll have to leave, I have no option.”
Juggling their time between school, friends, work and family is hard enough for most teenagers, but add an elite sport into the mix and the challenge becomes much greater.
Bridget, and Brooke Dickie, of Albury, are two of three regional players named in the Australian under-18 water polo team to tour Europe in June.
After Albury Council recently decided against extending the pool season, the two girls now travel to Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra in an attempt to keep their training and skills up to standard.
Brooke made the decision to complete year 12 over two years, while Bridget said she was just managing her year 11 workload.
“You’ve got to be careful not to burn out with travel, it makes me second guess things a lot of the time,” Bridget said.
“I can’t train here because you’re not allowed to use balls at the indoor centres, I can’t egg beat because my feet touch the ground and there is no room in the lanes.
“I’m not making excuses, it is the commitment you make, but you have to work a lot harder because we don’t have facilities.”
Bridget’s mum Sally said it was “disappointing” to see kids miss out on pursuing their chosen sport due to the added financial commitment of travel for training.
The Johnstons and Brooke Dickie are backing aquatics lobby group Fish out of Water for all-year round swimming facilities.
The group is pushing for an extended pool season and, in the long run, a 50-metre indoor pool for swimming, water polo, diving and all other water sports.
The Ovens and Murray women’s side placed third at its first National Championships this month.
Water Polo Australia’s high performance manager Tom Hill said the team’s result and the girls’ selection showed there was “excellent” talent in the Albury- Wodonga area.
“To become an elite water polo player many hours of training, usually twice per day is required,” Mr Hill said.
“It certainly makes it harder to produce talent without access to a pool all year round for water polo.
“Water Polo Australia has been advocating for increased facilities and access to pools in regional areas for some time.”
