Oct. 1, 2013
By James Janosz
Albuquerque Water Polo Club was cofounded and created by Robbie Bova in September 1999. The cofounder and head coach for the Albuquerque Water Polo and Swim Team, Robbie has led a program that has produced many athletes that are competing in the collegiate ranks. One year after founding the Albuquerque program, she founded the New Mexico High School Water Polo league and later competed in collegiate club play at the University of New Mexico.
An All-American in her playing days at Slippery Rock University and former member of the Women's National Team, Robbie knows something about hard work. When the club first began, it was most definitely a challenge. In 1999 she began with 25 kids and ended up growing to 75 by the end of 2006—the same year she took a job with Arizona State as an assistant water polo coach.
The Albuquerque program was dormant for a few years while Robbie was in Arizona. When she moved back to New Mexico in 2011, the program was reinstated and focused on high school. But in just under a few years, with the development of the Stripes, Stars, and Splashball teams, the community has embraced the sport the second time around. With the growth of water polo there, the club staff is developing as well.
Splashball started this past year in March. The program began with 16 kids but developed to about 30 by the end of the summer. The program has helped start kids at a younger age to feel more comfortable in the pool and teach fundamentals.
Robbie talked about USA Water Polo's involvement in the program and its assistance in developing the sport: "Without USA Water Polo's support in donating equipment and funds, the program would not be as successful today, due to limited resources." She added that "the support of S&R sport with affordable pricing has helped with the cost of equipment and apparel has been a tremendous help for the community."
In August, Albuquerque water polo club welcomed USA Water Polo National Team athletes Jillian Kraus and Greg Enloe to the West Mesa Aquatic Center for a clinic and an opportunity to continue the sport's growth. Jillian and Greg were met with 50 participants in the weeklong clinic, where they helped work all the players and spent time with each of them at a meet and greet. The pair also spent time outside the pool with staff, Robbie said, where they shared stories and talked about new drills, which afforded "a different perspective for the staff."
"It was a great experience to work with the different age groups and learn about the players as Albuquerque shows a promising future," Jillian said. "The Splashball program always makes me smile as I watch the young athletes try to play the sport, and the innocent fun they have in the pool. Even though the number of water polo players and resources are not as developed as compared to California, the enthusiasm and desire to play is equally matched."
Jillian took part in the FINA World Championships during the summer of 2013 in Barcelona, Spain, helping the United States to a fifth-place finish. Greg was part of a fourth-place finish for the USA Men at the FINA World League Super Final in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
So they offered plenty of expertise but also took a lot from their visit to the West Mesa Aquatic Center.
"Robbie and the water polo in Albuquerque is a great example of the potential our sport has to grow nationwide. The combination of the players' love for the sport and the coaches' passion to provide the best opportunity possible is a recipe for success. I am very grateful that I was allowed into their community and asked to help in their goal of improving individually and as a group. My time within the New Mexico water polo community is something I will look fondly upon for a long time and hope to return to," said Enloe.
With generous support from USA Water Polo and the city of Albuquerque, the club has full city approval now, which allows the community members to use the equipment. "Back in the day it was a tough fight to get things to happen," Robbie shared. But their growth meant Robbie has had to spend her own money for a cage, caps, and balls to support the development. But for her that is great. A goal of hers is for every player to have a ball in the pool. The passion and excitement of the club and the sport in the community is why she does it every day. Getting the community's support has helped the program's retention rate, too. Robbie's passion, as well as her staff's passion, is to every day fulfill and follow their mission statement: "We don't have a mission statement just to have one, but to remind ourselves every day what we are doing, and trying to do, each day—and that is important to the success of the club."
In September the club hosted the 2nd Annual AWPC Tournament. The club will be traveling in November to the Pirates Colorado Water Polo Tournament and will have ODP training later that month. For more information regarding Albuquerque Water Polo Club or upcoming events with the club go to http://albuquerquewaterpoloclub.weebly.com/.
This article will appear in the Winter 2013 issue of SkipShot Magazine
