By Kris Raney
 
Professional water polo is played by more than 100 clubs in more than 10 countries. Nearly 30 former NCAA American athletes are currently playing abroad, including graduates of UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Princeton, and Long Beach State. Some play to stay sharp for national team opportunities; others play to experience a new culture, earn a master's degree—and all play for the love of the game.
 
Women's pro polo is played in Australia and Europe. The closest thing in the United States is the Olympic Club or the New York Athletic Club. Those two clubs field teams for the major open and masters club championships and are primarily composed of current and former national team players. For more games, additional support, and a unique experience, the action is abroad.
 
Pro polo is played during the same time span as the women's NCAA water polo season. Fall is preseason with training and "friendly" games. January to May is prime time with in-country league and tournament games. Elite European clubs (the top few in each country) compete for the LEN (Ligue Europeenne de Natation) European League titles (championship and trophy). In 2019 there are 19 clubs from nine countries battling for the titles.
 
The LEN Trophy Championship (places 5-8) took place April 12-13 in Kirishi, Russia, and the "Final 4" Championship (places 1-4) is April 19-20 near Barcelona, Spain. The eight teams competing for the LEN titles have eight USA players, including three Olympians (Maggie Steffens, Kiley Neushul & Ashleigh Johnson) on their rosters. Australian and Canadian national team players also play. The games will be streamed and are worth watching. For more information go to http://www2.len.eu/
 
Interested in playing after college? Start networking now. Pro clubs typically have only two foreign players per team and want commitments during the summer. Ask your college coaches and alums to help you connect with teams of interest. Speak with international players you know through NCAA polo and be proactive. Pro teams are looking for talent, and American NCAA players are well respected.
 
When a possible match is found, there will be a contract negotiation. Items to negotiate include airplane tickets, housing, food, salary, bonuses, vehicle, language lessons, part-time job opportunities, etc. For most quality NCAA alums, a roundtrip air ticket, a shared apartment, and cash for food is available. A part-time job (coaching, teaching English, tending bar, etc.) can provide a little travel money.
 
You won't get rich and retire playing pro polo, but you will have an experience of a lifetime. We interviewed a number of former American NCAA athletes and asked them WHY they kept the dream alive:
 
Devin Grab, UCLA 2018
Club = C.S. Plebiscito Padova in Padova, Italy
"In the grand scheme of life, it's just a wonderful chance to build relationships overseas and make new friends that could possibly last a lifetime—which has always been my favorite aspect of participating in sports."
 
Katie Dudley, Stanford 2018
Club = Balmain Water Polo Club in Sydney, Australia 
"Overall, playing professional water polo has allowed me to meet new people, learn new game tactics, experience a country culture that loves the sport as much as I do—and most importantly get to continue to play!"
 
Haley Wan, Princeton 2018
Club = Club Natació Sant Feliu in Barcelona, Spain
"I've dedicated so much of my life to water polo, and I wasn't ready to say goodbye. The sport has given me so much in return, and this year was another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
 
Alexis Angermund, UCLA 2018
Club = 98 02 Sporting Club in Pamplona, Spain
"I wanted to come over to gain international experience and travel. Playing abroad became the perfect opportunity to see the world and have a year of adventure before 'real life' set in."
 
Dani Jackovich, Stanford 2017
Club = Club Natació Sant Andreu in Barcelona, Spain
"My reasons for playing abroad include wanting to experience living abroad and other cultures—and I can this only while I'm still young, in shape, and wanting to compete."
 
Kacy Avalos, California 2018
Club = Club Natació Sant Feliu in Barcelona, Spain
"I personally felt the need to take time to decompress after graduating and finishing in the NCAA. Once I considered my post-graduation options, I decided that work will always be there, and that I crossed this unique window in my life where I could travel the world, play the sport I love, and be paid as a professional athlete."
 
Raney Remme, Long Beach State 2018
Club = UWA Torpedoes
"For someone like me—who isn't part of the national team and hasn't really been a well-known name in the Division I world, it can be hard to gain opportunities to play with teams such as NYAC and the Olympic Club. Playing abroad was one of my only options to continue playing the sport I love at a more competitive level than what a master's team would provide." 
 
The WHY of keeping their dreams alive included the following common reasons to keep playing ball:
 
1        I never got to study abroad, playing polo is even better.
2        I will never again have the opportunity to this in my life.
3        I want to learn a language, and my coach only spoke Spanish!
4        The season and team allowed me to travel for fun quite a bit.
5        I still love competing, and Europe and Australia have high-level polo.
 
For more information on the Where, When, How, and Why of women's pro polo, check out the following websites:
 
European League (top teams): http://www2.len.eu/
EURO: http://total-waterpolo.com/water-polo-news/
AUS: http://waterpoloaustralia.com.au/home
Global: https://www.waterpology.com/