INNISFAIL – Several athletes from Innisfail recently participated at the Alberta Water Polo provincial championships.
The tournament took place in Edmonton on April 14 and 15.
“We’re quite excited. I believe this is the most players we’ve had involved in a provincial championship tournament,” said Ray Bergeron, president of the Innisfail Hurricanes Water Polo Club.
A total of five Innisfail Hurricane water polo players suited up for the event and played with the Calgary Mako water polo team, in their respective age groups.
Three 12-U girls, including Sophia Bouw, Aubry Haldorson and Breanna Seguin suited up, along with two individual 14-U players, Jacob Mydland and Olivia Bergeron, who also took part at provincials this year. The 14-U Calgary Mako girls' team, which included Innisfail's Bergeron, won a bronze medal and will move on to the Western Canadian Championships in Edmonton in early May.
“We’ve been affiliated with the Calgary Mako club all provincial season,” said Bergeron. “That’s about half of their entire 12-U team, so we’re really a big part of their team at the 12-U level.”
The girls practised with the Hurricanes in Innisfail twice a week and played in the intramural games, noted Bergeron, adding Innisfail wrapped up its regular water polo season on March 28.
“They also played in all the provincial league games with Mako that take place in Calgary and Edmonton throughout the season,” he added.
The sixth-ranked Calgary Mako 12-U girls' team played its games on April 14.
“They’ve worked very hard and they’ve come a long way as a team. This will be a good experience for them to compete at a provincial level,” said Bergeron. “For 12-U players, the provincial championships is the highest level they can (participate).”
Bergeron competed with the third-ranked 14-U Mako girls' team on April 15, while Mydland competed with the fourth-ranked 14-U boys' team on April 15.
“By joining the Calgary Mako team they’re putting forth quite a commitment to play competitively,” said Bergeron. “They’ve put in a lot of hard work together with their teammates to get to provincials.”
Mydland and Bergeron are the only Hurricane players on their Mako teams, he added.
“They’ve shown commitment to go down there and practise as one athlete representing Innisfail and become part of a Mako team,” said Bergeron. “They’ve really jelled well with their new teammates there and have worked really hard.”
