INNISFAIL - Several players with the Innisfail Hurricanes Water Polo Club recently participated at the Alberta Water Polo winter league provincials in Edmonton.
Four Innisfail girls, Olivia Bergeron, Aubry Haldorson, Breanna Seguin and Ella Williams competed with the Edmonton Tsunami U-12 girls water polo team while Innisfail's Jacob Mydland played with the Edmonton Tsunami U-14 boys water polo team.
The provincial tournament took place in Edmonton April 8 and 9.
Ray Bergeron, president of the Innisfail Hurricanes Water Polo Club, said it was the girls' first time competing in the tournament.
"Exposing the girls to this level of competition, where they were playing significant minutes and roles, was an excellent opportunity," said Bergeron. "Our Innisfail girls learned a lot and were major contributors to a team that improved by leaps and bounds from the beginning of the season.
"While the Tsunami did not advance to the medal round, they did have three hard fought games against the Okotoks Dolphins, the Parkland Polar Bears (Spruce Grove-Stony Plain) and the Calgary Mako," he added. "All of our girls played extremely well and we are very proud of them."
The Edmonton Tsunami boys team won a bronze medal.
"It was good. We all thought we could do it," said Mydland. "We needed to have that confidence to help us get that medal."
This was Mydland's second year playing water polo, his first year with the Edmonton Tsunami and his first time competing at provincials.
"We lost one game and won the other two," said Mydland, noting what he likes best about the sport. "I like meeting different people, being in the water and moving around lots."
The bronze medal qualified his team for the Western Championships in Calgary in May.
The Hurricanes recently wrapped up their water polo season.
"The Hurricanes offer an affordable winter season sport that runs from mid-September to the end of March," said Bergeron.
