Davis Water Polo Club

Davis water polo club (DWPC) is a non-profit organization with the goal of developing individual and team sportsmanship, excellence, and enjoyment in the game of water polo. The organization is guided buy a board of directors that is comprised of 5 individuals, one of whom serves as the president. The group has approximately 150 members ranging from five years of age, to college level.

Water polo is a sport, which is played in water and requires seven players on each team: six field players and one goalie. In most pools, players are not aloud to touch the bottom. The course has two goals (sometimes called cages) which measure 3’ x 10’. The object of the game ultimately is to score more goals than the other team (each goal being worth 1 point) using a ball that comes in one of three sizes (depending on who is playing the game): children’s, men’s and women’s. A water polo ball (for men and women’s sizes) generally ways between 14 and 16 ounces and has a circumference of 28 inches for men’s and 26.5” for women’s. The game can sometimes be a very brutal one, as referees cannot always see very much.

History

Rick West started Davis Water polo club in 1977. In those days, the club was mostly made up of men who were teenagers through college-age players. In the early 1980’s members of the UCD Women’s club comprised a new women’s water polo segment. During the1990s, the club added a full age group program for younger boys and girls. In the late 1990’s the club added a Rug Rat water polo group, ages five through nine. At this time, the group also became a non-profit organization. Craig Wilson, a goalie, and a DWPC member went on to play for the US team in the olympics. If you click on his name you will find yourself at his webpage which tells you a bit about himself and about waterpolo goalkeeping.

Competition

The club enters tournaments throughout Northern California. The club also often scrimmages with cross-causeway rival American River Water Polo, which is a club in Sacramento. In addition, every year DWPC sends teams of both boys and girls in all four age groups (18 & under, 16 & under, 14 & under and 12 & under) to the national Junior Olympics (JO’s). The club also sends a 20 & under group to both the men's and women's team to the Junior national tournament.

Practice

The group practices at a number of facilities in Davis, CA. These include Schaal aquatics center, and Hickey Gym, which are both located on the UC Davis campus. Arroyo pool and Community pool are both public pools that are also utilized by the club. The fall, winter and spring sessions consist of 90 minute practices in the evenings twice a week. The summer practices usually last 2 hours (depending on the age group) 4 days a week and take place in the morning.