U.S. Water Polo to Run Series of Clinics for Boys

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., February 11. THIS summer, the U.S. men's National Team will be gunning for gold at the FINA World Championships and Pan American Games. But in the meantime, the team will be assisting three-time Olympic gold medal coach Ratko Rudic run a series of clinics at the USA Water Polo National Aquatic Center in Los Alamitos (Calif.).

The goals of the Olympic Water Polo Academy are to instruct young athletes in the basic fundamental skills necessary to achieve success in the sport of water polo, using the techniques and training methods of the United States senior men's National Water Polo
Team and to provide a dynamic learning environment featuring instruction from the best water polo players and coaches in the country.

The clinics cater to boys ages 6-17 in three separate groups (6-11, 12-14, 15-17) and will run twice a week through mid-March.

Rudic, who took over the U.S. program in January of 2001, totes quite the resume with him into the clinics, boasting three gold medals (1984 & 1988 – Yugoslavia, 1992 – Italy) as a coach and one as a player (1968 – Yugoslavia) in a career that spans across five decades. His charge, then and now, has been to elevate the level of play in the United States, something that he feels the Olympic Water Polo Academy goes to serve.

"The Academy gives kids the best water polo education available in the country," said Rudic. "By improving each player's physical, tactical, and technical skills and having them take that back to their clubs, we hope to enhance the level of play in this country."

While the first go-round of clinics will be based in Southern California, Rudic hopes to branch out into other states in the future.

Place: USA National Water Polo Training Center
11200 Lexington Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720

Dates: February and March 2003
Mondays and Thursdays
6:00pm – 9:00pm

Session II: February 17, 20, 24, 27
Session III: March 3, 7, 10, 13

Cost: Two week fee: $140 ($11.67 per hour) per two-week session for advance registration before each session begins; on-deck registration $160 ($13.33 per hour)
Four week fee: $240 ($10 per hour) for advance registration for four-week session before the session begins; on-deck registration
$260 ($10.83 per hour)
Six week fee: $350 ($9.72 per hour) for advance registration for six-week session before the session begins; on deck registration
$370 ($10.28 per hour)

For more information, or to reserve a spot, please contact U.S. National Team assistant Daniel Leyson at leysd@hotmail.com or call the National Office at 719.634.0699.

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