PNW Shores water polo club looks to help local players elevate their game

For most athletes high school sports are their ticket to the next level. In high profile sports like basketball and football, colleges and universities look to the prep ranks to fill their rosters. In some sports, such as soccer and gymnastics, however, it’s the club teams that draw the attention of college recruiters. This is also true with boys and girls water polo. Although the sport is gaining popularity at the high school level, with several South King County schools boasting teams – including Auburn, Auburn Riverside and Auburn Mountainview – it’s the clubs that are king. Locally, the PNW Shores club team, based at Federal Way’s King County Aquatic Center, has provided water polo athletes looking to hone their skills and move on to the next level a chance to play year round. “The big thing the club really tries to provide is an opportunity for kids who want to play in college,” said coach Michael Wensman. “It’s really great for them because it provides extra opportunities for them to be seen by college coaches.

By Shawn Skager • May 2, 2012 8:22 pm

For most athletes high school sports are their ticket to the next level.

In high profile sports like basketball and football, colleges and universities look to the prep ranks to fill their rosters.

In some sports, such as soccer and gymnastics, however, it’s the club teams that draw the attention of college recruiters.

This is also true with boys and girls water polo.

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Although the sport is gaining popularity at the high school level, with several South King County schools boasting teams – including Auburn, Auburn Riverside and Auburn Mountainview – it’s the clubs that are king.

Locally, the PNW Shores club team, based at Federal Way’s King County Aquatic Center, has provided water polo athletes looking to hone their skills and move on to the next level a chance to play year round.

“The big thing the club really tries to provide is an opportunity for kids who want to play in college,” said coach Michael Wensman. “It’s really great for them because it provides extra opportunities for them to be seen by college coaches.

Formerly known as Pacific Northwest United, PNW Shores partners with the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club, one of the most successful youth programs in the country.

“The great thing for (our players) is Shores is always in the top-five at Junior Olympics. They’re one of the top-three teams in the country. Olympians come out of there,” Wensman said. “So those kids have a great opportunity to go down and play for them. We don’t have the resources up here to offer the competition they can get down there.”

According to Wensman – a former PNW United player who competed in high school for Mercer Island before moving on to play collegiately at Whittier College in California – water polo opportunities in Washington State pale in comparison to the sport’s popularity in Southern California.

“We’re pretty far behind,” he said. “In California they have 10-and-under water polo now. Down there the kids that are 18 have been playing for eight years. Along with that, not only have they been playing since they were 10, they’ve played more. Up here the problem we have is we’re so far behind game-wise. In order to get games, you really have to travel down to California to get them. And that’s difficult for some people to do. So it’s hard to get good quality games to play up here.”

That results in a big gap in talent, Wensman added.

“Kids in California play in tournaments every single weekend, so over the summer they can get 60-70 games in, where our kids can get maybe 25 games,” Wensman said. “You add that up over the course of eight or nine years and you’re behind like 700-800 games. That’s really where Washington is behind, I think.”

PNW Shores is out to change that, however, by exposing its players to higher competition on the numerous road trips the team takes during the summer.

“All the kids learn things from traveling and getting those extra games,” Wensman said.

And what’s good for the club players is also good for local high school teams.

“Those kids take it back to their high schools and bring some knowledge that otherwise those kids wouldn’t get,” Wensman said.

Avalon Lanz plays club at PNW Shores and is a sophomore on the Auburn Mountainview girls water polo team, which is in second place in the Washington State high school East Division and a lock to make the postseason.

According to Lanz, she shares the skills she learns playing club with her high school teammates.

“We’re all on high school teams (as well as club), so we definitely share moves and get people interested in water polo as well,” Lanz said.

Auburn Mountainview girls coach Dannette Schreib agreed:

“Any time you get a club person, whether it’s swim, soccer or water polo, it helps,” she said. “I think the club players are better under pressure, because they’re in those situations more. They’re also practicing all year instead of just the three months during the high school season, so they get so much more experience.”

For Justin Pritchard, who coaches the Auburn Mountainview boys team and the Auburn girls team, the benefit of club players is immense.

Last season the Auburn Mountainview boys placed fourth at the Washington State championships.

“This year we have 10 club kids on the boys team. In the past we’ve only had one or two club players, but every year we’ve been able to get more to join,” Pritchard said. “It’s just had a huge impact getting those kids playing year round. It’s hard to talk them into it, but getting them to play at that next level of competition is just huge.”