Waterpolo experience tournament

General
44

I do believe that American/USAWP athletes should be revealed to this sort of physical play, minus the fighting of course. It’s the only way athletes from the US will ever get accustomed to the physical style of play in Europe. All for continuing to set up events like this. It’s great exposure for our sport. Officiating has been and will continue to be a problem in the US simply because of the fact that not a-lot of people want to do it. It’s not an easy job.

Kudos to Trojan WPC for pulling out some big wins against powerhouse club teams like Partizan, CNB etc.. Great for our sport to see young American athletes competing at a high level against really good European competition. Trojan GK is a special athlete. Huge saves in regulation and the shootout against Partizan. Very impressive

5 Likes
45

I assume those player in the FTC/CNB match that were identified are out today, but maybe not as I do not know the WPE rules for brutalities. In addition to those fighting in the pool, jumping in the water from the bench should also be the same as a brutality

46

New to water polo, so curious to know why USAWP rules and officiating are not aligned with European water polo rules and officiating?

47

maybe my logic has no place here…. but it seems like the rules SHOULD be aligned since generally the NCAA athletes are our next Olympians. seems counter productive to have them playing by 2 different sets of rules depending on where they are playing.

3 Likes
48

Nope. They all suited up and played.

49

Thats crazy to me. I get they traveled a long way but it is what it is.

50

A disappointing finish to what had the potential to be a very strong U19 event. As the weekend progressed, everyone seemed confused by constant bracket changes, unclear seeding methodology, and shifting crossover matchups. Even as a spectator, the structure was difficult to follow, and it is easy to imagine the frustration this caused for coaches and their staffs. The lack of transparency and consistency raised legitimate concerns about competitive balance and tournament integrity.

Physical play was not the issue. Most teams expected and welcomed a more European-style game as preparation for college-level polo. The problem was inconsistent officiating and uneven enforcement. Similar actions were called very differently depending on the teams involved, and early opportunities to de-escalate games were missed or ignored, allowing tensions to build rather than settle.

Sideline and bench management further highlighted this inconsistency. Persistent taunting by field players , bench and coaching personnel as well as the sidelines—particularly involving CNB—was permitted despite repeated warnings from multiple teams, creating an environment where escalation was inevitable and eventually resulted in a bench-clearing brawl during CNB-FTC game.

There were many positives from the U.S. teams. CIU vs. Partizan was a high-level, well-played match, with CIU competing physically and relentlessly before coming up short following several late calls that went Partizan’s way. Stanford and Diablo also represented well, looking organized and prepared and with good sized players. Newport, looked short-handed, but as usual appeared to be the team to beat, relying on discipline, hard work, and team play. Their match against CNB was exciting but played in an extremely charged environment, with CNB U16 players permitted to taunt from the sidelines close to the field, and the outcome ultimately decided by shootouts. Those same U16 players were sent to the stands during halftime of the subsequent CNB-FTC game, further underscoring the double standard in sideline management by the refs/organizers. The Dons also appeared short-handed and without their head coach.

Congrats to the Trojans who earned their finals appearance through grit, composure, and multiple comeback wins, with outstanding goalkeeping proving decisive and they were FUN to watch. FTC was disciplined, well-coached, the deepest team in the field, and fully deserving of their championship run.

The athletes delivered high-level water polo all weekend, and the U.S. teams in particular did an outstanding job adapting to an ever-changing tournament structure and style of play and inconsistent calls. Clearer organization, transparent seeding, consistent officiating, and firmer tournament management would have better protected the integrity of the event and ensured outcomes were decided in the pool—not influenced by avoidable external factors.

9 Likes
51

I would not be surprised as it was quite evident the organizers were aligned with the needs of European teams and players!

1 Like
52

This is a great take on the whole tournament. Thanks for taking the time to write it. With the benefit of video review, I’m even more shocked by what the European teams were allowed to get away with as compared to the American teams.

3 Likes
53

This is a topic for a different thread ( and one may exist). There are many subtle differences in rules and interpretations between levels and locales.

54

Hello Everyone,

I’d be happy to answer any questions about the WPE Cup and clear up any misunderstandings. I want to address a few key points directly:

Seeding & Bracket Changes
• Seeding was distributed weeks in advance, and we received positive feedback and approval from multiple coaches in both NorCal and SoCal.
• Our primary goal was to place one European team in each group so every American team had at least one matchup against a European side. A few last-minute changes were necessary due to teams withdrawing or adding.
• There was an error in the initial bracket setup. We (WPE organizers and coaches) wanted the flexibility to adjust quarterfinal matchups to avoid repeats from the group stage. The mistake affected the 2-3 crossover and quarterfinal seeding.
• We consulted an experienced tournament director who helped us correct the bracket in the fairest way possible.

The result was an extremely competitive top-8 tournament:
19U Division
• Two quarterfinals went to shootout
• One semifinal went to shootout
• The final was decided by a single goal
• The largest margin of victory in any quarterfinal, semifinal, or medal-round game was 3 goals
16U Division
• Mission was clearly the dominant team, winning the final by 7 goals. Bronze Medal game was a 1 goal game.

**
Physicality & Competition**
This was a physical tournament, and the American teams that scrimmaged the European teams during the week performed strongly (Trojan, CIU, Newport). As an American water polo coach, it was awesome to see our kids showcase their skills against top European talent—several American players made huge statements this weekend. Iron sharpens iron.

Red Cards
The players who received red cards in the FTC/CNB semifinal were not permitted to play in their subsequent medal-round games, in accordance with tournament rules.

Overall, the level of competition was outstanding, and we’re incredibly proud of how the inaugural WPE Cup turned out despite the challenges. Are there things we’d like to do better next time? Absolutely but we’re stoked about this first annual event and the foundation it’s built.

I’m happy to discuss anything further

11 Likes
55

Thanks for posting and answering questions.

Some that have already been raised in this thread:
What rulebook was used for this tournament?
Did the US Teams or ticket sales knowingly or unknowingly subsidize the European teams travel, tournament or other costs?
What penalties were handed out to the participants of the FTC/CNB fracas? Was GOLS video or other video review used then or any other time?
How were decisions to control the actions of the spectating players made on a game by game basis?
Are you planning a similar event for the girls?
Did you really think anyone who wasn’t there to watch their kid would pay $60? The National League is working hard to get people to attend their games for free.
What actions were taken to address the inconsistent officiating?
What steps were taken to deescalate the tournament games that were obviously getting out of hand?
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56

Rulebook used:

The tournament followed the official USA Water Polo (USAWP) rulebook.

Subsidizing European teams:

No. The European teams paid their own way, and all revenue from the tournament (including ticket sales) was used to cover tournament expenses.

Penalties from the FTC/CNB incident:

Two red cards were issued during the game. Both were reviewed by the tournament competition committee and the referees, and the decision to suspend the players from the final was upheld. GOLS does not have the capability to rewind live streams for review, so no GOLS footage was used in any in game review during the tournament. As standard procedure, red cards and suspensions are reviewed post-game using all available information.

Controlling spectating players:

Starting with the quarterfinals, when games became more intense and crowd energy increased, we made the decision on a game-by-game basis to move teams off the pool deck if they were acting in a fan/spectator capacity rather than as resting players. This helped maintain a safer and more controlled environment.

Plans for a similar girls’ event:

We do run a Water Polo Experience Cup for the girls in Barcelona in the Summer. Unfortunately organizing this event in the USA has several logistical challenges which make it difficult: differences in high school schedules between Northern and Southern California, summer flights being roughly twice the cost of January flights, national team summer schedule, and the scheduling conflicts with the various domestic leagues the European teams participate in.

Ticket pricing and attendance:

Yes, we did - and several people without kids in the tournament did pay to attend and watch. This was a groundbreaking event with top international competition that has never been done before in this format, and the excitement drew a broader audience than just parents.

Addressing inconsistent officiating:

Referees were outsourced (not directly managed by the tournament), and we specifically requested officials with college- or high-level experience while offering higher-than-normal pay to attract the best available talent. We recognize that officiating is an area for potential improvement, and we will explore ways to enhance it for any future events.

Steps taken to de-escalate tense games:

In the FTC/CNB game, we spoke directly with the coaches and teams to address the situation. The players wanted to continue competing, understood the requirements communicated to them, complied fully, and finished the game without further incident. Both teams and players accepted the suspensions resulting from the red cards

7 Likes
57

I don’t think that any US teams could play at JOs in a manner similar to way the referees allowed the Europeans to play in this tournament and not be excluded on nearly every possession.

2 Likes