2019 has been a development year for Water Polo at Burnside High School.

Our teams have worked hard and it is obvious to see the improvements made in skill and fitness level under the guidance of an enthusiastic and experienced coaching team. Many players are also taking the opportunity to be part of training and competitions run by Canterbury Water Polo throughout the year, with some being selected to represent Canterbury at National tournaments.

At the Senior South Island Secondary Schools Tournament in Christchurch during Term 1, both the boys and girls teams competed in a strong competition fielding very young teams. Their successes and the experience they gained bodes well for Water Polo in the coming years. Special mention should be made to Darius Porter who was named as the goalie for the Tournament Team at the tournament, and later in the year was selected for the New Zealand Schoolboys team. This is a fantastic achievement.

There have been some hard fought games throughout both the 2019 Senior and Junior competitions. It has been great to see so many friends and family members pool side supporting the players; ensuring Water Polo at Burnside High School will continue to grow in the future.

The players this year should be proud of their improvements in what is a very challenging sport. We are looking forward to 2020!