Professional Exhibition Helps Stir Up Local Interest

U.S. Water Polo’s professional exhibition game made a fairly big splash Saturday at El Toro High.

Sure, USC’s Drew Netherton scored seven points, including three two-point goals, to lead the Newport Waves past the San Francisco Bay Sharks, 16-14.

But in a shootout that featured members of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team and other national team veterans--including former UC Irvine goalie Chris Duplanty and four-time Olympian Terry Schroeder--U.S. Water Polo President Bruce Wigo was more pleased with the 1,500 fans in the aquatics complex.

Saturday’s exhibition game sampled local interest in the sport and will help U.S. Water Polo evaluate its plans to start a professional league by 2000, which would greatly benefit the development of the U.S. national team, Wigo said.

Newport Beach, South Orange County, Long Beach, Beverly Hills and San Diego are the Southern California regions the organization is targeting as potential sites for teams. A mini-tour could begin as early as this fall, when the national team begins preparations for the January World Championships in Australia.

“Our national team has been at a huge disadvantage without a pro league here in the U.S.,” Wigo said. “I think the interest is there now to support one.”