New and Improved! A truncated, solo version of Wednesday's podcast with ONLY the stuff that James wants to talk about. Enjoy.

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The summer is over though it certainly doesn't feel like it. That means, we chat about JOs and how Texans fared both in California and North Texas at the end of July.

Then shifting immediately to year two of UIL water polo. The athletes had virtually no break after JOs and headed to their first high school practices the day after it was complete. We cover some of what to expect in 2023.

With insights from Ty Halford, TISCA Water Polo Chairperson and Head Coach at Clear Creek. He spoke with Joe about what his organization's view is of the upcoming, important prep season.

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'Tis the season for the world's biggest water polo tournament. The 2023 National Junior Olympics are here with the most ever clubs in Texas taking part, both in SoCal and NorTex (we just made that up). All the signs are pointing to a big year for teams from the Lone Star State, and toward a second UIL high school season with more teams and more organization.

Plus, an overview of what's gone on since our last show, and a fun discussion of Team USA's successful protest after the men appeared to lose the World Cup bronze-medal game to Hungary. Turns out... well, you can see for yourself.

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Did you miss us?

James and Joe return from a self-imposed four-month exile to produce this magical new show where they cover all the water polo events that highlighted this past spring.

But really, the spring is over and we've entered the summer frenzy of JOs-related competition. Did you ever want to know the difference between the Southwest Zone Qualifying Championshp, and the Southwest Zone Festival? You're in the right place.

Plus, our Austin College 'Roos end their campaign with another invite to USA Water Polo's Division III Championships. There's a lot going on here. So give a listen.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

Listeners get some special inside info about how high flying podcasting actually works. That and we intro the new year with a review of the USA Men's National Team friendlies in North Texas, ODP's new and improved Super Regional tournament, and we preview the coming spring highlighting just how different it will be from past years. And, to punctuate, we introduce the subject of the Leander ISD publicly stating that it cannot sponsor UIL water polo in 2023.

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Year 2022 is at an end and it was an eventful one. Do you like high school water polo? Well you had two full separate seasons for the first and only time. Want the US Men's National Team playing in North Texas? Done and done. JO's a permanent fixture in the Lone Star State? Maybe. We're gonna pretend it's a done deal.

James and Joe recap the entire year and then delve in to a bunch of nonsense, like movies and books, that the youngsters will surely relish.

With gratitude toward all our supporters, the amazing Texas water polo community. See you in 2023.

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The first-ever UIL-sanctioned state high school water polo champions were crowned last Saturday at the end of a truly historic season. The Foster girls finished the season undefeated, and the Brazoswood boys took down first-year program, Boerne Champion, to hoist the top prize.

Joe was there and shares his insights about how the tournament went, and how the UIL appears to feel about it. He and James then gush about how well the first season went, allowing for lots of scheduling confusion and scrambling for coaches at the beginning of the season (expected!).

It's here to stay and the UIL has clearly put its mark on the sport in (mostly) very good ways.

Plus, news from Austin College's Division III men's season with another trip to the East Coast, news on Team USA coming to North Texas at the end of December, and more on this weekend's "chill" tournament in San Antonio.

With the high school season over we'll continue the pod on an irregular schedule. Stay tuned, and thanks for everyone's support.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

Regional championships are already here as the (very exciting) first UIL water polo season comes to a head. We go over some of the brackets and some of the surprises of the earlier rounds.

Meanwhile, plenty of club water polo on the calendar in the coming month, and breaking news: The US Men's National Team is slated to host a four-nation friendly tournament at the end of December in North Texas.

The Austin College 'Roos are headed to Pennsylvania for the CWPA Division III Eastern Championships and are vying for a spot at USA Water Polo's Division III Championship tournament. We talk with Head Coach Mark Lawrence about that, recruiting in- and outside of Texas, and the UIL season.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

Another 8th grade and under tourney in San Antonio is in the books where Coaches James and Joe (kinda) met head to head with one coach leaving far more frustrated than the other.

Plus UIL playoffs are well under way. Joe talks with the man of many hats, Ty Halford, about his role in growing the sport at the high school level and beyond.

And a rant by two old men who've been coaching a few decades about blowout scores. Bottom line: have a plan and learn something!

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We're in district play for UIL water polo and the championship brackets are taking shape. Bi-district games begin on October 11 and feature some teams new to the sport, an exciting sign for future growth.

Plus, Pegasus boys edged Thunder in a unique playoff game this week to earn a spot at the Champions Cup in Chicago, a national 8th grade championship tournament.

Austin College is headed to Riverside this weekend and faces four tough challengers beginning with UC San Diego on Friday.

And finally, Joe speaks with Justin Pudwill about refereeing this first-ever UIL water polo tournament and a lot of other stuff.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

Friday morning again. This time Joe get in the weeds with the way UIL playoffs will actually happen. It might surprise you.

We also do our coaches rankings and players of the week.

Finally, Joe talks with Round Rock HS Head Coach Tom Arredondo about the (positive) switch from full-time swim coach to water polo AND swim coach.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

Austin College hosted four noisy matches on campus last weekend coming away from it with a 3-1 record, including a surprising loss to Augustana that James brings up and Joe evades…

Meanwhile, MaxPreps has put Texas water polo on the map with Foster atop its national girls’ prep rankings this week. The Highland Park boys get some love too, and both teams are the top-ranked in this week’s TXWP Coaches’ Poll.

Plus Jonathan Landero has been hard at work growing water polo down in the Valley since 2013. He’s the Aquatics Director for the PSJA ISD and also a coach for the Southwest Zone’s ODP. Joe caught up with him as the first ODP camp of the 2022-23 season has arrived.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

Donzie Lilly has dived knee deep in to the water polo coaching world in the past few years. Now Head Coach at Texas Mavericks, Hebron High School, and with the Olympic Development Program, he speaks with Joe about the first UIL season and the first ODP camps that are just a couple weeks away.

Plus, Austin College will host four NCAA men’s games in Sherman this weekend where it is highly likely to be very, very loud.

And both Joe and James coached at the past weekend’s Armadillo Classic in The Colony. That and high school rankings and players of the week.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

Look, we could spend all day placing blame on someone for not posting this podcast right after it was recorded but what, really, will that accomplish? Mistakes were made, right? Who's to say? Let's not dwell on the past. Let's move forward. Water under the bridge. Tomorrow's another day, and so on.

On this "classic" podcast we talk to Mark Lawrence about their upcoming tournament at Brown (already completed), changes to USA Water Polo's Olympic Development Program (discussed last week too), and more and more prep water polo, including players of the week (past tense).

Great. Now that we have that all cleared up all is forgiven, right?

[recorded 31 August 2022]

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The nest is empty at James' house and it shows in this maudlin edition of the TXWaterpolo Podcast.

We recap the new-look Kangaroos as Austin College returns from their season-opening tournament in the Northeast where they defeated DIII opponents Connecticut College but fell to the pesky Engineers of MIT.

Plus Joe talks with Kari Brothers, Water Polo Coordinator for the Northside ISD, about San Antonio's re-emergence on the high school water polo scene.

And both Joe and James head up to North Texas for the first fall USA Water Polo tournament. How much shouting will take place if their two teams meet again?

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

More players of the week and high school rankings as the UIL season plugs along with games all over the state of Texas.

Plus, the ODP program is changed for the 2022-23 season with some big news about where regional and national championships are headed.

And Austin College is wrapping up its pre-season training and getting ready to both travel back east for its opening games but will then host four matches in Sherman later in September.

Keep those nominations coming, and coaches be sure to vote.

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Here we go. We've been waiting and now it's fully underway. We celebrate the high school season with our Players of the Week, our coaches' rankings, and a conversation with the highly successful head coach at Cy Creek HS, Jeff Chandler.

Plus, upcoming events for those not playing the high school season. Several tournaments dot the schedule this fall punctuated by TAGS in November for Texas' younger athletes.

High school water polo fans, make sure to nominate your players of the week too!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

The biggest youth tournament in the world wrapped up with another successful foray in to the Lone Star State. Will there be a third Texas JOs in 2023? We talk about that an many other observations from the tournament.

Which leads immediately to the first ever UIL water polo season (finally!). It's here. Not in theory. For real. Can you believe it? It's going to be an exciting, chaotic, educational, and ultimately important season for the sport in Texas and we're just getting started.

Oh, and Joe wants you to become a referee.

(And very quietly, we've started season four of the pod. Amazing.)

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You might have thought we were gone but no such luck.

We recap the Spring high school season, look very much forward to the fall prep season, honor the Austin College women for their 3rd place finish at DIII Championiships, and talk about Junior Olympics, which are soon to swamp North Texas in water polo.

Let's get ready for some UIL ball!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations

It's the 50th and final TISCA High School Water Polo Championship this weekend. We give a bit of a tribute to just how impressive that run has been especially in comparison to prep water polo elsewhere in the USA.

Plus, Austin College will vie for a national championship after just four years in existence. The Kangaroo women travel to SoCal to take on Whittier in their opening match of USA Water Polo's Division III Championship.

And it's been a busy spring for age-group polo, which will get even busier this summer as North Texas readies itself to host Session 3 of Junior Olympics again after a successful 2021.

That and we share some news about TXWaterpolo and the podcast as its hosts and writers "mature." Times, they change.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-txwaterpolo-podcast/donations