Several members of the Estevan Sharks Water Polo team will be hitting the outdoor pools for in California next week as part of the Sailor Cup invitational.
The cup will have several local California teams as well as a pair of U14 CanSask teams with mostly Regina and Estevan content. The teams of 12 players each will include nine members of the Sharks: Alex and Josie Andrist, Mikayla Hack, Ethan Elliott, Cameron Gillingham, Tristen and Nathan Threinen, Lyndon Sauter and Dierks Milford.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Sauter, who leaves with the group for the tournament Tuesday, while the tournament goes May 18-20.
“I’m looking forward to seeing everything there and playing,” said Milford.
“It’s kind of cool that we got invited to play,” said Josie Andrist. “There’s a lot of girls from Regina that are on the team.”
“I was excited when we learned where we were going,” said Alex Andrist.
The pull of the sport has been strong for both of them, who have also excelled in swimming with the Eels in the past.
“The techniques you learn make it easier,” said Josie. “So you get better and better.”
“I joined before her and I did it to keep up for speed swimming,” said Alex Andrist. “Now I’m in speed swimming to keep up for water polo. I like playing it and I like being part of a team. I like the girls on the team.”
It won’t be just a water polo trip but the Estevan contingent is looking forward most to a hike up to see the Hollywood sign.
“We’re going surfing and to Knotsberry Farm,” Josie Andrist said.
Last winter, the Toronto Mavericks hosted a tournament where these same teams won medals and in another tournament in Calgary, the girls lost by a single goal to the
