#TuksWaterpolo is busy reviving to its former glory

Posted on January 30, 2019

The revival of TuksWaterpolo has started in earnest with 40 male players and 20 women’s players have already joined the club in January.
 
One of the club’s most significant shortcomings has been that for the last two years there was no official coach, but it is being rectified. Norman Calmeyer (club manager) said they are in the process of signing a very experienced coach. An official announcement will be made within the next two weeks.
 
What is also exciting is that three of the current South African under-18 squad will be joining Tuks. 
 
The ultimate goal is to establish TuksWaterpolo to its former glory. According to Calmeyer Tuks was South Africa’s top club in the eighties however for various reasons things started to go awry. It did not only just happen at Tuks. Countrywide clubs experienced quite a decline in the number of players. It means at the moment Tuks is officially the only club in Pretoria where senior players get the opportunity to compete in tournaments.
 
The Tuks men’s team will be playing their third game in the Gauteng Premier League on Saturday when they take on Old Eds. Purely judging by the quality of their players Tuks ought to win Calmeyer however does not want to take anything for granted. 
 
“From experience, I know there is never such thing as an easy game in the Premier League. Our preparation for the game is not quite what it should be as many of our players are not yet back in training. From next week we ought to be on full strength.”
 
It is interesting to note that Tuks is one of only two clubs in Gauteng who has got a men’s and women’s team competing in the Premier League. 
 
A definite highlight for the Tuks players is going to be the South African Championships in March. It has been decided the players will be competing for their clubs and not provinces during the Currie Cup Tournament. Tuks will enter two men’s teams as well as a women’s team.
 
The women’s team’s line-up could be quite impressive as eight national players are training at Tuks. Palesa Hlela who was the goalkeeper for the South African squad competing last year’s at the Fina Water Polo Cup in Surgut, Russia will be captaining the team.
- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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