HEAD COACH NEWS ...

We’ve tried hard, but it is not looking like we’ll see Luke Manthe, our head coach, return back to Aotearoa in the near future. Our NZ Immigration applications have not yet been successful, due to rules and criteria around COVID-19 border restrictions.

A SILVER LINING has emerged for us though. New Zealand citizen, professional water polo player and coach - Jeremy Davie - is joining our club on an interim head coach basis from 24th July, after he returns to NZ and undergoes a 14 day quarantine. We are really fortunate to gain his expertise and dedication to our sport for the rest of this year, and Luke is very supportive of this arrangement too.

Jeremy is in-between contracts, and has just concluded as starting centre forward for the Palaram Club in the Israeli league, as well as being an age grade coach and strength/conditioning coach for the professional men’s team. Prior to this, he played in the Spanish and Hungarian leagues. Jeremy’s CV includes extensive coaching roles at clubs, high schools, universities, camps and academies in Australia, California and Hungary.

Jeremy takes up a contract with the University of Southern California in 2021, so we are stoked he’ll be sharing his elite-level skill, knowledge and experience with our players, coaches and club for the rest of 2020. He’ll be able to mentor some of our own wonderful coaches, support and supplement our training programme, and coach or assist coach some of our older age-grade and senior teams.Let’s make Jeremy really welcome for his short-but-really-busy time with our club.

Sincere thanks to the generosity of Luke Manthe and the club’s committee for making it all come together for Jeremy to be part of our Mountfort Park Water Polo club.