BAKERSFIELD. CALIF, (KERO) — California kids attended the Oasis Water Polo Camp at Garces Memorial High School, coached by top pros, including U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team member Marko Vavic.
- Dozens of players from all over the valley attended the camp, getting the chance to learn from some of the top professionals.
- Owner Grayden Reynolds shared his vision to expand the sport in the Valley by inviting his professional water polo friends to coach at the camp
- Among the coaches is Marko Vavic, a member of the U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team preparing for the Summer Olympics in Paris next month
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The 2024 Summer Olympic Games begin in Paris next month. Some local athletes got a taste of what it takes to reach that level of competition.
The inaugural Oasis Water Polo camp occurred at Garces High School on Sunday.
“Let’s start a summer camp you know, and maybe we can do it every year to help grow the sport in the valley,” says Grayden Reynolds.
Grayden Reynolds, the owner and manager of Oasis Water Polo Summer Camp, is a Bakersfield native with international experience in water polo. He has played alongside top us players and recently assembled a coaching team for the camp, including Ashworth Molthen, a professional water polo player based in Spain.
“We have a lot of great coaches here both women and men, who have played at a very high level so just being able to put all that knowledge together and sharing it with these kids I think will be a good experience for them,” says Ashworth Molthen.
Another one of those great coaches is Marko Vavic, a member of the U.S. Olympic water polo team set to compete in this year's summer Olympics in Paris next month. He tells me his aspirations for what he hopes the kids will gain from this day camp.
“If it’s not fun then you’re not gonna wanna come back, so we need them to have a good time, we need them to like it, and then help grow the sport and spread it out,” says Marko Vavic.
Many water polo players attending the camp were thrilled to receive coaching from top professionals. Olivia Galanski, a 17-year-old junior from Garces High School, told me about her excitement at having the opportunity to attend the camp close to home.
“When I wanna do these types of camps I have to travel like a long time pretty much hours and I’m kinda like always in the car for water polo so it’s nice to have it here for once,” says Olivia.
Camp organizers are planning to do it again next year. Hopefully, with coaches who bring home a medal from the 2024 games.
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