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National Water Polo League’s Adelaide Jets select 18-year-old Geraldton water polo player Kobi Toomath

Reuben CarderGeraldton Guardian
Kobi Toomath, right, with international water polo umpire and WA local Fiona Haigh.
Camera IconKobi Toomath, right, with international water polo umpire and WA local Fiona Haigh. Credit: Supplied

Efforts to promote the local water polo scene are paying off, with a young star in the pool selected to play in national competition.

The Geraldton Water Polo Association’s Julia Gourley said Kobi Toomath, 18, had been selected by the Adelaide Jets National Water Polo League side.

“For such a young player to be part of the national league is a huge accomplishment,’’ said Gourley. “From there you have more opportunities like Australian squad selection, it’s a really exciting time for her and her career in water polo.”

She said Toomath had been playing in Perth with Triton Water Polo, who she represented at national titles in Brisbane last year, as well as locally. Toomath’s Demons beat Serpents 9-5 in women’s A-grade on Sunday.

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Action from Demons vs Serpents over the weekend.
Camera IconAction from Demons vs Serpents over the weekend. Credit: Colin Sherman/Western Racepix, Colin Sherman

The league is also preparing for the biggest event on the State country calendar.

“We’re preparing for Country Week,” Gourley said.

“We’re half way through the season already and we’re seeing throughout the grades there are quite a few teams that are quite closely matched.”

She said junior players had also been invited by UWA Water Polo Club to attend four-day camps this month.

“We have juniors that have taken up that opportunity which is really good for our junior development, and to have a connection to the Perth league,” she said.

Toomath was nominated for this year’s Mid West Academy of Sports Athlete of the Year category at the Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards.

UWA coach Peter Hughes, who is in charge of Water Polo WA’s Northern Pathways program developing all water polo talent in WA north of the Swan River, said in November on a visit to Geraldton there was no reason local players couldn’t make it in national and international competition.

“There’s some talent, it’s a bit raw, but they’re good kids,” Hughes said.

“We have national and international competitions that we go to; if a kid from Geraldton can make it into those, that’d be fantastic,” he said.

“Why can’t a kid have the dream of going to the Olympics like a city kid?”

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