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    Team USA is putting water polo in the international spotlight


    Team USA is putting water polo in the international spotlight

    TEAM USA WOMEN’S WATER POLO IS SET TO PLAY AUSTRALIA TOMORROW IN THE SEMIFINALS, THE MEN BEATING AUSTRALIA TODAY IN THE QUARTERFINALS AND OUR AREA HAS A STRONG BACKGROUND IN THE SPORT. JOINING US NOW IS RACHEL RUANO WITH THE AMERICAN RIVER WATER POLO CLUB. RACHEL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. SOMETHING I LOVE ABOUT THE OLYMPICS IS THAT SPORTS LIKE WATER POLO FINALLY GET THE NATIONAL ATTENTION THAT THEY DESERVE. IT’S REALLY GREAT. I THINK IT’S NICE TO HIGHLIGHT HARD WORKING ATHLETES THAT ARE WORKING HARD TOWARDS THEIR DREAMS. ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE KNOW THAT YOU’RE A COACH AS WELL. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO TO COACH WATER POLO. WE COACH, UM, AGE GROUP WATER POLO. WE’VE GOT KIDS THAT START AS EARLY AS FIVE AND THEN GO ON TO PLAY IN COLLEGE. SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS AND DIFFERENT LEVELS. WE HAVE COMPETITIVE TEAMS. OUR MEN’S TEAM AT NATIONALS JUST TOOK NINTH IN THE COUNTRY. THAT’S INCREDIBLE. AND YOU’VE GOT TIES TO THE OLYMPICS. BACK IN 2000, YOU WERE AN ALTERNATE IN SYDNEY. WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE AND WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OLYMPIC ATHLETES THAT ARE THERE RIGHT NOW? I THINK IT WAS FANTASTIC. IT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE THERE AND SUPPORT MY COUNTRY, SUPPORT MY TEAM AND BE ABLE TO GO. IT’S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE, WORKS SO HARD FOR THAT AND IT’S REALLY GREAT FOR THESE ATHLETES THAT ARE COMPETING RIGHT NOW TO DO SO WELL. SO WE KNOW THAT YOU’RE A COACH. WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO OTHER KIDS OUT THERE WHO MIGHT BE WORKING TOWARD THEIR OLYMPIC DREAM? WHAT SHOULD THEY DO TO MAKE IT TO THAT STAGE? I THINK IT TAKES FOCUS AND DEDICATION. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT’S EASY TO WATCH THE OLYMPICS EVERY FOUR YEARS AND SEE THESE PEOPLE DO SO WELL, BUT IT’S HARD TO REMEMBER THAT THEY GAVE UP THEIR PROMS AND THEY DIDN’T GO TO ALL THE CONCERTS. THEY TRAINED REALLY, REALLY HARD. MANY OF THEM FOR 8 TO 10 HOURS A DAY. IT TAKES A CERTAIN TYPE OF PERSON TO TRAIN FOR THE OLYMPICS, AND THOSE THAT ARE THERE ARE TRYING TO SHOW OFF THEIR BEST SKILLS THAT THEY’VE WORKED TOWARDS. SO MUCH SACRIFICE AND DEDICATION INVOLVED, AND JUST GETTING TO THAT POINT. RACHEL RUANO WITH THE AMERICAN RIVER WATER POLO CLUB, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TI

    Team USA is putting water polo in the international spotlight

    The U.S. Olympic men’s and women’s water polo teams are building excitement around the sport as both teams see success in Paris.It’s something Rachel Ruano, a coach with the American River Water Polo Club, is happy to see.”It’s really great,” Ruano said. “I think it’s nice to highlight hardworking athletes that are working hard towards their dreams.”Helping train water polo athletes to reach their goals is something essential to the American River Water Polo Club. “Our men’s team at nationals just took 9th in the country,” Ruano said. And Ruano knows that level of dedication personally. In 2000, she was an alternate at the Sydney Olympic Games.For athletes interested in water polo, Ruano said kids can join the club at age 5 and play all the way through college. Learn more on the club’s website. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

    The U.S. Olympic men’s and women’s water polo teams are building excitement around the sport as both teams see success in Paris.

    It’s something Rachel Ruano, a coach with the American River Water Polo Club, is happy to see.

    “It’s really great,” Ruano said. “I think it’s nice to highlight hardworking athletes that are working hard towards their dreams.”

    Helping train water polo athletes to reach their goals is something essential to the American River Water Polo Club.

    “Our men’s team at nationals just took 9th in the country,” Ruano said.

    And Ruano knows that level of dedication personally. In 2000, she was an alternate at the Sydney Olympic Games.

    For athletes interested in water polo, Ruano said kids can join the club at age 5 and play all the way through college. Learn more on the club’s website.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter



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