The US Water Polo team is coming off a great showing for a silver medal in the World League Finals in Italy just a few weeks ago, and looks poised to make a run for the gold in the Summer Olympics in less than a month.  

Yet players are forced to stay with host families with training nine hours per day in preparation for the Olympics, barely able to buy groceries for themselves.  The United States Olympic Committee cut off the team’s funding this year because they hadn’t yet medaled in a world event.  That changed in Italy, but the team now receives only minimal help.

All of the players hail from California, and four—including Wilson High graduate and worldwide water polo legend Tony Azevedo—are from Long Beach.  Head coach Terry Schroeder makes five.

The team works extremely hard for the glory of competing for their nation, and not much else.  All have made sacrifices to be here, accepting a few months of hardship for a shot at gold.  But now, you have a chance to help.

The team will host an exhibition game this Saturday, July 12 at 5:30PM at the UC San Diego Canyonview Pool against the Sunset San Diego Water Polo Club.  The minimum donation to attend is $10, and proceeds go to players who make no money from competing, and are forced to scrape to get by during this intense training period.  In less than a month, the team will ship off to China to proudly represent the United States, and the exhibition will be their last competition on American soil before the Olympics.  Please help these athletes represent our country and our city however you can.

“We just want to be ready going into the Olympics,” Azevedo told me.  “It’s not easy.”

If you cannot attend but would like to help, visit GiveLoveEvents.com.

The squad enjoying some free time on the field at Dodger Stadium.

A near victory in Italy.