The U16 team travelled to Manchester short on numbers but full of spirit. Every player endured traffic chaos on the way — roadworks, accidents and diversions — with some journeys taking more than three hours. Eventually, the squad assembled in the foyer to collect their hats and receive a focused team talk from the coaches.

As is typical for this tournament, several opposing teams were bolstered by players from outside the Wakefield league, such as City of Manchester and Tyldesley, and many arrived with full benches of substitutes. Despite this, the G Town squad was unfazed and set about the challenge of tournament water polo.

These were quick‑fire games with a running clock, meaning the aim was to get ahead early and hold the lead. As the coach put it: “Bite and hold.”

The first match was against Huddersfield (All Stars). A magnificent performance from the team, with early goals and tremendous defence, secured a resounding 6–3 victory.

After a quick debrief, a few snacks and a change of hat colour, Morley arrived — the only other fully home‑grown team. With limited substitutions, G Town excelled again. The defence was superb, the goalkeeping sublime, and the team triumphed 9–4. A fantastic result.

Next came Sheffield, a familiar opponent, and tensions were high. It was end‑to‑end, nail‑biting water polo. Even a game exclusion couldn’t dent the determination to win. A goal in the final ten seconds sparked celebrations in the pool, sealing a 7–6 victory.

More team talks, hat‑swapping and snacks followed, and players were noticeably exhausted. Rotherham were next. A few missed chances early on led to heavy defensive swimming. The players were not outplayed — simply outnumbered by Rotherham’s bench of fourteen. Despite huge resolve, the result was inevitably one‑sided, ending 0–8.

Sedgefield followed. Fatigue was setting in, and requests for rest couldn’t be accommodated. Still, the team rallied for one last push: “One last dance!” Every player gave a magnificent effort. The coaches were animated, the team manager calm and in control, and with only a few missed opportunities the scoreline could easily have been different. Sedgefield won 7–3.

Match reports often highlight individual goal scorers, but to me:

“The individual puts the ball in the back of the net — the team scores the goal.”

Well done to all eight goal scorers today.
A special mention to Gemma, the team manager, for keeping everything running smoothly.

And a huge thank you to the players and drivers who endured nearly six hours in the car, with sleepy passengers on the way home.

Teamwork makes the dream work.
Third overall — a brilliant achievement.

Dave and Matt — privileged coaches for the day.