TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The 2019 Sunshine State Games Water Polo Championships takes center-stage starting Friday as 59 teams throughout Florida, and international teams from Ecuador, Trinidad & Tobago, and Barbados as well, strap on the head gear and maneuver the competition to score in the watery nets.  With approximately 1,180 athletes, the SSG Water Polo Championship is the largest annual water polo tournament in the Southeast Zone ranging in age groups 10 and under to Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions.

“I have been participating in the Sunshine State Games as an athlete for 17 years, three years as a coach, and now in my second year as the state director,” said Water Polo state director Anna Rosen.  “The Games provide a great sense of community and family in this area. I have always loved this tournament, and I look forward to seeing the continued growth for years to come.”

The three-day tournament will take place at two venues in Broward County, including the Coral Springs Aquatic Center (Friday-Sunday) and Deerfield Beach Aquatics Center (Saturday & Sunday only). Pool play kicks off on Friday as competitors battle through their age-group brackets to make the playoffs and championship matches on Sunday.

Rosen continued, “It’s inspiring to see such a broad age range of athletes competing all at the same time. Some athletes in the younger age groups such as 10U and 12U get to see their older siblings and parents play. I believe this is a crucial aspect to encourage young athletes to grow in their water polo career and create a life-long love of the game.”

For more information about this weekend’s Water Polo Championships, click here. A complete schedule can be accessed here and is also available on the TeamSnap Tournament App.

Check back in with SunshineStateGames.com for a post-event recap and results.

About the Sunshine State Games
The Sunshine State Games are presented annually by the Florida Sports Foundation (FSF), the state’s lead sports promotion and development organization, and a division of Enterprise Florida, Inc.  The Foundation works in conjunction with a variety of local sports industry partners to present the different competitions.  The Sunshine State Games, an annual amateur sports tradition in Florida, is part of the state’s $57.4 billion sports industry that accounts for 580,000 jobs statewide.