Every team has its highlights and some more than most. For one New Zealand team, a recent gathering of the remaining team members brought back a flood of memories as they recalled a four-year stint when it was invincible at the national club level.
Reunions happen all over the world, for all sorts of reasons and occasions. Water polo is no different with teams and clubs of many standards making the effort to reinvigorate their lives with memories long past.
Getting a group together is no easy task with travel, accommodation and other expenses incurred putting an onus on former athletes to make the effort. For many, it is a worthwhile exercise and should be encouraged.
For one New Zealand team where the sport has flourished for more than 100 years, a special time in its history was celebrated in February with 21 former players turning up to mark the 50th year of a four-year run as national club champion.
Beckenham-Sockburn Water Polo Club senior men’s team from Christchurch bludgeoned all opponents in a run rarely seen in the annals of New Zealand water polo. I should know, as I played against that team in the latter two seasons and many after that, especially when the team regained the crown in 1982.
The reunion was no easy task with people turning up from India, Canada, United States of America, Australia and many parts of New Zealand for the weekend’s festivities.
Among the group were 15 internationals, four of whom were captains and another a vice captain; another was a former Canadian captain while eight others played on junior national teams. Three went on to coach the men’s senior national team and one the women’s.
What about those who have passed on? There were 11 players, coaches, managers and foundational support personnel in this category. One was the acclaimed Mark Harding, who died last year after a water polo career in New Zealand and Australia. He was a Junior All Black for rugby union in New Zealand and became a Wallaby international for Australia.
Another rugby star was All Black Murray Davie, who was goalkeeper on the national water polo team’s trail-blazing European tour of 1974. Younger brother John Davie helped organise the reunion from his Australian base and said he also involved players from the following five years.
Bryan Mustchin, was also a Canterbury rugby prop and manager of the Crusaders Rugby Development Team as part of the Super series in southern hemisphere competition. He was one of 11 of this group contesting rugby at some level.
Geoff Walker represented New Zealand in three sports — as a canoeist who competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics; as a swimmer narrowly missing selection for the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh; and as a surf lifesaver in 1980, 1982 and 1988. He won the New Zealand ironman championship four times and was surf ski champion six times between 1974 and 1988.
There was even an Olympic bronze-medal-winning rower in Don Symon from the 1984 Olympic Games and 1974 Commonwealth Games swimmer Mark Trembath.
John Symon and Kevin Baker were also national surf life-saving representatives.
Rene Bol switched allegiances to Canada after the 1974 European tour and went on to captain Canada at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Brent Todd, a national junior representative, played for the New Zealand rugby league team and was a huge presence in the Australian National Rugby League for some years.
Geoff Barry was a long-standing coach of the national surf life-saving team.
Coaches
Who were the national coaches? The late Murray Scott, Lindsay Scott and the late Richard Clarke coached the men’s team while Mustchin and Clarke coached the women’s team at various stages.
John Davie coached Australian women’s club team Cronulla to a national title as well as 15 years of junior teams in New Zealand and Australia. He was also a member of the Canterbury Water Polo Board.
Bruce Wilson, Joe Boyce, Lachie Marshall and Marty Forbes coached junior club teams for several years.
Former national captain Dennis Reid coached Eton College in England.
Administrators
Many intertwined their water polo careers with executive positions in the province of Canterbury.
Lachie Marshall, a New Zealand Water Polo life member and world championship player, was recently honoured as a recipient of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the King's New Year’s honours list for outstanding service to New Zealand water polo.
Frank McMaster and John Symon were members of the Canterbury Water Polo Board.
Brothers Murray and Lindsay Scott were Canterbury water polo board members while Russell McConnachie, a member of that 1974 European tour, became chairperson of the national body.
Referees
What of referees? While most players held a flag in those days, Bol and Stephen Domney became FINA referees with the latter working the 1991 FINA World Championships and Bol numerous Universiades and tours.
Children in the sport
These players have left legacies through their children.
John Davie’s son, Jeremy Davie, played for Australia and a 10-year professional career playing or coaching in USA, Hungary, Spain, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and Israel.
John Davie’s daughter, Samara Davie, won a National Water Polo League title in Australia for Cronulla; played and captained Australia Secondary Schools and U20 teams and previously was co-captain of the New Zealand U15 team.
Bol’s son Brody Bol played for Australian Capital Territory; Reid’s son Scott Reid played at Eton (UK); Hayden Scott played for the Beckenham-Sockburn club and former New Zealand Water Polo Board chair Peter Walls’ son Ed Walls, played for the Beckenham-Sockburn club and was in a junior national team.
Summary
What was the feeling at the reunion and what form did it take?
John Davie tells us: “The reunion started off with an informal session for all to mingle and retell old stories at a local suburban pub. This went off very well with all participants enthusiastically meeting and greeting each other, continuing long into the night for some.
“Day two saw a more formal dinner where our MC, Dennis Reid, provided a few slides and stories to help recognise and acknowledge all those who had been part of the legacy. Once again this was enthusiastically received by all participants (and their partners),” he said.
Scoring Goals asked John Davie his thoughts on the value of these reunions.
“Reunions play a valuable part in helping participants re-establish connections and memories that would otherwise be lost. They play a meaningful role in giving people a sense of belonging… which has to be good for their mental health,” he said.
All of which goes to show the value of remembering days gone by.