The boys from Melbourne Surge Water Polo Club are excited. Their Black team, one of two entered in the Victorian State Championships, has finished third in the ranks and, as we went to press, was about to go head to head in the minor finals.

If they win, it’s the semis on Thursday December 13 and hopefully the grand final on Saturday. The club’s Gold team, only formed in 2007, finished out of medal contention in seventh spot.

Surge’s president Darren says he is crossing his fingers for success, after the team lost at the death knell in the winter competition.

“The Black team went through the whole season undefeated only to lose in the grand final. It was devastating,” he said.

The team’s success in a straight competition is very much down to the training, athleticism and perseverance of the gay and lesbian club.

“We train for two hours every Sunday at the South Yarra Sports Centre,” said McClafferty. “It’s a mixture of swimming and leg work, then passing drills and shooting drills.”

Water polo requires specialist skills, an affinity with water and thick skin to deal with the rough play – and inevitable wedgie – in a game.

“There’s certainly a lot of holding, pushing and shoving – that’s part of the game,” says McClafferty. “Someone usually gets scratched in a game.”

Of course, you need to be pretty fit to keep yourself afloat, swim and shoot, which explains why Surge players are so buff.

The team, originally known as The Crabs when formed in 2001 before joining the Glamourhead Sharks Aquatics club and finally branching out on its own, is gearing up for a host spot with next year’s Outgames.

McClafferty says the competition, to be held at the event’s hub, Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre will feature men’s and mixed competitions. The event will take place on Saturday February 2, with heats in the morning, and semi finals and finals in the afternoon.

The team has received interest from teams in Sydney, Canberra as well as individuals here for other events who are taking advantage of the minimal $35 activity fee to join extra sports.

“It will be bigger than Ben Hur,” says McClafferty

Melbourne Surge is launching its 2008 calendar soon. To order a copy, or for more information about the club, visit www.melbournesurge.org or www.melbourneoutgames.org

Photo by Vicki Jones Photography

by CATHY ANDERSON