---PRESS RELEASE--- October 7, 2009
New Zealand Water Polo is pleased to announce the appointments of Mr. Eelco Uri and Mr. Kurt Goldsworthy as Head Coaches of the senior women and men/programmes teams respectively.
Both coaches have agreed to a three year contract with NZWP and together with the High Performance Committee they will focus on developing and preparing the New Zealand teams for international events in the years to come. Both coaches will be overseeing the complete programmes and will work closely together with all the age group coaches of the New Zealand representative teams.
Uri has played over 250 international tests for his home country The Netherlands, as well as being the team captain. He participated in multiple European and World Championships and two Olympic Games (Atlanta 96 and Sydney 2000). Furthermore he was active as a professional in France, Switzerland and Greece and collected 10 national titles and 6 cups in four different countries. After his playing career he took up coaching with his last team being the Great Britain men’s side.
“Eelco brings with him a wealth of playing and coaching experience. He has been involved in top leagues and national programmes for many years and we are thrilled we have been able to sign a coach of his calibre,” said National Women’s Convenor Sharon Geary.
“There is a large amount of water polo talent in New Zealand and I am looking forward to working hard on getting the girls where they have the potential to be, a structural place in the top world ranking. We need everybody on board for this, but the support and willingness is there from within all areas of the sport, so I am confident we will surprise many”, said Uri.
Goldsworthy also has an extensive CV as player and coach and is currently one of only two water polo coaches in New Zealand who are fully professional. He played for various age group teams in the 1980s and was a member of the NZ Mens team at the 1998 World Championships in Perth. Goldsworthy was in charge of the New Zealand junior teams for the last four editions of the FINA World Junior Championships (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009) as a player he also represented NZ at the 1998 World Champs which were held in Perth, Australia. Teams he has coached have won numerous national titles in almost all age groups as well as multiple national school championships. He also was a member of the NZ Swimming team from the latter part of the 1980s and early 1990s.
“It is good to have Kurt to lead the overall men’s programme and especially the senior squad. Having such experience and passion on pool deck will build upon the progress made by the previous coaches and take the guys to new heights in international men’s water polo”, said Chris Hayward, the National Men’s Convenor.
“I look forward to dealing with the challenges we face and believe I can assist the team in going forward”, said Goldsworthy.
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For further information please contact:
Pam Scheirlinck, National Office Manager, office@waterpolo.org.nz , 09 477 2034