Water Polo continues to make Eastern Idaho its home

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI)- The Rigby Water Polo Club has made Rigby its home for three years now.

Coach Ryan Hancock said the club started when some students asked about the sport. "I started out as a swim coach at Rigby High School, and I had a student ask me, 'Hey, have you ever heard of water polo?' I said, 'Of course, I have.' And he said, 'Well, what do we have to do to get a team?' I said, 'Let's make a club." said Hancock.

Last year the team wanted to grow the game in the region and raise funds for the club. "I was lucky to find an assistant in Willie Watts Miller, who actually played for the national team back in the early 2000s. And he said, 'Hey, we've got a lake here. Why don't we do a tournament as a fundraiser and we can invite teams from all around the region,'" said Hancock.

This year, six teams from Utah and Idaho battled it out in the water at Jefferson County Lake.

One participant named Michael from Cache Valley, Utah said they came to just have fun and play water polo again together. They first heard of the tournament through social media last year. He said it was great to get the old team together and add them to some of the current players.

Hancock says many of the teams and their families use the competition as a family reunion and vacation.

He hopes to keep the tournament going over the years and grow the sport in the area.

For more information on the club and the invitational, you can find that here.