T&T men and women Under-17 teams suffered lopsided defeats when the 2019 Pan American Youth Water Polo Championships hosted by the Swimming Union of the Americans (UANA) splashed off at the National Aquatic Centre, in Balmain, Couva on Friday.
Playing in the final match of three girls encounters in the morning session, T&T was outplayed 32-6 by Brazil with Tiffanee Green and Aaliyah Aching scoring two goals each for the locals, while Tahirah Beepat and Breanna Jordan added on each.
It was a very dominant start for the South American young women as they raced into a 10-0 first-quarter lead which they extended to 18-0 at the half-time interval.
The third period saw the best of the local girls as they were able to match the Brazilians 5-5 to trail 5-23 ahead of the final period, which the visitors, once again showed their class, 9-1.
In the first two girls matches, Canada defeated Argentina 17-3, and the USA punished Peru 25-5.
The local boys' team did not fear much better in their opener as they were crushed 23-6 by Canada in the first match of the evening session with Yannick Robertson scoring twice for the hosts, and the trio of Jonathon Constantine, Ross Gillette, and Christian Chin Lee one apiece.
Canada took a 7-3 first-quarter advantage and by the half-time whistle was well on their way to victory, 13-4 ahead.
In the third period, T&T showed great determination and managed to limit the Canadians to a 3-1 score, but still trailed 5-16, before being outplayed again, in the final quarter, 7-1.
The USA also won their opener, 14-10 over Brazil in a close contest while Argentina outscored Peru in an all-South American battle. In the closing match last night, Bahamas entertained Colombia.
Commenting on the performances of both local teams, T&T coach, St Louis-USA-born Jeff Passwater admitted that his players were very nervous, to begin with.
He explained, "As the host country, the players want to do well and put on good performances in front of their home crowd, but we had slow starts against vastly experienced opponents who I believe have great chances of being in both the boys and girls gold medal matches on the final day of competition".
A former coach at the University of the Pacific and Mc Kendree University, Passwater admitted that the outcome of the matches for his team could have been closer, and at the same time worse.
He added, "If you understand the sport of water polo, experienced counts for a lot, and we still managed to have some good moments during matches, even winning a quarter each, and these are positives that we have to build on".
Looking ahead Passwater said by the conclusion of the championship he expects to see the competitive nature and performances of the local teams rise to another level, as playing against these quality teams will surely make them better".
On Saturday, the ten-day competition which serves as the qualifier for the Americas region to next year's FINA Worlds Youth Championships will continue with both T&T teams in action ago.
The local girls come up against the USA on Saturday from 11.40 am, ahead of matches against Canada on Sunday, Peru on Monday, and Argentina (August 20) at the end of which the top two will qualify directly to the semifinals on August 22 while the teams that finish third to sixth will meet in cross-over quarterfinals to determine the other final-four qualifiers.
In the boys' competition on Saturday, T&T battles Argentina from 2 pm, and will then play, Peru on Sunday, Colombia on Monday, Brazil (August 20), USA (August 21) and Bahamas (August 22), at the end of which the top two teams will contest the gold medal match, while the third and fourth-placed teams compete for bronze.
The fifth and sixth-placed teams will face off for fifth while seventh and eighth clash to avoid the cellar-spot.
The Americas region is made up of four conferences being USA, Canada, CONSANAT (South America), CCCAN (Central America and Caribbean Nations) and the countries listed to compete include USA, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Bahamas, and host T&T in the 17 and Under Boys’ while USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and T&T will compete in the 17 and Under Girls’.
First, in action for T&T will be the girls' team against Brazil from 11.40 am while the boys' open their campaign in the first match of the evening session, against Canada from 2 pm.
Overall, the double-gender event will feature 195 athletes, seven UANA technical water polo committee members, and 12 referees. Matches will be contested until August 23 with seven matches being contested daily up until the final day which will feature six matches.
So far the T&T teams have enjoyed a very positive 2019 with Carifta gold medals at the Carifta Games in the 14 and Under Co-ed, 19 and Under Girls’ and 19 and Under Boys, with a silver in the 16 and Under Boys.
At the CCCAN level, T&T won gold in the 15 and Under Boys beating rivals and nemesis Puerto Rico while in the past, T&T also qualified for World Youth Championship at Perth, in 2012 through its performance at Pan American Youths 2011.