2017 Team of the Year: Brecon Canoe Club Canoe Polo Youth Team

We're very pleased to announce that the winner of the 2017 Canoe Wales Award for Team of the Year is the Brecon Canoe Club Canoe Polo Youth Team!

The judges were very impressed by the team's excellent results, strong team ethic and the development work taking place to ensure the team continues to grow and develop.

Here's what their club had to say about the team in putting them forward for nomination:

"This team of 8 players were 2nd in the UK South West Region Junior Canoe Polo Tournament 2017, playing against well-established Canoe Polo clubs from across South West England and South Wales. This mixed-age (14 -17), mixed-gender (5 boys; 3 girls) and mixed discipline team have been playing together for over 3 years against teams with a much higher average age. This year they came into their own and (with access to only 90 minutes pool training per fortnight) played, in Cheltenham, over 18 games successfully to be placed 2nd overall out of 16 teams. They should be lauded not only for their team spirit (especially as 3 team members are brothers!) but also for the commitment they have had in coaching and supporting new team members at pool session training, helping to create a new generation of polo paddlers. One has trained as a Canoe Polo referee and refs at tournaments too. At times they have also put their personal training to one side in order to play for the team ( 3 members of the team have also been in the Welsh canoe Slalom squad and promoted to Premier Division Slalom over this year and have been known to travel from slalom training at Lee Valley to Cheltenham and back in a weekend ). They now look forward to playing at National level for the first time in November 17, representing Brecon Canoe Club and Welsh Canoe Polo. These teenagers set an example to younger Welsh paddlers at club level that commitment to others can breed both personal and team pride and success for now and the future."