St Andrew’s College
Water Polo Pool Heating
WATER POLO AT COLLEGE
Since its inception in 1963, the St Andrew’s College Water Polo Club has gone from strength to strength, and the Club is now one of the largest in the country. Over 120 boys play in 9 teams across all age groups.
Our Club consistently ranks in the South African schools’ Top 8, enjoying a formidable reputation. Our Club also proudly hosts the prestigious St Andrew’s College Shield Tournament every year, a significant highlight on the national schools’ water polo calendar.
College’s water polo season runs from January to March, and during a typical season, over 80 competitive matches are played at home against an average of 30 visiting schools. We start and close the season driven and competitive, placing in the top ranks, but our performance is thwarted in the latter part of the year, as our players are unable to train and maintain momentum in the cold, winter months.
PROPOSAL
In order for water polo to continue on its rising trajectory at College and for College to remain at the forefront of South African schools’ water polo, we need to extend our season, offering players the opportunity to train and play all year round.
There is an urgent need for new pool heating equipment. The current heating equipment is over 15 years old, with the heating pumps and pool covers either outdated or irreparable. This equipment is clearly insufficient to cater for the needs of our growing and highly tenacious Water Polo Club. New heating equipment will also allow College to service Makhanda by providing controlled community access to the pool over the winter months. The long-term benefit is that other local institutions, such as Rhodes University, will also be able to train year around, presenting College with strong opponents in the Makhanda area.
New pool covers and heating pumps will cost R1 000 000
The success of Water Polo at College has largely been driven by our passionate water polo community, however, the Club would not be where it is today without the magnanimity from our water polo community. The DT Hudson Pool and the training pool, where our water polo players train and compete, were constructed from a significant donation of R1 000 000 bequeathed to our school.
We therefore invite you, as a member of our water polo community, to become a part of the water polo legacy at St Andrew’s College, by donating to this significant project.
WAYS OF GIVING
Donations can be made using our secure online giving facility, where you can customise your giving plan. Alternatively, you can make a direct deposit into the St Andrew’s College Foundation account.
Please visit our donation webpage or email Angie Marriner, our Foundation Office Director, who will be delighted to provide more information.
Any gift to the heating of the water polo pool will be recognised in the Annual Donor Report. Donors who donate R25 000 or more will be formally recognised in a meaningful way at the water polo pool facility. If you are a South African tax payer, your donation will be eligible for a Section 18A tax certificate.