Sirens embark on ambitious project

Sirens ASC have just embarked on a joint venture, combining waterpolo and swimming for young children at the St Paul’s Bay club.

Lino Vella, who has been at the top seat of Sirens ASC for 40 years, expressed his satisfaction at the innovative project of merging waterpolo and swimming training sessions for children.

“The completion of the pool was fundamental in luring families and ultimately children to diffuse these aquatic disciplines among the younger generation,” he said.

Dr Vella said that this initiative took off thanks to some individuals from the club’s nursery committee who came up with the idea of joining forces and set up a joint waterpolo and swimming committee.

“This is now turning out to be a success as could be seen from the numerous youngsters practising these sport disciplines in the pool under the guidance of various qualified coaches,” Dr Vella said.

Ivan Riolo, who comes from a basketball-oriented career both as a player and as an administrator, is one of the masterminds behind the Sirens project.

Riolo said that the main aim of the Sirens SwimPolo School is to encourage boys and girls to take up both sports and to keep them motivated in both activities.

“It will take some time for the Sirens swimming team to be competitive at a national level but once we equal other established clubs, like Neptunes and Sliema in the amount of training especially in winter, we will be competitive.”

Coaching team

Apart from Davina Mangion, who is head coach of the swimming team, the club also has ex-San Ġiljan ASC coach Marco Risso helping out with the waterpolo section along with Dejan Simeonov, Dorian Pisani and Julian Xuereb.

Sirens have announced that the club will be introducing winter swimming classes aimed at monitoring their elite swimmers in order to prepare them for the National Championships.

Oliver Tanti, PRO of the project team, said that the club will organise a Swimming Marathon on August 27 to raise funds for the SwimPolo School. It is estimated that over 200 participants will take part.

Sirens also announced that an effort is underway to re-establish the women’s waterpolo team. This team is being trained by Sandro Bianchi.

Commenting on the senior waterpolo team’s recent inconsistent results, Dr Vella said that Sirens are passing through a transition phase.

“We want more young players to be introduced gradually in the senior team but sometimes you have to balance things out,” he said.

“Our original target was to make it to the final four and thus stake our chances in the play-offs.”