Santa Barbara Water Polo Club made a nationwide statement at last weekend’s 2026 USA Water Polo Junior Olympics in Irvine.
The SBWPC 16A and 18A Girls squads each captured platinum division championships to headline the club’s standout performance at the top tournament in the nation.
SBWPC had a whopping 17 teams qualify for the Junior Olympics with 166 Santa Barbara athletes competing. When all was said and done, the club earned five medals and six teams placed in the top eight in their divisions.
The 16A and 18A Girls teams went a combined 14-0 at the Junior Olympics, with the 16A squad piling on 75 goals and the 18A team finishing the tournament with 93 goals.
“Our 16A and 18A Girls did not just have one great tournament or one great weekend,” SBWPC club director Kelsie Karam said. “They won USCCs, Futures SuperFinals and Junior Olympics.
“Finishing the summer three-for-three reflects the consistency, preparation and competitive standard our girls program has built over many years.”
The SBWPC girls success did not end there, as the 18B Girls (8th in Platinum), 18C Girls (6th in Silver), 16B Girls (22nd in Platinum), 14A Girls (8th in Platinum), 14B Girls (2nd in Gold), 12A Girls (17th in Platinum) and 12B Girls (16th in Gold) all had strong tournaments as well.
Meanwhile, the SBWPC boys program turned in a solid showing as well, led by a seventh-place finish in the Platinum division from the 16A Boys team.
“The 16A Boys showed that athletes can stay in Santa Barbara, develop here and compete with some of the strongest clubs in the country,” Karam said. “That is a message we want every young boy in our community to hear.
“We have put a great deal of concentrated effort into the boys program over the past two years. We are not where we ultimately want to be yet, but this tournament showed that the work is gaining traction.”
The SBWPC 14U Boys also shined, winning six of their final seven games to capture the Gold Division championship.
The 16B Boys (3rd in Nickel), 12A Boys (20th in Platinum) and 12B Boys (14th in Bronze) showcased the depth of the boys program as well.
“The seventh-place finish from our 16A Boys is exciting, but having four full teams of boys surrounding and underneath them is just as important to our long-term goals,” Karam said. “One successful roster does not create a nationally recognized program. You need participation, depth and athletes developing together through every age group.
“Our goal is for the boys program to eventually earn the same sustained reputation our girls have built. We understand how much work that requires, and we are committed to continuing it.”
SBWPC’s Junior Olympics were rounded out by a fourth-place Platinum finish from the 10A Coed team, an 11th-place showing in the Silver division for the 10B Coed team and the 8-and-under team competing in the 10U field.
The Santa Barbara Water Polo Club’s summer season has now come to a close, and many players will now return to star for their respective high school teams in town.
