FEATURE: STINGERS’ CAPTAIN ROWIE WEBSTER TREADING ABOVE THE REST “There’s that challenging aspect of teams sports which I love. Turning up in a crucial game and trying to have not just yourself perform, but having the team as a whole combine for a group effect, that’s a real challenge that I enjoy. “It is a type of challenge and feeling that you can get with individual sports. It’s a sport where there is room for error. You get an opportunity as a team to right those mistakes that you may have previously made.” The best part about playing on the national team for Rowie is the travel. She’s been able to see some stick boogie boards in the sand for amazing places. stumps and playing cricket. “Being able to travel the world with “Over in the Eastern European countries, some of your best mates is pretty it’s a definite lifestyle. Travelling to play surreal. We recently travelled to Siberia and train there is special. The crowds for a water polo tournament, where we are loud, training is in the sea during picked up a bronze. That’s just one of the middle of the day. It’s a lifestyle those unusual places that we get to see.” that suits playing at your best. If athletes aren’t receiving The Stingers were one of many gold “There’s also the reassurance that funding, it’s harder for that medal winners at the Sydney Olympics, you can make a living playing water younger generation coming however since then, the Americans have polo there.” through; ‘if you can’t see it, dominated the sport for over a decade now. What makes nations like Hungary, What makes the Americans so good? you can’t dream it.’ Serbia, Croatia, USA and the like, such dominant water polo nations? “It comes down to that college system — just feeding talented, competitive girls “Goals everywhere! It’s similar to being into the national team. The added bonus down the beach here and seeing kids of the Californian weather and lifestyle 16 VOLUME 36 • ISSUE 3 2018