LOS ANGELES – With finals over and summer on the horizon, the Long Beach State men’s water polo team packed its bags and headed due east to Barcelona, Spain, for two weeks of training.
The team traveled from LAX, wearing a uniform that consisted of a blue polo shirt and khakis.
But why go all the way to Barcelona, far from The Beach?
“To gain experience training [and] practicing with club teams,” said Justin Koeppen, who redshirted this past season. “[It’s] better experience to play internationally.”
Koeppen said that head coach Gavin Arroyo “is trying to teach [the team] more European water polo.”
The men will be staying in apartments during their two-week stay. Assistance from the sports boosters helped fund the summer training trip.
“This trip has been up in the air since last summer, and four or five months ago we found out we were going,” Koeppen said.
“We have so much time over the summer, but this will be a change of pace,” said sophomore attacker Eric Benson.
“We’ve been going strong since Christmas. This will get us ready for the season.”
Members of the team said European water polo differs from American water polo, emphasizing that the European style focuses more on team play.
“[Coach Arroyo] teaches us more team style: no superstars and everyone is on the same team,” Benson said.
Overall, the men said the trip will help the team gain more experience and give the teammates an upper-hand when the season begins again in September.
