Water polo\'s splash in south Florida is sending ripples through the center of the state straight into Gainesville.
The water sport, which combines aspects of hockey, soccer and basketball, has found a solid fan base in south Florida, but it has recently gained popularity in the central and northern parts of the state, said Cem Danishment, who co-founded the Central Florida Water Polo League in May.
The league sponsored a tournament in Gainesville Sunday for its five newly registered teams at the Northeast Pool.
Teams from Tampa, Orlando and Gainesville competed for the league\'s first championship title. Sunday\'s game was the last in a series of three tournaments played through June. The Patriots, an Orlando team, went home with the trophy.
A game lasts about 40 minutes and requires players to tread water using an "eggbeater" stroke, named for its whisk-like leg movements. Players are simultaneously passing, catching and launching what looks like a soccer ball.
Andy Orr, a player for the Gainesville Hammerheads team, said it is what goes on under water that can make a game aggressive.
"The referees usually can\'t see fouls through the water," Orr said. "Some people really take advantage of that."
The new league provides more opportunities for the teams to compete without driving the distance to Miami, where most tournaments are held, Danishment said.
Budding interest in water polo in central Florida is representative of a trend around the country, he said.
"It\'s spreading everywhere," Danishment said. "We wanted to help the seed grow."
That seed has blossomed in Gainesville, where two local teams have been expanding every year.
UF\'s Gator Water Polo team, which has about 30 regular players, is expected to have 10 more players in the fall, said Justin Oakes, team captain.
Most new players will come from areas with high school teams, Oakes said.
"That\'s when most kids start playing," he said. "More high schools in central Florida are adding water polo, and it\'s only gonna get bigger."
Brian Martin, who coaches a high school water polo team in Orlando, said there are 24 high school teams in his area to handle the growing demand for the sport.
The Gainesville Hammerheads, who started competing about two years ago with seven regular players, have doubled their membership.
Ian Dyar, co-founder of the Hammerheads, said water polo still has a lot of potential to grow in Gainesville, but the new league should aid that growth.
"When you think of this town, you think football," said Dyar, who also played on the Gator Water Polo team. "But water polo deserves respect. It\'s amazing, and more people are figuring that out."
