Speedy water polo team wants crowd support in gold bid

The Philippine water polo team plunges into action on Tuesday before the official opening of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, and the Nationals are hoping for the crowds to come and cheer for them.

“We have the home crowd advantage, and you know how the Filipino fans cheer, they rock the stadium,” said national team assistant coach Dale Evangelista.

“We hope there will be a big crowd to cheer for us,” added Evangelista as the PH team starts competing at New Clark City (NCC) aquatics center, four days before the opening ceremony.

The team arrived at NCC last Thursday, doing twice-a-day practices in “a truly world-class sports stadium.”

Evangelista said the Nationals are in high spirits after coming from busy foreign exposure trips that took them to Europe last year.

The main weapon the team will have, according to Evangelista, is speed.

“We have developed that through the years,” said Evangelista, who is a former water polo stalwart himself.

The Philippines will battle Indonesia on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.

“It’s going be a rumble,” added Evangelista who, as a player, served as team enforcer because of his massive physique and rugged style of play.

The Philippines, which has silver medals (behind perennial champ Singapore) from 2005, 2007 and 2009 is hoping to deliver the goods in the competitions which will run until Dec. 1.

They will be powered by high-scoring veteran Roy Cañete and Fil-American striker Vincent Sicat, who arrived in the country last June. Rey Galang is head coach.