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My Penguin Story: Fiona Greer

23 January 2022
Penguin 100 Centenary, Penguin members, Water Polo

My journey with Penguin has been a rollercoaster spread over 25 years, through the highs of international competition to the lows of injuries and a lot of surgery. The constant through it all has been my amazing teammates and coaches, the biggest of these was John Lake (Shakey). Even at 80 years old he continued to inspire and motivate me, he helped prepare me for big competitions and was always there to support and pick me up when things were tough. His loss has been greatly felt not only by me personally but through the whole Club.

 

Fiona Greer holding the Rob Derbyshire Trophy
Being presented the Rob Derbyshire Trophy by President John Lake (Shakey) in 2017

 

My water polo journey started after reading about the GB team on a British Airways flight. I was not from a swimming background; as a teenager I’d been a middle distance/cross country runner at Scottish national level but after spending time training in America I was suffering ongoing injuries. When starting at university in London in 1994 I was looking for a new challenge and went along to the freshers fair at UCLH where I met Karine Hales and signed up for the University water polo team.

Karine was so enthusiastic and welcomed me, even as a non-swimmer, with open arms. I had no idea what was involved and I emerged from my first session half-drowned and beaten up. For most first timers the initial session either makes or breaks you, and I was instantly hooked. The training was tough and perhaps it suited my ‘feisty Celtic blood’. Plus the team spirit was infectious.

After two years playing university water polo (and learning to swim!) I joined Penguin in 1996. At that team the time was in the second division of the national league. Training and matches were a step up, but I loved the challenge, and in truth I probably became a bit obsessed. Playing alongside Manda Hackett, Karine Hales, Charlie Parkinson, Pamela Campbell, Lis Holmes, Katie Collins and Sally Woolhouse – to name but a few – I made lifelong friends.

By early 2000 we were playing first division and challenging the top teams in the UK. We qualified for the European Cup and had a second team in the third division. I took over the captaincy from Karine and captained the Penguin women for around 15 years on and off. Looking back these really were golden years: Penguin was flying high.

I started training with the Scotland squad and was proud to captain Scotland from 2000 until 2006, competing with the team in the Commonwealth tournament in Perth, Australia in 2006. This was an amazing experience shared with fellow Penguins Karine and Jerome Reed from England and others from South African, and Singapore. We played and won the World Masters in 2004 in San Marino, Italy, what a great trip for polo the and off pitch celebrations!

After 2006 I continued to play domestic water polo with Penguin inbetween having kids and surgery. Then I returned to the international arena to play in the 2014 Commonwealth competition in Aberdeen, opposite another Penguin, Lis Holmes who was playing for Wales.

 

Fiona Greer in the pool holding a water polo ball
2014 Commonwealth competition, Aberdeen, Scotland

 

The noughties were a haze of training camps and international and domestic competitions. Looking back now water polo kept me out of trouble!

The Penguin team was motivated and keen, we were very social, and we pushed and inspired each other in the pool as we fought for team selection. We toured in the summer in Europe, often with the men’s team, enjoyed team nights out and attended the Penguin dinner dances. These really were great times, with some great polo and lots of outrageous ‘what goes on tour…’ fun outside the water!

 

Fiona Greer and the womens water polo team holding Shakey aloft
Penguin women’s water polo team with Shakey at the Club Dinner in 2016

 

To be President of a club like Penguin is such an honour, I am so grateful for the part the Club has played in my life. I feel lucky to still be able to play, especially after some major surgeries, although I must admit it’s certainly harder as I get older, and those three-game national league weekends are that bit harder to recover from, even though I am partly bionic.

I can’t imagine ever losing the will to get in the water with my teammates or the drive to fight to get the ball and stuff it in the back of the net; there really is no better feeling.

Thankfully, I have a supporting family. My water polo training and match schedules have often impacted on family holidays and events, but my family have been my best supporters, and they are excited to see the current Penguin team doing well.

Penguin has been through a lot in the last 100 years, and it is still going strong through two world wars, the great depression, recessions, lack of pool investment and most recently COVID-19. Other clubs have not been so fortunate, and the pandemic has sadly led to the demise of many swimming and water polo clubs.

Fortunately, I see Penguin gaining a new momentum, and again I feel excited and re-energised. In the senior water polo sections the coaching team and players are working hard and there is a hunger to get back to the heyday of high level competition. We all feel it and I’m excited to be part of it. Both the women’s and men’s teams fought hard in the first half of this national league season to reach the playoffs, and are now aiming for promotion.

It is great to be playing again, we all really missed the training, galas and national league competitions during the lockdowns over last two years. Despite the disruption, before Christmas and into the new year, Rachel Bull led the Emperors to a three game victory in the first weekend of the Championship 2 in Walsall, putting our statement of intent at the top of the table.

I’ve played with Rachel since she joined as a team junior at 15 years old, a position that was taken this year by Maddie Roberts who has scored an amazing 13 goals for Penguin so far this season. As an older more experienced player myself, it’s great to watch young players like Rachel grow in the Club and then become experienced role models for the next generation of players such as Maddie. And I have loved playing with them all.

The men will be captained by Albie Duffy as they restart their promotion campaign at Haberdashers on the 29th January, we are willing them on all the way.

The Penguin junior teams have also been playing amazingly, with recent success at the National Age Group Championships and national squad inclusions.

It feels like the momentum is with us. A really big thank you to all the coaches who give up their time and energy to the Club, we really couldn’t do it without you.

The masters swimmers are thriving, with record membership numbers and a great social side. While not big on pool-base competitions at present, the lure of open water events is stronger. A number have entered the annual Herne Bay Pier to Pier https://activelifeltd.co.uk/pier-to-pier-swim/swim, and it would be great to see lots of Penguins entering from all sections of the Club as part of our Penguin 100 celebrations.

I have met so many amazing people over the last 25 years, it feels like we share a special bond and memories that inspire lifelong friendships. So many of them are now spread across the world with their families or pursuing new adventures, but I regularly stalk them on Facebook. There are too many to name so I’m sorry if I didn’t mention you personally.

Equally there are just too many stories to reminisce, but that’s probably a good thing!

I really hope the Centenary Dinner in April allows us to meet up again and celebrate the great times and lasting friendships made through the Club. I certainly feel in need of a shindig with my Penguin besties.

 

This post is part of our Penguin 100 series of stories from Penguins past and present, recording what being a member of the Club means to them as we celebrate our centenary.

Hillingdon Penguin seize every opportunity to compete

14 January 2022
Water Polo

Having no access to pools in 2020 was tough and we really missed the competitive side of water polo. There’s so much about the game that you can only learn from competing and thankfully 2021 allowed us to go back into the water and shine.

In this post Sue Seagroatt, manager of our junior water polo section based at Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Centre (SLC), shares a round up of the competitive opportunities that our players from Hillingdon Penguin were able to enjoy in autumn 2021.

London Water Polo League
It was a relief when the LWPL resumed and it was a privilege to host the first U14 and U16 Junior tournaments at Hillingdon SLC. None of this would have been possible without Chris Martin and Paul Bryan and the many hours they spend organising tournaments.

 

Water ;polo players pointing to a ball
U14 team
Water polo players standing on the poolside
U16 team

 

Swim England Development Tournament
Our newest Hillingdon Penguin players were fortunate to have the chance to compete in a Swim England development tournament where they gained vital knowledge of the game.

 

Water polo players
U14 Development Tournament

 

Inter County Championships
As you can read in a previous post some of our players were able to compete in the Inter County Championships, both mixed and girls in November. The mixed team narrowly missed out on a bronze medal. The girls played valiantly to take 2nd place.

Bailey and Hadi were selected to compete in Walsall for the London team playing in Division 1 at the U16 Boys Inter regionals on 27 and 28 November 2021. This was an amazing opportunity to experience water polo competition at this level.

 

Water polo players
U16 Middlesex Mixed team

 

U16 Boys Inter Regional Championships
The restart of competition meant a call up for regional selection in September. Four Hillingdon boys, Avi Juneja, Bailey Sapsed, Sam Wood, and Riaz Garnie, were successful and have since been training with London Regional Academy for 2007s.

 

  • Water polo team
    U16 London team
  • Two water polo players Hadi and Bailey
    Hadi and Bailey

Bailey said, ‘I found it a really worthwhile and an exciting experience. I learnt a lot. I felt privileged to be there.’

Under 16 Girls Inter Regional Championships
A huge well done to the four Hillingdon Penguin girls who were selected for training at the inter regional academy: Thalia Ross, Lize Crone, Órlaith Graham and Sophie Wilkinson.

Lize, Órlaith and Sophie were selected to compete for London in the U16s Girls Inter Regionals on 4 and 5 December in Walsall, playing in Division 2.

 

Three water polo players with their coach
Lize, Órlaith and Sophie with coach Shaun Hill

 

The girls had a really great tournament. The first day was the tougher of the two, when London lost their first game against West Midlands 7-17 and their second game against South West Sharks was a narrow loss (7-8) after conceding a goal in the final second of play to the eventual winners of Division 2.

The team came out fighting on the second day with two emphatic wins, against East Midlands 10:4 and Wales 22-2. They should be really proud of themselves.

Overall, the team came third in Division 2 and Sophie was awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament for London.
 

Sophie holding her Most Valuable Player trophy
Sophie awarded Most Valuable Player

 

Órlaith said, ‘It was an amazing experience and a lot of fun. It really helped us come together as a team as this was the first time we’d played matches together. We became stronger with every game we played. It was interesting to watch the Division 1 games as it helped me see and take on board the differences in how they played. The entire experience has helped me develop my view of the game and how I play and how I can improve. I’m very grateful that I was chosen to represent London and am thankful to have had an amazing team and coaches to take me there.’

Lize said, ‘I enjoyed the competition a lot as I got the chance to play different positions (in goal and outfield) and the opportunity to bond more with the other girls on the team. I also learnt a lot about tactics and strategy.’

Thank you for the coaching
All these Hillingdon Penguin players are very grateful to Shaun who puts so much energy into coaching them every week and went to support them at coaching sessions and tournaments in Croydon and in Walsall. They would also like to thank Aram Eidipour, Marcus and Tim Kendall for the Academy coaching.

What coming for 2022?
We are thrilled that Riaz Garnie and Sam Wood have been invited to trials for the National Academy in January 2022. We wish them all the best.

We are looking forward to the first outings for our U12 and U18 teams in the LWPL. And good luck to the U14 and U16 teams as they go into their second tournaments.

Hillingdon Penguin U16 girls will also be competing in LWPL in March, another exciting first for the Hillingdon section of the Club as we’ve never entered a girls’ team before.

Hillingdon Penguin runs alongside our Latymer water polo section for juniors. Find out more about playing junior water polo with us.

 

Malcolm Cromer: Penguin Life

17 December 202114 January 2022
History, Penguin 100 Centenary, Penguin members

To celebrate the Club’s centenary we are publishing a series of stories from Penguins past and present, recording what being a member of our Club means to them.

This post comes from longstanding Penguin and Club Vice President Malcolm Cromer.

  

 

 

I’m Malcolm Cromer. Born 15 September 1950, Lefroy Road, Shepherds Bush, West London.

Man wearing gallses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shepherds Bush in the late 1940s and the 1950s I remember now as being grey. There were still some bomb sites from the war that had not been developed. Rationing lasted until 1953. As a kid in the 50s there was not a lot going on. Sounds grim but it wasn’t.

My best friend, Jack Neivens, born 27 September 1950, just two houses and the width of a road away. We followed in the footsteps of my brother Frank and Jack’s sister Gillian who were born within two weeks of each other in 1947. Jack’s real name was Alan, but with a sister named Gill…

Around 1956-7 Jack’s dad, Ron, started taking us to a swimming teaching club called ‘The Water Gypsies’ run by Hammersmith Borough Council at Lime Grove Baths on Sunday mornings. The baths were opened in July 1907 so were already 50 years old when we started there. You were enrolled with The Water Gypsies for one year, it was free of charge and, if you were deemed good enough after the year, you were recommended to Penguin SC for a trial if you were a boy, and Hammersmith Ladies SC if you were a girl. After a year Jack and I were put forward and accepted by Penguin.

 

Swimming pool
Lime Grove Baths

 

Our Penguin Life journey had begun.

From the age of seven our lives consisted of school and swimming training on Mondays and Thursdays at Lime Grove. Chain swimming length after length with our then coach ‘Spud’ Murphy shouting “There’s plenty of room out in front”. I mentioned that the pool was already 50 years old… the chlorinated water stung your eyes and nostrils, and I remember many a night crying myself to sleep to get rid of the stinging sensation. The situation was caused by so many by unwashed bodies and their effluent in the pool. Shepherds Bush was, after all, a working class area with some quite deprived areas of housing. I often quip that ‘at Lime Grove you did not swim, you went through the motions‘. Even now I think those of us who experienced the conditions and survived probably don’t need a COVID vaccination as we can withstand anything.

 

Newspaper cutting showing Penguin junior swimmers with their trophies
Cutting from the West London Observer, Friday 16 Nov 1962: Penguin Juniors enjoyed an outstanding season. They are pictured here after their victory in the Chelsea Inter-Club Challenge Shield gala. Back row L-R: Geoffrey Lake, Keith Young, Tommy Reid, Ronald Clapp. Front row L-R: Malcolm Cromer, Keith Clapp, Jack Nievens, John Jeffreys, Terry Lines and Peter Lee.

 

I joined Acton Swimming Club to get extra training and was ‘second claim’ to them if Penguin did not need me. After a dispute with an official at Penguin, I left and went first claim to Acton. As few years later, by the time I was fifteen, Jack had started playing water polo at Penguin and after a brief conversation with him I rejoined Penguin to learn the ‘dark art’.

Polo training sessions would see thirty to forty members vying for places in the pick up teams. Sunday afternoon training at Lime Grove consisted of one hour swimming training, one hour ball-work and one hour of water polo games. In one of the more grueling exercises we would line up along one side of the pool, dive in, swim the width of the pool, climb out, run across to touch the wall, run back, dive in, swim back, climb out, touch the wall, run back, dive in and repeat 20 times. The climb out was the killer as the difference between the waterline and the pool deck was some 25-30cm, not like the modern design where the water laps onto the side.

Our mentors were legendary:

  • RT – Ron Turner – Olympian and everybody’s hero.
  • Les Baldwin, who would kick you then tell you what you were doing wrong.
  • Bryan (Swaz) Randall, first team goalkeeper who taught me the sling shot and push shot.
  • Bill Wait, who taught me how to insert my finger into the opponent’s swimming trunks drawstring, twist, and then move him around at will: it was he also who said “Nod to the referee when you give away your first foul, look quizzically at him after he gives you a second foul, and you will usually get away with the third foul” – the Dark Arts.

1965 saw the formation of an under-18 side coached by Terry Bushell and managed by RT. Jack was elected Captain.

A three year programme resulted in us becoming National Champions in 1968. Along the way we had beaten our arch rivals Sutton and Cheam at Crystal Palace to gain the Southern Area Championship. We then went on to play Thornaby at their home town of Stockton-on-Tees in the quarter finals. Thornaby were so confident of be becoming the eventual champions they had bid for and were awarded the hosting of the final, but we beat them after extra time.  The extra time made us late for the train home, but British Rail held the train until we got there. To this day I do not know who arranged that!

 

Newspaper cutting about the train being delayed to get young Penguins home from a matchThe semi final saw us at Walsall playing the Midlands champions. We won and retired to a local for a drink and a meal. The coach driver, who had watched the game came with us and celebrated with one too many Guinness and whiskies, couldn’t find his way out of Walsall. We stopped to ask a Police motorcycle patrolman – Terry Bushell doing the asking, not the driver. The patrolman very kindly gave us an escorted drive to the motorway.

It was during this coach trip that Jack got taken short, found a plastic bag, relieved himself only to find that the bag had holes in it. Several of us were anointed before the bag was jettisoned through the skylight of the coach.

The final back up in Stockton saw us playing Birkenhead, the North West Champions. We won!

 

Photo of the Penguin water polo players who won the 1968 Junior Championships of England
Winners of the Junior Club Championships of England, the Southern Counties Junior title and the Middlesex County Junior Finals. Standing L-R: Terry Bushell (Team Coach), Malcolm Cromer, Derek Fraser, Clive Roberts, Peter Berry, Derek Ross, Ron Turner (Team Manager) and John Wilkinson (Club Captain). Kneeling: Martin Howard, Alan Wright, Jack Neivens (Team Captain), Niel Hutson and Brian Pearce

 

Newspaper cutting about Penguin winning the National Championships

 

 

Certficate

 

While all this was going on Jack and I had been working our way upwards from the Penguin fourth team. My debut in the first team was at Nine Elms against Cheltenham.

From 1965 to 1975, with all my friends in the first team apart from Jack being several years older, my life was water polo and Penguin. Gerry Jarrett (who lives next door to me), Bobby Wollaston, Eddie Rowe, Terry King, Roger Roberts, Mick (‘Dodge’) Rogers, John Lake, John Martin-Dye. Eventually Peter Berry and Derek Fraser gained places in the first team too and went on to gain representative honours. It was during this time that Steve Baker joined us to become one of the legendary Penguin goal keepers and later stewards of the Club.

My brief sojourn into international representation occurred around 1969 or 70 where I was selected to play for GB under-20s in a friendly against Spain. We had a get-together as GB Lions at a tournament in Sutton and Cheam before being thrown into the game against Spain at Walsall Baths. We were due to play Spain twice, once on the Friday evening and again on the Saturday. At our team talk on the Friday we were told that most of our opponents had played in the Spanish senior team in the 1968 Olympics, they had been together as a junior team for four years, and they were financed by a millionaire – “Go in and do your best”. Well… Friday’s result was 22-1, Saturday’s result was 22-2, neither in our favour! I remember Brian Flook of Sutton and Cheam (who was there to play Walsall on the same programme) coming into the changing rooms after and saying “Well done lads, remember they are professionals”. That sentence saved me. I was in shock and felt that we had been sent into in an ambush. Thank goodness that things have improved.

Back to 1967 – not yet 17. Penguin were invited by the Maltese water polo club, Balluta, to a tournament in August. We flew out from Heathrow on a chartered Bristol Britannia turbo prop aircraft. This was my first trip abroad to anywhere exotic and hot.

I presented at Heathrow early enough to get a drink at the bar with the rest of the Penguin party before the 10.00pm flight. Jack was with me. I was wearing my one and only suit – a blue John Burton creation complete with white shirt and Penguin Club tie, all designed for the rigours of the British climate. I looked and felt smart, and somewhat sophisticated.

In the bar Dodge Rogers came up to me and asked “Are you all right Malc?” I said yes looking at him dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. As we took our seats on the plane Dodge came up to me and asked, “Are you all right Malc?” and I said “Yes Dodge”. Halfway through the flight Dodge came up to me and again asked “Are you all right Malc?”. Again I said “Yes I’m fine”. The flight landed around two o’clock in the morning. As I made my way towards the exit of the plane a wave of hot air hit me and it got progressively hotter as I got to the door. I started sweating in my Burton suit, my shirt clung to me and I loosened my Club tie. I made my way stickily down the steps onto the excessively hot tarmac to find Dodge Rogers waiting at the bottom. He smiled at me and said “Are you all right Malc?”…

The suit stayed in my room for the rest of the tour.

Our accommodation was a newly built college in St Julians. We finally got to bed around 3.30am only to be woken by the sound of a compressor and road drills at around 6.00am. I went back to sleep but was woken at around 8.00am by an explosion that shook the building. I leapt out of bed expecting a scene of devastation, but all I saw was the workmen eating sandwiches around the still intact compressor. Back to bed only to be awoken by another explosion. I was experiencing the prelude to the St Julians fiesta weekend where they set off loud fireworks called petards every morning leading up to the saints day fireworks display.

The tournament consisted of four teams: Balluta the hosts, Penguin, an RAF representative side who seemed to spend all their service life playing water polo around the Mediterranean, and Otter from London. The first game was on the evening of our first full day in Malta at the outdoor Balluta pitch.

Jack, Terry Bushell and I found ourselves at the front of the spectators area behind the journalists table. (Water polo was – and still is – a big sport in Malta and games were reported in the daily papers).

The first game was Balluta vs Otter and was an ill tempered match; I know not why. At one point when the match was stopped by the referee, one of the Balluta players got out and remonstrated with the ref. An Otter players came to the side of the pitch, still in the water, and asked the referee what was happening. Suddenly the Balluta player took a run off the side of the pitch, leapt, and did a scissor kick into the face of the Otter player, knocking him senseless, and subsequently hospitalising him.

This caused uproar. Parts of the crowd started to riot and the police took time to settle things down. When the Balluta goalkeeper got out and stated that his team mate was in the wrong, his teammates started to push him around and he was ‘sent to Coventry’ by his team the following day!

at the end of the game our goalkeeper, Terry Bushell, asked for the name and address of the Balluta goalkeeper and the next day Terry, Jack and I went to visit with him. This was our first introduction to a man who was to become a lifelong friend and comrade – Charlie Mock.

Many of you will have seen Charlie unknowingly as he has been an extra in many films made in Malta. If you have ever watched the 1971 film Murphy’s War starring Peter O’Toole, Charlie plays the German submariner sonar operator who hands the sonar earphones to the Captain just before O’Toole drops the torpedo on them. In the more recent film World War Z Charlie is standing just behind Brad Pitt in one scene.

Charlie has been a great friend to Penguin and me over the years. He asked me several times to go and play for Balluta, but like an idiot I declined because I did not want to lose my amateur status. Balluta later changed their name to San Giljan and many years later hosted our women’s team for a short tour. In recognition of his great friendship with Penguin Charlie was made and Honorary member of the Club a number of years ago.

 

Two men in dinner suits
With Charlie Mock at the Penguin Dinner in 2013

 

Penguin toured Malta again in 1970, and this time I collected all the newspaper clippings and put them in a scrap book. Given the passage of time they are sepia-like now.

Steve Baker’s blog post outlines and records the fortunes of the Club in terms of our results over the years. From 1965 to 1975 I was taking part in those Penguin results.

Having played water polo at a high level for 10 years I had to concentrate on work and some semblance of a career. I had married ‘the management’ Carol in 1972 – one of the few sound decisions in my life – and she had been a constant support during the polo days.

In 1975 I took two years away from Penguin after purchasing our first house in Bracknell, Berkshire. The mortgage left us with only £5.00 spending money at the end of the month. Instead I played water polo locally with Bracknell, and that brought me back together with Brian Flook who I mentioned earlier. Brian was working at Bracknell Sports Centre and a member of the team.

I got back to Penguin in 1977 and carried on, as before, spending most of my spare time playing polo with the Club. A typical day would be: drive to work in Basingstoke (25 miles) – do a days work – drive home – dinner- drive into London (either Imperial College or Highgate School) for a 9.00pm game start – go for a post-match drink – driving home arriving around 12.30am. I did this a couple of times a week, plus Sunday afternoon training at Clissold Road baths in Stoke Newington.

Water polo players
1979 National Water Polo League Division 2 Champions. Back row L-R: Gerry Jarrett, Peter Allen, Paul Whatley, Jack Dengel (President), John Tozer, Steve Baker, Jimmy Andrews, Malcolm Cromer, Graham Forbes. Front row L-R: John Martin-Dye, Dean Lloyd, David Burling, Bobby Wollaston, John Lake, John Woodward.

 

I finally hung up my cap around 1985; I can’t remember my last league game, but have remained a member of Penguin.

 

Penguin water polo reunion at Cheltenham Lido
National League anniversary celebration at Cheltenham Lido in 1986. Standing L-R: Tony Pearce, John Whelan, Jack Dengel, Lew Bloomfield, Ken Rogers, Peter Harmon. Sitting L-R: Malcolm Cromer, Mike ‘Dodge’ Rogers, Bobby Wollaston, Kevin Burge (referee and player from Isleworth Penguin), Ron Turner and John ‘Shakey’ Lake.

 

A number of years ago Carol, my wife, and Lew Bloomfield got together and enlisted some of the old players and their wives (some now widows) to create an informal club called the Pearl Club. We keep in regular touch in order to stay active, both mentally and physically. Old friends like Gill Turner get together with Fi Rowe and Jean Harmon. Before COVID we would spend a weekend every year in Bournemouth. All this from our association with Penguin. We are looking forward to getting together again next year after a two-year gap.

Sitting at atable at the Penguin Dinner in 2013
With some of the Pearl Club members at the Penguin Dinner in 2013

 

Many of the players with whom I played and made fantastic friendships are now no longer with us: RT, Eddie Rowe, Bobby Wollaston, Peter Harmon, Shakey Lake, John Tozer, Bill Wait, Dima Gallitzine, Derek Roberts and  others.

Men in black tie suits
Penguin 75th Anniversary Dinner in 1996.Standing L-R: Bobby Wollaston, Terry Bushell, Peter Harmon, Gerry Jarrett, Eddie Rowe , Lew Bloomfield and Bryan Randall. Sitting L-R: Jack Dengel, Ron Turner, Derek Roberts and Ben Castle.

 

But the biggest loss to me was Jack.

Man and woman in part outfits
Jack Nievens and wife Barbara at the Penguin 75th Anniversary Dinner in 1996

 

Jack Neivens – the mate that I had grown up with – died of a heart attack in October 2000 at the age of 50. I go to his grave in Croughton, Northants every year on his birthday, 27th September, and leave a birthday card. The story is even sadder. After winning the National Junior Championship in 1968 the junior team was invited by the Club to attend the annual dinner and dance then held at Hammersmith Town Hall. We were all seated together, lauded by the Club throughout the evening and given presentation tankards. Jack’s father Ron was, like all the parents there, as proud as punch especially as Jack was the captain. During one of the dances Ron collapsed and later died of a heart attack.

I make no apology for reminding those who remember these incidents. They are a part of life and if any of the younger Penguin members reading this post go on to have similar life friendships with fellow Club members then be prepared but don’t dwell on the bad times. Treasure the good times and the comradeship that being a member of Penguin can bestow.

 In his blog post Steve Baker has already highlighted the nomadic existence of the Club since the Lime Grove days. When considering the future of Penguin, my one wish would be to have a stable home pool where all the sections of the Club can meet together. The meandering delusions of an old ‘has been’? Maybe, but it would be great to give future Penguins the chance to have the same life-enhancing exercise, sport, and above all comradeship that I have been lucky to have throughout the greater part of my life.

See more of my Penguin friends across the years in the gallery below.

I train every weekday at 7.00am at my local David Lloyd club. 1500 metres a day. Not bad for a 71 year old, but I owe it all to Penguin.

Malc C

Manibus Pedibusque
With Hands And Feet

With-Ron-Turner-at-Penguins-75th-Anniversary-Dinner-in-1996

With-Ron-Turner-at-Penguins-75th-Anniversary-Dinner-in-1996
Image 1 of 6

Penguin girls enjoy success playing for Middlesex in the South East Region Inter County U16 (Girls) Championship

11 December 202118 December 2021
Water Polo

Congratulations to the Penguin players in the Middlesex squad that won silver in the annual South East Region Inter County U16 (Girls) Championship which took place on Sunday 28 November 2021 at Whitgift School in Croydon.

Water polo players wearing their silver medals

 

The Middlesex team made a great start in their first game, playing at high tempo and with a focus on counter attack to secure a 5-1 win over Hampshire.

Middlesex’s next game was a tough one against Sussex who went on to win the competition overall. Sussex’s organised approach and high press meant the Middlesex girls were always on the defence, losing 3-6.

In their third match Middlesex lost 1-2 to Kent but there were big improvements from the previous game with better defensive systems and the Middlesex girls were unlucky not to capitalise on some set pieces.

After a good team talk Middlesex really came together in their final match against Surrey, showing confidence in each other’s strengths and a good understanding of their game. They took the win 9-1.

water polo players posing for photo

 

The Penguin players – Aisling, Amelia, Georgia, Jaspreet, Harriet, Lize, Nicola, Orlaith, Sophie, Robyn, Rosie, Zara and Zoe – can be extremely proud of their efforts.

Our thanks to Chris Martin for organising the tournament, Martin Waller as the Middlesex team manager and Fred Willey from Middlesex County ASA who made everything possible and organised team shirts. Also to Penguin’s Ian Grimwood and Shaun Hill for coaching the team.

Penguin 100 Stories: My water polo career by Karine Meadley

5 October 2021
Penguin 100 Centenary, Penguin members, PenguINspiration, Team GB, Water Polo

Prior to moving to London to study physiotherapy in 1994, my sporting focus had always been basketball and a bit of swimming to mix things up. Well, except for summer holidays when I was lucky enough to find a holiday resort with ‘water polo’ or ‘water basketball’ on offer – I felt like I was in my element.

The University of London Union was where I tried water polo proper for the first time. I remember it well, especially the horrified facial expression of coach Jerome Read when, having no idea of the rules, I grabbed the ball with two hands and curled myself around it. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before I had the knack of eggbeater leg kick, a better understanding of the rules, and I was invited to join the Penguin Club.

I played with Penguin for just over ten years. It was a time that helped me grow as a person, learn life skills (and lessons), and make some incredible friendships with people from all over the world, many of whom I consider close friends even now, 16 years later. Most importantly I learnt my capacity (or lack of) to consume alcoholic beverages.

Charlie Parkinson, Karine Hales Meadley, Lis Holmes
Karine (centre) with Penguin teammates Charlie Parkinson (left) and Lis Holmes (right)

 

I was baffled when I was elected to be captain of the Penguin women’s water polo team in 1998 but figured if someone else thought I could do it, then I would give it a go. For four years I rallied the troops for games, led discussions on who was to be the next coach, delegated a lot, and introduced George I  – the inflatable penguin and women’s team mascot. I was proud to be part of a team of strong women who were committed to not only having fun whilst keeping fit, but also to becoming integral to running the Club, particularly with the likes of Helen Nicholson, Manda Hackett, Sally Woolhouse-Read and Charlie Parkinson.

From 2001 I joined the Great Britain Water Polo Squad. The extra water polo commitments, Penguins and my physio career juggle eventually became too much, and I was happy to hand over the captaincy to Fiona Greer, who has gone on to do so much more for the Club than just lead a team of women.

Karine Meadley playing water polo for team GB
Karine playing water polo for team GB

 

In late 2004 , after having had the opportunity to play at various European and World Championships, I decided I should probably try getting my life back and focusing on my physio career.

In January 2005 I played my last game for Penguin and enjoyed a legendary send off party (did I ever say thank you for that Charlie and team?) and set off to make the most of sleeping on ex-Penguin players’ couches in New Zealand and Australia, before settling in Brisbane to do some post-grad study in sports physio.

My contact with water polo became less, but there was always a Penguin linked to it, and being physio for the British team at the Commonwealth Games in Perth, with Jerome Read as part of the coaching team once again, felt like an appropriate ending to my career in water polo.

16 years on and living in South Australia, I still have close friends some of whom live just down the road, who are ex-Penguins, or know someone who was a Penguin. Lets face it, Penguins are awesome, and awesome people know awesome people…

 

This article is part of our Penguin 100 Stories, a series from Penguins past and present, recording what being a member of our Club means to them as we celebrate the Club’s centenary.

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