Polar Bears takes new path with Spanish head coach and main sponsor Alta-SV for men's selection
Spanish Kike Garcia is the new coach of Polar Bears. Garcia has been coach of Pontevedra for the past 15 years and was looking for a foreign challenge. The club has also entered into a four-year partnership with main sponsor Alta-SV, which is active as a project developer in urban sustainability.
Garcia is looking forward to his time in Ede. “When I got to know Polar Bears and the club philosophy, I became enthusiastic. The way in which the sport is viewed, with the combination of family and performance, appeals to me. Now that I am here, it is even more so and there are many opportunities to further develop it. The history and foundation are also fascinating.”
According to technical director Rob van de Blaak, Polar Bears initially went looking for a suitable coach in the Netherlands, but they gradually looked beyond the borders.
“Coaching a team with four training evenings and a match every week is a major burden. In addition, our experiences with coaches Evangelos and Petros Doudesis, who, like Kike, have a background in a top water polo country, have been very positive. That is why we chose Kike.”
Same model
In doing so, the club is focusing on the model that was previously successfully implemented with the arrival of Evangelos Doudesis as women's coach. Garcia will be responsible for the men's selection and the boys' line between 12 and 18 years old. According to Van de Blaak, this structure will give a boost to the youth academy.
“In addition to the selections, they can also focus on the youth academy and thus give it a quality boost. With more attention to the individual development of players, they can better compete at international level with the Dutch Juniors during the European Championships, World Cups and - the ultimate goal - the Olympic Games.”
Kike Garcia
“Kike is a man of many talents,” says the technical director. “He has obtained three university masters in the field of sports, nutrition and exercise. He teaches and has a PhD from the University of Vigo. After a few good conversations and checking references, we decided to work together. The first experiences with Garcia, who has been in the Netherlands for two weeks now, are positive. The training sessions are refreshing and his attention to the technique of water polo is extraordinary.”
Former player and coach Bas de Jong will be coaching Garcia.
Club for talented players with ambition
By taking a new path, the Edese club wants to focus on youth – even more than before.
“Our goal is to grow into the club in the Netherlands where talented young players, who have the ambition to reach the top, are given plenty of opportunities to develop. With the aim of becoming national champion and, like recent Olympians Lola Moolhuijzen, Nina ten Broek, Simone van de Kraats and Iris Wolves, winning a medal at the Olympic Games.
An indispensable factor is the support of the new main sponsor Alta-SV. The company, which is developing more and more projects in the municipality of Ede, has committed itself to the club for four years. For Evert Schipper of Alta-SV, the combination of top-level sport and the family feeling was the deciding factor.
“I think it’s great to see how volunteers within Polar Bears are committed to making top-level and recreational sport possible. They do this with so much passion and dedication, that inspired us to support the club”, according to Schipper.
The literal meaning of Alta is (om)hoog, exactly the path that Polar Bears advocates with the selections, with the aim of having found the way up in 2028 and becoming national champion. There have been several changes to the Polar Bears selection for the upcoming season.
“The difficulty in finding a head coach played a role in this. Fortunately, experienced players Ruud van der Horst and Eelco Wagenaar have decided to return. Goalkeeper Koen Scheepens is also returning to the old nest,” concludes Van de Blaak.
