Imagine what their exposure to water polo would do for our sport. Not only for our athlete base but also for making our sport truly national. Imagine filling the stands in the great aquatic venues of states like Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, and North Carolina, where water polo is virtually non-existent. In my opinion, the historical link with swimming must be reestablished for the good of both sports. We cannot expect to succeed when our natural allies are working against us.
Competitive success is our next great obstacle.
US Soccer had a well thought out, long-term competitive plan that achieved success in 1996. They now have a plan designed to win the Men's World Cup in 2012 and I have no doubt they will be successful. We must have winning results in the World Championships or Olympic Games to attract the attention of the media and obtain needed funding from both the Olympic Committee and sponsors. Finally, and the easiest of all to accomplish is to find better ways to televise the game. If there is interest in the game, thereby creating the will, there will be a better way to televise it.