Do It For Those Who Have Gone Before You

At the end of a gruelling eleven days, following a six week tour, the Australian Women’s Water Polo Team, the Aussie Stingers, are preparing for their biggest match so far, when they take on three time Olympic champions, the USA in the semi finals on Day 13 of the 2024 Olympic Games.  

Assistant Coach of the gold medal winning team in 2000 and a former national player, Jacki Northam, shares an insight into the Stingers game day preparations.

“I don’t know how well they will have slept (from nerves), but they will start fuelling, go for a team walk together and have their team talk in the village. Then they will head to the pool and warm up,” NSWIS Women’s Water Polo Head Coach Jacki Northam said.

The Australian Olympic Committee have arranged an amazing set up for athletes to access high quality, nutritional food at the Team’s HQ, inside the Olympic Village, with NSWIS Sport Dietitian Holly Edstein involved in overseeing the program.

“There’ll be a lot of carbs in the 24 hours before the game – probably bacon and eggs, muffins, fruit and orange juice for breakfast and then you know two to three hours before the game they’ll have another meal with some pasta.

“Then an hour before maybe a banana or energy drink and then during the game more energy drinks and lollies – to give you that little hit as you try to get through in the best form.”

It’s a massive task ahead for the Stingers but having watched the pool matches Northam knows the team is capable and the USA has not been as impressive.    

“The Stingers have been playing exceptionally well and remain calm and composed. The girls look like they’re enjoying playing which is really what it’s all about.

“The US I don’t think were convincing in their quarterfinal win against Hungary. They only scored five goals which isn’t a high score in water polo so if we can keep them to five goals that’d be great.”

Northam notes the players will need to be on point in their goal shooting if they are to get the ball past the formidable US goal keeper Ashleigh Johnson.

“We’ve got some excellent players and we’re playing together as a team, really supporting each other and we have trust in each other.

“Alice Williams scored five goals in the quarterfinal – she’s shooting out of her brain, so we need Alice to keep scoring and we have Gabi Palm in goals who’s been saving 76% – she’s playing amazingly well.

“Then there’s Bronte Halligan, who put a few goals away against the Greeks, and her calmness and awareness in defence is something that we’ll need.

“And Tilly Kearns has been working really hard in centre forward. She hasn’t been scoring many goals, but has been earning a lot of exclusions and penalties from her hard work in centre forward, so getting the ball to her will be important.”

Northam, who worked closely with the Stingers Head Coach, Bec Rippon, during her days at NSWIS, imagines Rippon will be encouraging the girls to embrace and enjoy the moment.

“We haven’t been in a semi-final at the Olympics since 2012, so it’s a long time. I think Bec will be saying – enjoy the moment, take it all in, and just have some fun out there. There’s been a lot of history with women’s water polo in Australia, and maybe do it for all those ones that have gone before you.

“An Olympic semi -final is an amazing achievement.”

The Aussie Stingers take on the USA in the semi finals of the 2024 Olympic Games at 3:35am AEST Friday 9 August.

Frances Cordaro NSWIS