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Athlete At Stamford's Chelsea Piers Makes USA Development Water Polo Team

GREENWICH, Conn. — Two Greenwich middle school students are standouts in two ways. Both were recently named to the USA Men’s National Development Water Polo team, and they are the only two members not to hail from California.

Greenwich Gavin West, 13, and Jack Bruce, 14, are on the USA men's national development water polo team. Gavin attends Brunswick and plays for the YMCA Greenwich Aquatics. Jack attends Eastern Middle School and plays at Chelsea Piers.

Greenwich Gavin West, 13, and Jack Bruce, 14, are on the USA men's national development water polo team. Gavin attends Brunswick and plays for the YMCA Greenwich Aquatics. Jack attends Eastern Middle School and plays at Chelsea Piers.

Photo Credit: Contributed

After a grueling three-day tryout, 24 field players were chosen — including Gavin West, 13, and Jack Bruce, 14.

The tryout had three stages. In December. The boys were named to the Eastern Zone team, which stretches from Maine to Virginia. 

West, who attends Brunswick and plays for the YMCA Greenwich Aquatics, was joined by six Aquatics teammates on the East team. Bruce, an Eastern Middle School student who plays for Chelsea Piers, was joined by two teammates.

In February, the Eastern Zone team placed fourth out of 16 teams nationwide in the ODP National Tournament outside San Francisco. 

West and Bruce were selected to move on to the National Selection Camp in Orange County, Calif., last weekend. 

A total of 75 boys born in 2003 and 2004 were invited to the tryout, which lasted three days and included a 2,000-yard swim test, body measurements, and eight exhausting hours of water polo on a single day.

“Gavin has been playing for the YMCA team for four years and is a very dedicated and hardworking individual,” says Ulmis Iordache, head coach of the YMCA Greenwich Aquatics team. “Gavin represents everything our YMCA program stands for. We couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishments and know that he is going to have a great water polo career."

West and Bruce will continue their training with the National Team in California in June.

Founded in 1916, the YMCA is the largest community-based membership organization in Greenwich with over 5,000 members and growing. To learn more about the YMCA of Greenwich, membership and its numerous wellness programs, visit: www.greenwichymca.org.

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