Bradford, just six miles from the World Heritage city of Bath, is a tourist hotspot in its own right. The Wiltshire town boasts a 14th century tithe barn, medieval bridge, a Saxon church, dozens of good pubs and restaurants – and, of course, a long-established water polo team!
The town’s indoor swimming pool is situated alongside the River Avon. It’s not exactly Olympic standard! But we’ve operated there very happily since the club was formed in approximately 1974, when the original goalposts were made in his school woodwork lesson by founder member Mike Coppin, who is still, remarkably, claiming a regular place in the Bradford team.
Standards have varied over the years. In the late 1980s, the club played the likes of Bristol Central and Cheltenham in Division One of the Bristol & West League as well as reaching two finals of the Western Counties Intermediate Championship and winning the Wiltshire League and B&W KO Cup. Since then, we have slipped to Division Three of the B&W – but without ever losing our international reputation as a club with a great social history!
Since 1989, BoA groups have attended (as spectators, of course!) European or World Championships in Bonn, Athens, Rome, Sheffield, Florence, Seville, Budapest, Slovenia and Belgrade. And we were in Malaga in 2008!
The Bradford team is part of Bradford-on-Avon Swimming Club and draws its players from Bath and much of Wiltshire. The senior coach is ex-GB international Louise Betts, the leading goal scorer in the Women’s National League in 2007/8 for Wiltshire club Tisbury.
16.07.09
Simon bows out
Simon Durrant announced his retirement before making one final appearance – so he reckons – in the friendly match at Weston. We’ll do our best to talk him back at some point in the future. But thanks, Simon, for your loyal service between the sticks for Bradford teams stretching back over three decades!
16.07.09
Damian's debut
Welcome to new player Damian Orton, a regular in Reading’s National League team for a number of years. Damian made his debut at Weston. He and Ian Chesworth were both members of the RAF team which recently won the Inter-Services title for a fifth year.
15.5.09
New Shirts
The new Bradford polo shirts have arrived and are now on sale – at a bargain £10 to all members!
01.05.09
Luke on Target
Bradford offer a warm welcome to a new player Luke Manthe, from South Africa. He will be an extremely useful acquisition - as proved by his four goals in the 21-2 drubbing of Bath University in the B&W League.
05.04.09
B&W Handicap
Bradford went out of the B&W Handicap, losing a thriller 25-24 (we were given a 15-goal start) to Bristol Central III. Bristol included ex-GB NPD Nick Hume, whose winning goal 24 seconds from the end was his 12th of the match. More details on the match reports page.
25.03.09
Stuart on a High
New member Stuart Moore, who began his polo career with the Calne club, is celebrating after climbing Kilimanjaro, the 5,900-metre highest mountain in Africa. He scored a goal on his return against Bristol Central.
13.03.09
Well done Bex!
Great to hear that Rebecca Carling starred for Cardiff University women's team, who took third place at the British Universities' Championships in Ponds Forge, Sheffield.
13.03.09
Medal for Mike
Mike Garland also picked up a bronze medal at Ponds Forge as a member of the Bristol University team. He is in the first year of a three-year post-graduate course at Bristol after studying at Newcastle University.
06.02.09
Club Awards 2008
Congratulations to Roger Chapman who has been voted Clubman of the Year for 2008, and to Tom Coombs for winning Junior of the Year 2008.
