“We Have to Adopt from Others – But With Our Own Capabilities in Mind” – Vaughn Marlow on South African Water Polo & National Team Development

In this episode of the Waterpolo Expert Talk, South African men’s national team head coach Vaughn Marlow shares deep insights into the unique structure, challenges and future vision of water polo in South Africa.

Vaughn talks about his personal journey from being a school player to becoming a full-time coach and national team head coach. He explains how the South African water polo system is strongly school-based, unlike the European club system, and how this creates both strong participation at youth level and major challenges after graduation.

A major topic of this episode is the lack of professional pathways after high school. While many players are highly motivated and talented, financial limitations, education, and career planning force many athletes to leave the sport at the age of 17–18. Unlike rugby, which offers contracts and professional structures, water polo remains largely amateur.

Vaughn also gives rare insights into:
- The structure of South African provincial leagues
- The absence of a true national league
- Selection through national club championships
- The challenges of limited funding and long travel distances
- Managing a national team while working full-time as a school coach
- International competition against top nations like Spain, Serbia and Montenegro
- Late travel, jet lag and lack of match preparation
- Why money directly influences performance on the world stage

A key philosophical statement of this episode is Vaughn’s belief that South Africa must learn from the global elite – but adapt everything to its own physical, tactical and cultural strengths. He explains why Japan’s rise is inspiring and how South Africa must develop its own brand of water polo, based on speed, movement and teamwork rather than physical dominance.

This episode is extremely valuable for coaches, federation officials, athletes and fans who want to understand how national teams develop outside the traditional European powerhouses.

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