2nd Annual Cutino Cup Set for April 14-15
MORAGA, Calif. -- To honor and continue the legacy of a Hall of Fame coach, American Water Polo announces the Second Annual Peter J. Cutino Cup for Masters level athletes.
The inaugural event of the American Water Polo Masters Cup Series, the Cutino Cup will take place on Saturday-Sunday, April 14-15, 2012 in the East Bay area of Northern California at the Soda Aquatic Center at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif.
Hosted by Tri Valley Water Polo, the
event will feature five levels of competition for both men's and women's teams
as independent competition will occur for athletes in 20 & Over, 30 &
Over, 40 & Over, 50 & Over and 55 & Over divisions. Due to the breadth of the tournament, the
host reserves the right to combine age groups if less than three teams enter
and will give the option for a team to compete in the next lower age division (although teams will be allowed to make some "roster adjustments" as need).
Each team is guaranteed a minimum of two games during the two-day event that offers a high quality water polo
experience for Masters Water Polo. Officiating will be coordinated by Jeff Roy.
As the event is intended to honor more
than just the name Pete Cutino, but the legacy he created and the vision he
left for what water polo can be at all levels of competition, all proceeds from
the tournament will remain at the four host sites.
To achieve this goal, local club teams
will help set-up the course and run the desk at each age group pool. In
addition to the learning experience of helping out at an event of this caliber
and meeting many great players of the game who will be in attendance, the local
clubs will be raising funds for their efforts and assist in growing the sport
of water polo in the local area - a region in which Cutino made his name and consistently
gave back to the community.
Complete results of the 2011 Cutino Cup are available by clicking here.
About Pete Cutino
A
legendary California coach and educator in swimming and water polo for over 40 years,
during his 26-year tenure as the head coach of the University of
California-Berkeley Cutino won eight NCAA titles and compiled a 519-172-10
career record to rank among the all-time
victory leaders in the history of water polo in the United States.
"The
ability to name the Cup after an icon in water polo like Coach Cutino is a way
we can honor those who have provided so much to the sport. Pete Cutino is
undeniably one of the greatest," states Dan Sharadin,
Director of American Water Polo.
Cutino also served as a US National and Olympic Team Coach as well as a member of the FINA Technical Water Polo Committee and the chair of the Men's International Olympic Committee.
"Pete was an instrumental part of so many lives," according to University of California head men's water polo coach Kirk Everist. "Those of us lucky enough to have been able to call him "Coach" know that our lives where forever impacted by his presence, his teachings and his never ending pursuit to bring out the best in all of us. Remembering his legacy with Masters competition is a perfect tribute."
A member of six Hall of Fames, Cutino's legacy is also remembered by the San Francisco Olympic Club which in 1999 established the Peter J. Cutino Award, the Heisman Award equivalent presented to the top male and female collegiate water polo players each year.
In September of 2004, Peter J. Cutino Sr. passed away, a loss felt by all the athletes, coaches and fellow aquatic enthusiasts who came into contact with him over his years on deck.
"Pete
made all of us love the sport of Water Polo and because of that many of his
"boys" still love to play the game and the Peter J. Cutino Cup will
be a fitting way to honor Pete's sizable impact on each and every one of us,"
adds Everist.
To Register for the Cutino
Cup
Payment & Fees: $450 per team by March 15 or $525 late entry fee by March 31.
Paypal to CCUMastersPolo@gmail.com or make checks payable to Tri Valley Water Polo. Additional
information, registration forms and address information for the tournament are available on the
Cutino Cup website at http://www.CutinoCup.com.
All
athletes on a team will need to be registered as a member of American Water
Polo to compete. To minimize costs to
the athletes, a discounted membership fee is available for current USA Water
Polo athletes.
For
additional information on the Masters Cup Series and the benefits of American
Water Polo membership, access the AWP website at: http://www.americanwaterpolo.org or
contact Dan Sharadin at 610-277-6787 or office@americanwaterpolo.org
About American Water
Polo
Located near Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, American Water Polo (AWP) is among the leaders in a new
generation of scholastic and Masters sports organizations whose purpose is to
provide opportunities for athletes of all ages to enjoy the sport of water
polo.
More than just an
administrative service, AWP's mission is to provide opportunities for
individuals of all ages to be involved in the sport of water polo and to
provide its members with the highest degree of customer satisfaction at an
affordable price.
Focused on giving unrivaled
service to its members, American Water Polo offers insurance coverage and
competitive opportunities for teams at an affordable rate by operating leagues
and competitions, as well as providing assistance for individual teams to do so
independent of the national office.