Piasecki to train the Afghanistan National Water Polo Team

FALLBROOK – Afghanistan Water Polo (AWP) announced this month that representatives of the organization will travel to Kabul and complete a one-month training program with the Men’s Afghanistan National Water Polo Team and its head coach, Jeremy Piasecki from Fallbrook.

The coaches will train the national team and local athletes in Kabul and mentor coaches and support staff. The team will continue to train to be in a position to play in more formal game settings with international competition.

As a reserve Marine, Piasecki currently resides in Vicenza, Italy, and is married with two children. He has been coaching swimming and water polo full time for the past 11 years in Southern California, Germany, and Italy.

He created the first water polo team in Afghanistan, 201st Corps Swim and Water Polo Team, in 2008, and a swim and water polo team in Helmand Province followed in 2010. In 2008 and again in 2013, the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee tasked Piasecki to lead the national water polo program. His involvement in Afghanistan Water Polo stems from a desire to serve the global community through promoting peace and stability in a volatile region.

Piasecki said, “With the recent addition of indoor pools in Kabul and support from locals, this is a very exciting time for Afghanistan Water Polo. This month-long training program will reinforce the team’s understanding of the game, putting them in a position to train and compete internationally, which they did during a recent trip to the 10th Asian Water Polo Club Championships.”

Donations in support of AWP’s January trip can be made online at http://www.afghanistanwaterpolo.com.