KAP7 Cup finals livestream: Young water polo gun Isobelle Pamp’s Olympic dream
Broken fingers. Head knocks. They go hand-in-hand with the job but there is a funny reason this rising star of water polo wanted her hazardous position.
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Having balls thrust at her head at high speed is just one of the hazards of being a goalie in water polo.
And while repercussions include broken fingers, bruises and even concussions, Sydney Uni Lions goalie Isobelle Pamp has only herself to blame.
Pamp and her Sydney Uni teammates are playing in the KAP7 Sydney Cup, with the finals of the event to be livestreamed on News Corp sites, including the Daily Telegraph, on Saturday.
Identified as a major prospect for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Pamp got into water polo when 12 and was happy to take on the role of goalie.
“I have always played goalie,’’ said the Allambie Heights player who was preparing for the upcoming Australian Water Polo League in Brisbane before it was cancelled due to the COVID lockdown in Brisbane this week and will now compete in the KAP7 Sydney Cup instead.
“To be honest I showed up for my club trials at the (Sydney Northern Beaches) Breakers at 12 and I wanted to avoid the swim sets at all costs. They said goalies didn’t have to do it and because I was big with long arms and I love to talk they gave me the role.
“I just pulled on the red cap and avoided the extra swimming.’’
Pamp said it was the physicality of the game which attracted her to the sport.
“I am getting smashed out there but I volunteer to put myself in the position,’’ she said.
“I have broken almost every finger from ball knock, clashes and wacking it on players hands and had head knocks.
“It hurts but there is a feeling of joy putting your body on the line
“I haven’t broken my nose yet but I’ve always said if I break my nose mum will buy me a nose job because I’ve never been happy with my nose.’’
Pamp's mother Lyndall (Evans) was a top netballer and her father Brad Pamp competes in ironman triathlon and while 1.8m, her younger sisters Eloise, 17, and Anneliese, 16, already tower over her.
“Eloise is artistic but Anna plays and is very good,’’ she said.
The Australian water Polo League was scheduled to start on Wednesday before being cancelled due to the COVID outbreak.
Officials scrambled to run the Sydney Cup from Thursday to Saturday to give players top competition ahead of Olympic selection.
WATER POLO MATCHES BEING LIVESTREAMED
The Sydney Cup medal matches - four in total - on Saturday will be livestreamed back-to-back by News Corp and on its associated websites, including the Daily Telegraph.
The event will be fought out by top men’s and women’s water polo teams and players from the Australian men’s and women’s water polo squads.
The KAP7 Cup will run from the April 1-3 with the men’s and women’s medal matches on Saturday will be livestreamed.
CLUBS IN THE KAP7 WATER POLO CUP IN SYDNEY
In the men’s competition the UTS Balmain Tigers will play along with the Drummoyne Devils, the UNSW Wests Magpies and Sydney Uni Lions.
In the women’s competition the UTS Balmain Tigers will take on the Drummoyne Devils, Cronulla Sharks and the Sydney Uni Lions.
Matches will be played at venues to be confirmed shortly..
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