Coco White making a splash in Auckland Pan Pacs as latest Junior Sports Star nominee for water polo

WATER polo and dancing don’t sound like they should go hand-in-hand, but for 15-year-old St Catherine’s College student Coco White, they’re a perfect pair

Coco White, from, St Catherines school in Waverley has made the NSW under-16s side

WATER polo and dancing don’t sound like they should go hand-in-hand, but for 15-year-old St Catherine’s College student Coco White, they’re a perfect pair.

The Randwick resident has been dancing most of her life has been selected for the under-16 NSW City water polo side in the Pan Pacific Championships.

Her selection as a centre forward has earned her a nomination for the Wentworth Courier’s Junior Sports Star award, sponsored by Rebel, from her school’s head of sport Ryan Cameron.

But the UNSW Killer Whales player said she was not expecting to make the side, which is currently competing in Auckland, New Zealand.

Selectors picked her from hundreds of others at an eight-game tournament, and, much to Coco’s surprise, named her in the squad on Facebook.

Coco White, from, St Catherines school in Waverley has made the NSW under-16s side

Coco White, from, St Catherines school in Waverley has made the NSW under-16s side

“It was on Facebook, and I started getting texts from friends saying congratulations and I was like, ‘For what?”’, I didn’t really realise it had happened.”

She partly credits years of core strengthening and cardio work from dancing for her results, having only played water polo for four years.

She describes water polo as “rugby in the water” and said the elegance of dancing provides “a good balance”.

“I don’t really like the aggressive side of water polo.

“Although you come across it, it is not something that I go looking for, so I guess it just evens out between the two.”

The Junior Sports Star awards have been running for 10 years.

To nominate a young star, fill in the coupon on this page or go to juniorsports star.com.au.

Coco White, from, St Catherines school in Waverley has made the NSW under-16s side