Canyon Lake youths headed to USA Junior Olympics for Water Polo Tourney

Canyon Lake 11-year-olds Charlotte Cleary and Rhys Abraham are headed to San Jose next week to participate in the USA Water Polo Junior Olympic Championships. Both Charlotte and Rhys will travel to the Bay Area for the huge water polo tournament as members of the Elsinore Aquatics Club’s 12u coed team.

The USA Water Polo Junior Olympic Championships is the largest age-group water polo tournament in the world, according to USA Water Polo. Athletes and teams come from across the country to compete over a four-day period, July 21-24, within their respective age category.

This is the first team from the Elsinore Aquatics Club to participate in the prestigious Junior Olympics tournament. The team qualified by taking third place in the qualifications tournament last month.

“These kids have worked hard and put everything into this season all while forming some of the closest friendships,” Charlotte’s mother Jennifer Cleary said. “We are super proud of this group and couldn’t be more excited for them.”

Charlotte is about to begin 6th Grade at Bear River Charter School. She has lived in Canyon Lake her entire life and has been playing water polo since she was seven years old. When she isn’t in the pool, Charlotte enjoys Musical Theater and attends Canyon Lake Bible Club on Sunday mornings.

Rhys is an incoming 7th grader at Canyon Lake Middle School. He first tried water polo in August last year and quickly grew to love the sport. He enjoys playing defense and is an outside shooter. In addition to his new-found sport, he plays alto saxophone in the Canyon Lake Middle School Symphonic Band and has earned the Second Class rank in the local Boy Scouts of America Troop 332.