Active Water Polo Club enters a busy new chapter with the recent arrival of head coach Luke Manthe and the start of a fresh league later this month.
Originally from South Africa, Manthe, 40, arrived on island last September with an impressive resume that includes coaching roles in New Zealand, Zimbabwe and his home country.
Manthe said his journey to Cayman was sparked by a social media message that reached him while he was working in Durban.
“I had just resigned from my position in Zimbabwe and took a temporary position in Durban, South Africa. While I was there, I got a random LinkedIn message asking if a move to Cayman to help start up a water polo club would interest me. Well, of course, I took it,” he said.
His acceptance of the role meant that he joined Active – a local multi-disciplinary company – where he works with water polo athletes “from under-7 all the way through to Masters”.
Manthe sees “real potential” for the sport in Cayman, saying, “Being based in the Caribbean with calm seas always around you, offers a lot of potential for water polo, more specifically, beach water polo (the T20 of cricket) as there are really unique venues to play at on the island. For example, we train and play out of the ocean pool at Sunset House.”
He added, “Being surrounded by water and a really successful aquatic programme on the island, it offers another opportunity for aquatic kids to find love in another sport.”
Water Polo League
The vision Manthe has for the sport locally is set to take a significant step forward with the launch of the Cayman Islands Beach Water Polo League 2026, scheduled to run from 25 Jan. through 22 March.
“Earlier this year, we hosted the Cayman Clash Beach Water Polo Festival, which was a huge success with six teams participating and over 100 spectators. The event inspired us to expand into a full league, targeting experienced players, beginners, and anyone interested in trying out a new sport,” Manthe said.
Building on this momentum, the new league will feature weekly Sunday afternoon fixtures at Sunset House.
To ensure the competition remains balanced and inclusive, the league will utilise a unique and “balanced draft system”, pairing ” young guns, seasoned players, first-timers and long-time veterans”.
“This format is designed to raise the overall standard of play while giving younger and developing players the opportunity to learn from senior athletes while allowing for networking and the sharing of knowledge,” he said.
In addition to the league, structured training and conditioning sessions, before and during the league, will be available weekly “to sharpen skills, technique, and confidence”.
The final deadline for league entry is 11 Jan. and anyone interested in taking part can register online.
