Water polo is a shared passion for Tamworth sisters Maggie, Jorja and Hannah Irwin, and one that saw them cherishing a rare opportunity to represent their zone together late last year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
All three were part of the North West CHS side, which finished fifth at the state carnival at Glenbrook.
For both Maggie and Hannah it was their first time playing at the state carnival.
The eldest of the three, Maggie (17) was in the team last year but “other things came up at school” so she didn’t end up going away.
Ironically her spot was taken by Jorja (15).
“It was the first time the three of us have got to play together other than for THS on a Monday night,” Maggie said.
Jorja and Hannah (12) have played at a couple of carnivals together but the opportunity hadn’t really arose for the three of them to join forces at a major tournament before.
It was their last opportunity to wear North West colours together too, with Maggie finishing school this year, and made the whole experience all that more special.
For all three their water polo journey started about five years ago.
“We’ve always been water babies,” Maggie said.
“Always done swimming.”
Looking for a bit of a change of scenery when she was in Year 7, and with some of her friends playing water polo, she decided to it a go.
She loved it.
In the process she also proved the inspiration for Hannah taking up the sport.
After writing a story for a school assignment about Maggie being her hero, she decided she wanted to have a crack at water polo.
“We all picked up water polo so quickly and so well,” Maggie said.
Jorja was in 2016 selected in the NSW Opals under 14s side to compete at the Pan Pacs in New Zealand, and was last year made the NSW Country under 16s.
Originally a field player she got pulled into goalkeeping because she “could never swim with my head out of the water”.
She does still play a bit in the field and played as a field player for North West.
The championships were the start of what was a busy end to the year for the two younger Irwin’s as they flitted from one carnival to the next.
Hannah went straight from Glenbrook to Nowra to join her Tamworth under 14s team-mates at the Junior Country Clubs.
The following weekend Jorja was back at Glenbrook for the NSW Country Districts, before joining her younger sister at Raymond Terrace and annexing an historic state knockout bronze medal with the Tamworth High under 15s.
“It’s the first time the THS girls have ever won a medal,” Jorja said.
“It was so special.”
All the more after being part of the side that finished fourth the previous year.
Hannah then had the state under 14s championships at Dubbo in the week leading up to Christmas.
Jorja’s carnival run will continue at the end of this month when she head to Newcastle for the NSW Country Clubs.
