Water Wisdom

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Best buddies and water polo club teammates Charlie Speiser and Patrick Ashby enjoyed the experience of a lifetime July 19 to August 2 when they joined 13 other players on a trip to Uganda to teach a learn-to-swim camp, conduct a water polo coaches clinic, participate in the national World Drowning Prevention Day event and instruct local villagers about the dangers of malaria and the benefits of malaria nets.

One day after leading their Manhattan Beach-based Trojan club team to fifth place in the Platinum Division at the Junior Olympics in Orange County, the two Palisadians were on a plane to Africa along with USC professor Heather Wipfli, who works in preventative medicine and International Health and has been traveling to Uganda for the past 15 years.

“It was my first time in a third-world country and we taught almost every kid how to swim and about mental health,” said Speiser, a junior utility and driver on the Palisades High varsity team. “We visited their homes and spent the night in the mud. It was very rewarding.”

This year’s program taught essential community drowning prevention strategies, first aid and CPR, survival swimming skills, and water polo basics to more than 100 youth living on Lake Victoria. The five-day Splash camp was run in partnership with the Uganda Swimming Federation, Uganda Scouts Association and Swim Safe Uganda. Co-hosted by the Ugandan Ministries of Water and Environment and Health, the event included a brass band parade, a demonstration water polo game with the Ugandan Swimming Federation team, water rescue demonstrations by Swim Safe Uganda and special guests and The Ghetto Kids, a dancing troupe seen on Britain’s Got Talent. Speier, Ashby and the other students were recognized and received certificates of appreciation and personalized Ugandan soccer jerseys from the Ugandan government for their contributions to drowning prevention in the country.

“Just being able to use swimming as a tool to share what I’ve learned was very gratifying,” said Ashby, a junior hole setter on the Loyola High varsity team. “Just being over there and seeing how the people live, what struck me the most is how happy and grateful they all are.”

New this year was an added water polo coach’s clinic for two dozen coaches from Uganda, as well as representatives from Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. By introducing the sport to East Africa, the team aims to enhance the growth and development of aquatics within the region and offer new possibilities for aspiring athletes. The water polo coaches clinic included training sessions, skill-building exercises, friendly matches, and interactive workshops to enhance participants’ understanding of the game. Both Speiser and Ashby served as mentors, sharing their expertise and imparting valuable sportsmanship, resilience, and leadership lessons.

Speiser and Ashby have been close friends since they started playing together at Westside Aquatics. Both of their older brothers also played water polo—Sammy Speiser at Pali High and Jere Ashby at Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks and Mira Costa. Jere went on to help the USC men’s team win the national championship in 2018 and Patrick wants to follow in his brothers footsteps.

“We met in 2014 or 2015 and I switched over to Westside in 2016, when we began practicing and playing together,” said Ashby, who attended Corpus Christi through sixth grade before switching to Paul Revere Middle School. “We’ve been best friends almost since we’ve known each other. We carpool to Trojan club practice together four days a week from late November to mid-July, we like to hang out at the beach or each other’s houses and we like to surf—although Charlie’s way more into it than me.”

A lifelong Pacific Palisades resident, Ashby lives above the Village in the Alphabet Streets and admits he likes scoring goals—lots of them. While the two are extremely competitive and push each other constantly, at the end of the day their friendhsip comes first.

“Loyola won Division I two years ago when I was a freshman, we were an Open Division team last year and I think we’re better this year,” he said. “Charlie is a super player. He’s faster than me, but I’’m stronger than him. We play different pisitions so it’s hard to compare.”

Speiser, who lives above Pali High in the El Medio Bluffs, is used to winning at Palisades and will try to lead the Dolphins to an 11th straight City title this fall, though he is glad his team does not have to face the Cubs.

“We’re good but I think Loyola would beat us this year,” he said. “A couple of Patrick’s teammates also live in the Palisades and play for Trojan.

In club, the two of us are always trying to match each other. If he gets a steal, I’m gonna get one. If he scores a goal, then I have to score a goal. That’s the way it is.”

Both boys are laser-fcoused on powering their respective school teams.

Wipfi is elated that so many high schoolers volunteer their time to the cause. Over the years, $300,000 has been raised and over 5,000 Ugandan children reached with soccer instruction and public health education.

“We’re so grateful to the Los Angeles community which has supported the work of Energy In Action now for a decade,” Wipfi said. “As well as for the ability to continue to provide our local youth the opportunity to embark on a journey of cultural exchange, personal growth and community service.”

For more information on Energy In Action and future service-learning trips to Uganda visit www.energy-in-action.org