Issue 1 – June, 2014

Dear Member,

May I introduce to you this initiative by the Exiles Committee – an e-Newsletter – to be issued periodically and informing all what is going on at the Club, the Waterpolo scene, our Swimapolo Nursery and general details.

We encourage you to visit our website: http://www.exiles.com.mt

In this issue – June 2014:
The Waterpolo First Team; Coaches and this years’ foreign players
Training of the younger groups
The Swimming School
Damage to the Club premises
Getting ready for Summer

The Waterpolo First Team; Coaches and these years’ foreign players

The waterpolo Exiles first team were involved in this year’s Winter league which ran from February through to May; The Team managed one positive result; a draw vs Sirens. In May Aurelien Cousin, the First Team Coach and Head Coach of Exiles Sports Club for the last three years, ex-foreign player with the club and ex-French National Team player, resigned from his post as Head Coach and First Team Coach. The parting of Aurelien writes an end to a chapter in the Club.

This parting, happening towards the end of the Winter League and in the ushering of the Summer League and it gave the Committee a big challenge, practically mid-waterpolo season, to come up with a replacement. A replacement however was engaged, through the efforts of Andrew Paris, the Club’s President, encouraged by the Committee; the Club now has an Italian Waterpolo Coach in Maurizio Mirarchi. Mirarchi has 15 years of waterpolo coaching experience in Italy’s top division having piloted teams like Lazio, Bogliasco and Acquachiara. His last commitment was with the National Federation as he led the Italian University Waterpolo Team in Kazan, Russia in summer of 2013 at the University Games. We welcome Maurizio and augur him well.

This year’s Exiles foreign players

The foreign tandem for this years’ summer waterpolo season are Luka Sekulic from Montenegro and Gergo Katonas from Hungary.
The Committee of Exiles Sports Club welcomes Luka and Gergo to Malta and hope that they have a fruitful stay on the Island.
Left-handed Luka is 27 years old who plays with Jadran Herceg Novi, in Montenegro, and has had stints in Italy’s Serie A with Bogliasco. Luka forms part of the national team of Montenegro.
Gergo Katonas is a 32 year old Hungarian international forward. He is currently the captain of Vasas, in Hungary, and has experience both at National as well as in the International waterpolo sphere.
Both signings, Gergo and Luka will boost the chances of a good season for the Exiles team under the guidance of Italian coach Maurizio Mirarchi.
(Extract from the Exiles Website; http://www.exiles.com.mt  by KaFa)

Training of the younger groups under the guidance of Joe Sciortino has been ongoing.

Training with the younger squads has proceeded regularly over the winter months and Exiles will be participating in the ASA competitions at junior level during the summer. Many of our young waterpolo players have showed considerable improvement and we are expecting to achieve good results in the upcoming leagues. Sessions were held under the mentorship of Joe Sciortino, who puts great dedication and commitment in his role. Michelle Zammit took change of organisational aspects and also helped the integration of a number of new youngsters in our squads.

And a few words regarding the swimming school.

Exiles Sports Club also offered twice weekly swimming sessions, which were very well attended. Most of those who took part in these sessions also competed in the ASA swimming meetings and consistently improved their times and achieved personal best records. These sessions, besides offering the possibility of enjoyment and relaxation, also cater for the technical aspects of swimming thereby helping our youngsters improve their strokes and technique.
The Club has engaged a pool of Coaches and helpers in the swimming school who assist with dedication and commitment;
The Swimming school has taken yet another bold step this year; a fully-fledged autonomous committee has been elected from the start of this year from the main drivers of the swimming school.
Whoever wishes to contact Exiles regarding the swimming school, please direct your emails to any member of the committee or to Sandro Caruana who coordinates efforts for the Nursery.(Sandro.Caruana@exiles.com.mt)

Damage to the Club Premises

The Committee as well as the operators of the Restaurants and Lessees at the Club had been placing their efforts in getting the Club up to scratch to receive its patrons from early March and April. We all were gearing up for the opening of the season at our 4-day event at the beginning of May.
Things were beginning to shape up well, and the place was being spruced up; unfortunately this last weekend a flash storm hit the island and the Club premises bore the brunt of wind and waves which crashed onto the foreshore reaping havoc to the decking which had been laid out at the foreshore, at the wooden stairs and railings of the premises; the seas also damaged the Lido Restaurant shuttering and waters went into the restaurant and kitchens. All told many thousands of Euros in damages.
We are however not disheartened; we shall attempt along with the Lessees to fix this damage in a short a time as possible.

Getting ready for the Summer

We are getting ready for the Summer and have done some new changes and improvements for our members this year at the Club;
There will be a new canopy – awning – installed at the lower deck. This will not hinder the top deck umbrellas or viewing, as they have been installed strategically in a way to extend the shading to a larger part of the lower deck, responding to several members who have encouraged us to improve this area; we trust that it will be received well.
We shall also be setting up a Kiddies enclosure with gates and appropriate netting so as to assist those mother with toddlers; we however emphasise that children should always be accompanies by a parent or guardian, on premises, at all times.
The Restaurant at the main deck of the lido is open daily from May to the end of September; so is the Pizza & Grill Restaurant at street level.
Bookings may be made by contacting the restaurant manager directly on http://thexiles.com.mt Telephone numbers: 21344771 / 79442223.

We hope that this e-Newsletter would be received well; I will leave you to our next publication.

Please send us your comments, suggestions, ideas of what you wish to see added or changed in this e-Newsletter. Please direct your emails to info@exiles.com.mt