Westport water polo club storms back to claim Junior Olympics gold
Northeast Elite Water Polo Club captured the 14U Boys Gold Division title at the 2026 USA Water Polo Junior Olympics, the nation's largest youth water polo tournament.
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A Westport-based youth water polo team has brought home a national championship.
Northeast Elite Water Polo Club captured the 14U Boys Gold Division title at the 2026 USA Water Polo Junior Olympics, the nation's largest youth water polo tournament.
The club, which trains at Staples High School in Westport, earned its first Junior Olympics championship during the tournament held July 29 through Aug. 2 in the Dallas area.
The road to the title was anything but easy.
Northeast Elite lost its first three games before rallying to win five straight contests, including a dramatic 10-9 victory over Z Town to earn a spot in the championship match.
The title game against Storm Monsoons proved equally dramatic.
Northeast Elite fell behind 5-1 before mounting a comeback, tying the game, taking the lead and eventually securing a 12-10 victory to claim the national championship.
The team finished the tournament with a 5-3 record and scored 74 goals across eight games in five days.
"Winning a Junior Olympic championship is an incredible honor, but what makes me proudest is the character this team displayed," said head coach Kade Ramirez-Zimmerman. "They trusted one another, competed with relentless effort, and represented Northeast Elite, Westport, and Connecticut with pride."
Founded in 2024, the club consists of 12 middle school athletes from Westport and neighboring Fairfield County communities.
Coaches say the championship represents a major milestone for both the young program and the growing sport of water polo in Fairfield County.
