Welcome back to HaBaWaBa, more than just a competition
Tomorrow the HaBaWaBa International Festival & HaBaWaBa PLUS will start, WPD President Cufino: "A unique event preparing kids for life"
Here we are at last, after a year of forced suspension due to the tragic pandemic that also affected the HaBaWaBa world. Tomorrow at Bella Italia & EFA Village in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy) HaBaWaBa International Festival and HaBaWaBa PLUS will be back and we at Waterpolo Development couldn't be happier and prouder.Bruno Cufino, President of Waterpolo Development
Yes, we are, because if you think that the main HaBaWaBa events have been and are today just simple youth sport competitions, you would be in a very serious mistake. Because if so, the damage caused by their absence in 2020 would be limited to our sport: we would have the stop of players recruitment for a season which will influence the development of certain age groups in terms of numbers and technical quality.
However HaBaWaBa is much more, with the pride of those who created it we can say that it’s the very essence of the game of educational process!
HaBaWaBa teaches kids to discover the world and its diversity, to experience the value of rules, to meet others and be with them, to manage emotions, to know reality trying and failing, to solve problems individually and as a team.
In a nutshell, HaBaWaBa prepares kids for life.
This is what our children lacked in 2020 and this is what we are now called upon to make up for, even amidst the difficulties of our times.
Due to the pandemic, the necessary anti-Covid measures implemented in the last year and the financial troubles of sports clubs we risked to lose all that HaBaWaBa represented since 2008 to present: a moment of celebration, joy, in the name of the values of sport and passion for waterpolo. However the HaBaWaBa dream has been stronger than everything: after the cancellation of the 2020 events, we raised the limit of the age categories, going from U9, U11 and U13 to U10, U12 and U14, in order to allow the kids who were let down a year ago to participate in 2021. The number of participants - 59 teams and 698 kids - says that we were right: young players, coaches, clubs and parents responded enthusiastically and made the great return of HaBaWaBa possible. I deeply thank all of them. And of course I thank our sponsors Turbo, C.A.G. Chemical, Compact Goals and Ossidabile: without them HaBaWaBa would not have made it.
So thanks, and happy HaBaWaBa to all of you!
The biggest youth water polo event in the world: for U9, U11 and U13, held every year in Lignano Sabbiadoro (UD) and drawing teams from five continents.
When is the next Festival?
From 13 to 20 June the week for U9 and U11, from 20 to 27 June the week for U13.
Do boys and girls play together?
U9 and U11 tournaments include girls’, boys’ and mixed teams. The U13 event is split into a girls-only tournament and one for boys-only or mixed teams.
How do you enter the Festival?
Open the page of the event for your team (U9-U11 or U13) and follow the Registration Guide: it contains the information, duties, costs and deadlines. A club can enter more than one team in a single tournament.
Where do teams stay during the Festival?
Teams, made up of players, coaches and officials, all stay inside Bella Italia & EFA Village. Parents, family and supporters travelling with the team can enter the village by paying admission.
What is the Champion’s Passport?
It is a code of ethics: the values of sport to respect in order to be part of the HaBaWaBa community.
What is the aim of the HaBaWaBa project?
To spread the values of sport among children and create a deep bond with water polo through an unforgettable experience.
