Newport Beach 10U Water Polo Team Wins National Gold

When the Newport Beach Water Polo Club 10-and-under boys fell behind early in Sunday's national championship match, they didn't panic. They got back to work.

Center Fa'amika Moala powered through for a goal, put his finger to his lips to quiet the opposing fans, and sparked his team to an 8-6 victory over Long Beach's 908 Water Polo Club. The win capped an undefeated tournament run and brought home a national championship trophy to Newport Beach.

Mick Wawrzynski led the scoring with three goals, while Moala and Ethan Tran each added two more. Sebastian DiDia came off the bench to score a crucial goal that opened up an 8-3 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Coach Nico D'Angelo credited his team's preparation for the comeback victory. "We were really challenged this game, but we fell back on our training," he said. "We knew what we were doing and we locked in and got it done."

The championship had special meaning for several families. Wawrzynski's sisters Nova and Moss both won gold medals in their age groups at the same tournament, while his brother Ford earned bronze.

Moala comes from water polo royalty. His mom Jordan Anae starred at Corona del Mar High and USC, and his aunt Tumua Anae won Olympic gold for Team USA in 2012.

"I love following in my mom and my auntie's footsteps," Moala said. "They taught me to focus on my game, not everyone else's, and just play your game."

Why This Inspires

These young athletes showed that teamwork beats individual talent every time. Wawrzynski summed it up perfectly: "We don't just have one player. The entire team can play, they can shoot."

The Newport Beach program builds champions by developing depth across multiple teams at every age level. Their White team finished fifth in the same tournament, showing the strength of the entire club.

D'Angelo sees this success as part of a larger pattern. Many players from Newport's current 18-and-under team played together at age 10, building skills and chemistry year after year.

These 10-year-olds aren't just winning medals—they're learning lessons about resilience, teamwork, and following your passions that will serve them long after their playing days end.