http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/highschool/sfl-nw03wpolomar03,0,5823891.story?coll=sfla-highschool-headlines WATER POLO International flavor Teams from around the world make a splash at annual South Florida water polo tournament. By Gary Curreri Special Correspondent March 3, 2006 For the second consecutive year, the South Florida Water Polo Club of Fort Lauderdale lost a heartbreaking game to a Hungarian team at the fourth South Florida International Water Polo Tournament. Even with the loss at the Coral Springs Aquatic Complex on Feb. 19, club president Bruce Wigo was pleased with the level of the competition. "This is the best preparation we could possibly have before the [high school] season," said Wigo, who started the club in 1998 with many of the same athletes. "We have the Israeli National team, the Hungarians, some top California teams and when you play better people, you learn from them." Szeged rallied from a 5-4 deficit in the final period to edge the locals 8-6 as Zoltan Szabd scored twice and Vincze Zsombor put the game out of reach with 52 seconds remaining. Both teams entered the title game with 7-0 records and dominated their brackets in the three-day competition. Drac Wigo had given South Florida its 5-4 lead before Szabd's two goals gave the Hungarian squad the lead for good. South Florida boasts players from Broward and Palm Beach counties. In other action, South Florida's Boys' 15 team, Girls' 19 and Girls' 15 teams all finished fourth. The event attracted 44 teams from Israel, Hungary, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago and Illinois, Washington and California. The age divisions for boys and girls are 19-and-under and 15-and-under. There were 44 teams entered, including 30 boys' teams. The event has grown from eight teams in the first year. "We started the club with the little kids, and two years ago we sent our first two athletes to college," said Wigo, who had college coaches from Stanford, Pepperdine, University of California-Berkeley among others at the event. "Most of these kids have been with us since we started the program. It was interesting to see the kids now and look back to when we were struggling and now we have multiple teams and the best kids from Palm Beach and Broward County playing with us." The event marked the first appearance of an Israeli National Water Polo Team playing in the United States. The arrangements were made by the International Swimming Hall of Fame for the Israelis to be family hosted by the Florida Coast Club of Miami. Michael Goldenberg, 43, of Fort Lauderdale, is the coach of the club's senior boys and girls teams. One of his toughest task is to coach his daughter, Elina, who is the team's captain. "It is very difficult to coach my daughter," said Goldenberg, who also coaches her at Western High School and is one of seven international water polo officials in the United States. "She knows she is going to be asked to do the most. It is not only asked, but she is required to do more. She is used to it." Goldenberg said he has a younger son, Eric, 9, who is going to the "next project." Elina Goldenberg is a sophomore at Western High School and has been playing water polo for 81/2 years. "It's hard [to play for him], but I know he has only the best in mind," Elina said. "I get [coached] 24/7 and 365 days a year. I play for different teams and played for senior nationals, junior nationals and junior olympics with the Naval Academy." Kiki Golden, a freshman at Cooper City High School, said she enjoys playing against international competition. "I like playing against international teams because it is more fun and different," Golden said. "They are very good. Some people play dirty and some people have some skill and technique. It is more fun to play against better teams." Victoria Israels, 17, is a senior at Westminster High School and plays for Wigo in high school. She has been with the South Florida team for the past six years. "I played in three international tournaments with this team," Israels said. "The first one we were scrapping for players, and last year we just grabbed players from other teams. This year, we got three coaches and they got these girls together and it has been amazing."