Olympic medalist to work with Bellevue water polo athletes

PNW United Water Polo Club will be hosting a skills clinic Oct. 25-26 in Bellevue with guest trainer Rick Merlo, a 2008 silver medalist in Beijing. Merlo will teach group and private sessions and also will offer coaching assistance and support during games he plans to attend.

PNW United Water Polo Club will be hosting a skills clinic Oct. 25-26 in Bellevue with guest trainer Rick Merlo, a 2008 silver medalist in Beijing. Merlo will teach group and private sessions and also will offer coaching assistance and support during games he plans to attend.

Merlo was the 2-meter defender on the 2008 Water Polo team at the Beijing Games and has played professional water polo in both Italy and Brazil. A Fresno, Calif., native, Rick and his brothers, Mark and Curt, all excelled at water polo at UC-Irvine.

The clinics will be held at the Edgebrook Club pool on Saturday Oct. 25 from 1-2:30 p.m. and 3-4:30 p.m., and again on Sunday Oct. 26 from 10-11:30 a.m. if necessary. The cost is $50 per session and participants can register at www.unitedwaterpolo.org. Private lessons can be scheduled with coach Tim Reed by calling 425-896-0495.

“Rick is a very outgoing young man and we’re very fortunate to have him work with our athletes,” said MaryPat Theiler-Cheng, United Water Polo Board Member.

USA Pacific Northwest United Water Polo Club is a non-profit club dedicated to building excellence in the Pacific Northwest youth.