Albury Sharks Water Polo Club celebrates 50 year anniversary

Yet the Albury Sharks still remains a powerhouse to this day, gearing up to host 50th anniversary celebrations this weekend.

The three-day extravaganza of festivities kicking off with a get together of players and club members at Brady's Railway Hotel tonight, followed by practice games tomorrow afternoon.

The big ticket event arrives tomorrow evening at Brady's with a function featuring guest speakers Olympic men's team player and coach John Fox as well as Olympic referee Daniel Flahive.

And on Sunday, the club celebrates the launch of the 2022 Ovens and Murray Water Polo Association season, a competition the Sharks have excelled in since first joining.

For Gould, seeing the club thrive over the past 50 years has been a real shot in the arm.

Especially considering its humble origins.

Born from out of a drinking session at the old Ryan's Hotel, the first ever - and aptly named - 'Ryan's Rangers' team was jotted down on the back of a beer ticket.

Once accepted by the association, it was game on.

"In 1972 when it all started, it was more of a social thing," Gould said.

"It was like the footy where you could have a beer and a smoke - the social part was probably the highlight."

Those days shifted in to the hotly contested Soden's era, which overflowed with premierships, carnivals, and countless memories.

What followed was the SS&A Sharks, and eventually around 1996, the Albury Sharks came to life.

But while the name had changed, success in the pool did not - that stayed consistent.

"The club has been so successful, who would've thought 50 years ago in Ryan's Hotel that this club would be become what it has," Gould said.

"Every 12 months, it supplies national and state swimmers consistently, and that shows the calibre of the coaches we have now.

"It's a credit to the players and the coaches themselves, because water polo down here is only six months of the year because we've got no heated pools we can play in; they're competing against all the Sydney lot that have access to facilities all year round."

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With the past, present and future of the club to be honoured over the next three days, it's safe to say the Albury Sharks have come a long way since 1972.

Earning a reputation as a O&M heavyweight and talent factory has been forged by not only the success in the water, but the strong family and friendship ties kept intact since first drinks at Ryan's Hotel.

Which is exactly what has kept Gould glued to the ride, 50 years later.

"I personally get a buzz from coming down and watching the next generation of kids carry on the tradition, the calibre of players to come out of (the club) is unbelievable," he said.

"But over the years, to me it's not the individual awards or the premierships that you win, it's the friends you meet along the way."

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