Coach Grier Laughlin
To honor the memory of water polo coach Grier Laughlin, Colorado Water Polo will be hosting the first annual Grier Laughlin Memorial Tournament April 2-3, 2011. Proceeds of the tournament will be donated to a memorial fund which was created to help support Laughlin’s wife and children.
Denver’s Channel 7 News reported Laughlin’s death last month. While on the way to the airport, Grier died in a head-on, wrong-way crash February 20, 2011. Laughlin left behind a wife and children. Read the full story here.
Laughlin was a champion swimmer who began playing water polo in college. He had a passion for both sports, which translated into coaching both swimming and water polo in his home state of Colorado. He started Colorado Water Polo in 2003. He passed on his knowledge of the sport because he loved water polo and he felt the sport was a good way to build character. He was involved in his players’ lives as a mentor and friend, as well. His legacy as a coach and involved mentor will not soon be forgotten by his players.
Laughlin coaching his players
The tournament will be open to teams and players of all skill levels. There are games for Youth, 18 and Under, College and Masters teams. The tentative schedule shows a total of 24 games. There are a number of teams participating, mostly from Colorado. The Duke City Aquatics team, from here in Albuquerque, has a long history of playing, scrimmaging, and spending time with Colorado Water Polo. They plan to play in the tournament if Coach Janet Lyon-Huffman can gather a large enough group of players who are interested.
For a more complete list of teams, the location of the tournament, and a complete bio of Coach Grier Laughlin visit the Grier Laughlin Memorial Tournament Website.
Photos are included with permission from Colorado Water Polo
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