In September 2019, Melbourne University Sport officially launched it's LGBTQI+ inclusion policy. The policy is part of the Pride in Sport program, an initiative that welcomes and celebrates the University’s diverse community and which aims to provide a safe place for all LGBTQI+ people to participate in sport.

To show our support for the policy and for Pride in Sport, we celebrated by hosting our first official Pride Round. The round was co-hosted by the Melbourne Surge (Victoria's premier LGBTQI+ inclusive water-polo club) and Monash Water Polo club. 

The MUPolo teams took to the pool in Rounds 10 & 11 of the 2019 State Champs competition in full rainbow colours.

We were especially proud to host this event as a means to welcome the newest members to our water polo family, the women's Surge team who this year have combined with our WSL3 team to compete in the State champs competition. 

With support from Melbourne Uni Sport and Delfina Sport, we produced limited edition Pride caps and bathers. All the profits raised from the sale of bathers will be donated to the Melbourne based LGBTQI+ not-for-profit organisation, Proud2Play. 

On top of Pride celebrations at games, we also hosted a rainbow themed cocktail night at the Ernie Cropley Pavillion with drinks, delicious food from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, and special talk from Proud2Play representative, Luke Major. He spoke to us about the value of sport for improving LGBTQI+ health outcomes, the role of the Proud2Play organisation in promoting diversity and inclusion in sport, and the value of Pride events in combatting prejudice not just in sport but in the wider community. 

We would like to that the Melbourne Uni Sport Pride and Diversity co-ordinator Chris Bunting for his encouragement and ongoing support in developing these Pride round activities, Delfina sport for their sponsorship of caps and bathers, as well as Cal Hawk from Melbourne Surge and Kai Yang Goh from Monash Water Polo for their enthusiasm in co-hosting the event. 

Click here to see the full photo album from the event

WSL3 team

WSL2 team

WSL1 team

MSL2 team

MSL5 Blue team

MSL5 Gropers

Left to right: Matt Keen (MUPolo President), Luke Major (Proud2Play), Thao Phan (MUPolo Vice-President), Cal Hawk (Melbourne Surge President), Sebastien Desbois (Melbourne Surge), and Virginie Deswaerte (Melbourne Surge)