It doesn’t take much to be happy. This mythical line from Baloo perfectly applies to the ONN. The good results and the good atmosphere surrounding the women’s team are sources of satisfaction nearly three months after returning to competition. They easily qualified for the next round of the European Cup thanks to good results during the first round held at home last week. And above all, they are leading the championship, albeit a weak one, by winning by large margins or almost relegating the other strong team, Nancy, to the status of a supporting act.
This team has an immense heart and is discovering itself match after match. At least, that’s how Marc Vidil, the coach, felt just after the draw against the Germans from Bochum on Saturday: “I am proud of this team. No matter the final result, I want girls who give their all, who realize it’s all about mentality. We could have won (tonight) so I am happy for the girls, especially since some were angry with a sense of unfinished business. It proves they are aware of their potential. They found resources. Let it continue.” With this qualification, the club achieved the goal it had set for the week. Now, it can aim higher and target its real objective: the championship title.
For that, they must overcome the only dangerous team in the championship, Nancy. Perrine Metay’s teammates won the first leg, played in Nice. They will need to repeat this on March 28 to secure first place and the opportunity to host the playoffs during the second phase. However, the coach from Nice regrets the lack of competition: “There is only one match in the championship, it’s against Nancy. I don’t understand why we don’t play them four times or why we don’t concentrate several matches into a weekend, even playing three if necessary. In any case, traveling hundreds of kilometers to achieve a 25-2 result is not interesting. The Federation really needs to think about this. It’s up to them to respond.”
Today, the club wants to mature and establish itself in the upper echelons of France and perhaps even Europe. To do so, a few adjustments are necessary as Marc Vidil explains: “The objective this year is to reclaim the title. For that, we shouldn’t change coaches every season, with four different ones in five years. A two-year training project is needed, along with better organization. We were also lagging because there was no water polo school, which was rectified this year, which is why the girls came directly from swimming.” The captain, Perrine Metay, adds in this regard: “The girls who don’t come in are young. So they have to prove themselves. Now, they’ll get some playtime, they must be eager, show their grit during the minute they will play, or more. We need to be able to count on them for the final.”
There is no doubt that everything will go the right way for the ONN. They hope to relive once more the same moments as two years ago, when the club was crowned champion of France.
