The 2012 Cerritos College men’s waterpolo season is going to kick-off with a boom as they prepare to travel to Annapolis, Maryland, for the 2012 Navy Labor Day Open.

“We are excited about our trip to the Naval Academy. It is a tournament with mostly water polo teams from the East Coast region,” said coach Joe Abing, who will be taking his Falcons to the event for the second consecutive season.

Coach Abing was very enthusiastic when asked about the itinerary of this year’s tournament, stating that the team had a lot of success in last year’s trip.

“It is a terrific way for us to build team chemistry as we are together for five straight days, 24-hours a day. Last year, we drove to Washington D.C., about an hour away, and toured some monuments as well as seeing the White House. We hope to do the same this year.”

The trip is quite an important one according to Abing, who shared his expectations for the tournament, “I am hoping we can grow closer as a team from the experience. I also hope to learn exactly what our strengths and weaknesses are for our future games.”

Games for the Cerritos College men’s water polo team begin on Aug. 31, and continue throughout the weekend, concluding on Sept. 2.

Highlighting the tournament will be a match-up against Division I opponent, and tournament-hosts, the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy.

The Midshipmen concluded the 2011 season as the 15th-ranked team in the nation, with a record of 23-7, enough to put forth quite the stiff test for the Cerritos College men’s waterpolo team on the east coast.

Other games will include contests against Johns Hopkins, Lindenwood University, and Salem International.