CFO Joanne Tanner’s journey into the water polo world is a result of caring mothers who started a water polo team to find a way to connect with their 10-year-old boys more.
Joanne Tanner, group CFO of Decision Inc. started swimming after she suffered a debilitating shoulder and nerve injury that limited the full use of her right arm. Little did she know it would contribute to building an entire community.
“When I started swimming three years ago, I couldn’t have imagined what it would lead to,” she said. “As part of an initiative to bond with our sons, a bunch of moms decided to start a water polo team to compete – and hopefully win – against our 10-year-old boys.”
“Our children were in grade one when the Covid-19 pandemic started, so when it ended, we wanted to encourage them to try new things by showing them that we were willing to try new things too,” she explained.
The initiative was pioneered by Taryn Laing, who convinced the moms to start a water polo team of their own to compete against their sons at the end of 2023. The Wahoo Moms’ Water Polo team is also affectionately known as the Viking Princess Warrior Mermaids, “because why can’t we be everything we want to be?
“We could be role models to our sons and develop ourselves simultaneously,” Joanne said.
The moms spent most of the year training and learning under coach Mike van Hill from Wahoo, Gauteng Water Polo. “When I first got the call asking if I would help out, I was sceptical because the barriers to enter water polo are big. It’s a demanding sport – you have to be able to swim, deal with some contact and still try to play strategically when someone is trying to pull you underwater,” he said.
Mike added that water polo is seen as an elite male sport because of this physical nature. “But here are these women who really don’t care about the barriers and are proving that, even in your 40s, you can still learn with enough dedication.”
Mike explains that, although it’s an elite sport, its niche nature makes getting funding out of national structures difficult. “It’s largely self-funded, and some trips can cost up to R80,000.”
However, there are a couple of key people in the water polo communities that are trying to run and fund awareness and development programmes for the sport, like Gauteng Water Polo.
Additionally, there’s been a big push from girls to also get involved in the sport. “The transformation of the sport is wonderful to see. Fifteen years ago there weren’t any girls’ teams, now we’re hosting tournaments with 28 schools from around the country – all girl players,” he said. There will also now be a ladies’ division in the South Africa Masters Water Polo tournament in 2025.
“Society can be ridiculous in labelling women, which is one of the hardest barriers we’re facing when it comes to water sports,” Joanne added. “I’ve had some interesting comments thrown my way about whether I’m afraid of getting bigger shoulders and losing my femininity, but I always say no, because I believe I can still be feminine and still play sports, even if I get broad shoulders.”
Strength in community
Joanne explained that she’s learnt it’s much harder than she possibly could have imagined, but also that she’s stronger than she thought. “You need to be able to push yourself, and others, even when you are tired and want to give up.”
She said the experience has also helped the moms remember how resilient they are. “We have unique memories of moments in games where we did something we never thought we would be able to. Sometimes things don’t go right, but that’s okay because there’s still another play and you can’t stop now, so you keep going.”
This is similar to her work, where Joanne and her team members each have a role to play in ensuring the organisation is successful. “Some days are better than others, but learning about our strengths and weaknesses and how we all fit into the team together and contribute to its success is important.
“It’s been incredible and a privilege to see the team come together. Everyone has a role to play when we’re in the pool. It doesn’t matter where you are in the pool, when we’re in the water, we’re there to support each other and do the best we can,” she explained. “Even those moms who don’t play in the pool have played a critical supporting role in encouraging us to never give up.”
Alongside Mike, the team has had an elite host of South African players and coaches teach them, including South Africa’s women’s team coach, Nicola Plasket.
Joanne added that there is a big community ready and willing to support anyone who’s willing to try. “The only thing that matters is how you show up and your attitude.”
“As South Africans, we’re built to play this sport. We’re an athletic, competitive bunch with the ability to overcome any barriers because we’re resilient. We need all of these characteristics in life and in business too,” Mike said.
In preparation for the game against their boys, the Wahoo Moms’ Water Polo team played against the Rams Moms’ Water Polo team (another team of moms formed in the same year). “It’s brought so much joy in the moms’ community,” she said, adding that the entire experience has been a reminder of the power of communities.
Overcoming barriers
The first two games that the two teams played were ties that went to penalties, both of which they lost, unfortunately. “The hard part of playing games like this is when your team has worked hard to get to a certain point and then it depends on one person whether you win or lose,” Mike explained. The Wahoo Moms’ team has since claimed a solid victory.
Their game against their boys also came down to a tie and a mother faced off against her son during a tense penalties round. It couldn’t have been scripted better but the moms pulled it off and have bragging rights for now. Instead of just taking the trophy home and adding it to her list of achievements, the initiative has become so much more, Joanne explained, as other moms teams are forming across the country. The Wahoo Moms’ Water Polo team have started playing against the U14 provincial girls teams while they wait for the other moms’ teams to clear some water between them and catch up.
“We’ve also used the platform to raise money to help children overcome some of the barriers to enter water polo and to help elite players who need financial support to compete,” Joanne said.
For Joanne, it is really important that she retain her authenticity – whether she’s playing sport, being a CFO or just being a woman. “I’m not a man, I’m never going to be. We bring who we are to the pool, not the other way around.”
Growing up, Joanne was taught that she could do and be anything she wanted to be, and so she started a family, became a leader and is splashing her way to victory.
“I’m always looking for new players to join our team and they always say they’re not strong enough or not ready, but it’s not true. If there’s something you want to do and you’re prepared to put in the hard work, and commit to it, you can do it and have fun at the same time,” she said.
