Tampa Bay Thunder water polo team to play Navy Special Warfare Team at North Shore Pool

When it comes to sports, few are as physically demanding as water polo. Sometimes described as "rugby in a pool," water polo players are fit, strong and more than able to take a stray kick or punch.

And when it comes to the military, few would dispute that the U.S. Navy SEALs are among the toughest, most highly trained specialist personnel in the world.

So what happens when you take a group of SEALs and put them in a pool with a bunch of water polo players?

"It will be interesting," said Wouter Vanderhorst. "We are all looking forward to it."

The Navy Leap Frog team, comprised of SEALs, SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen) and EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) personnel, will play the local Thunder Water Polo Club on Sunday morning at St. Petersburg's North Shore Pool.

"We are hoping this match will get more high school kids interested in the sport," said Vanderhorst, who helped co-found the team four years ago. "If you go to Orlando, they have 40 high school water polo teams. Miami has 60. Here we have zero."

The Thunder team has made its mark around the state in recent years. It has won tournaments and hosted a wide variety of teams on its home "field" at North Shore pool.

"Word is starting to catch on," Vanderhorst said. "We are starting to get new people. We encourage beginners. If you can swim, you can play water polo."

Water polo started as a game for rugby players on a river and developed into the world's most physically demanding sport in a pool.

At one time, water polo was just a game that high school and college swimmers used to stay in shape. But the sport was thrust into the international spotlight in 1956, thanks to the legendary match between the USSR and Hungary at that year's Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

It was after the Soviets had invaded Hungary, crushing a fledging revolution.

The Hungarian Olympic gold medal defenders were angry since they were uncertain about the welfare of their families back home. Many feared they would never see Hungary again.

The semifinal game between the two teams was so brutal that the pool was red from spilled blood. In the melee, the Hungarians won 4-0 after the match was stopped when their star forward was sucker-punched and suffered a wound that would require 13 stitches. The Russians needed a police escort out of the arena.

But don't expect any fisticuffs at this Sunday's match between the Thunder and the Navy team.

"Everything is by the book," said Vanderhorst. "We will have referees and a shot clock. This is for fun."