When the Fresno State water polo club team started in 1999, there was only enough money for one full team.

Eight years later they have money for two — men’s and women’s.

The men̢۪s club plays during the fall semester and the women̢۪s club plays during the spring.

While available funds allows for two teams, both still have to pay for most of the fees that come with playing games including hotel rooms, tournament fees, plane tickets, road trips and food.

“The president’s office gives a couple thousand dollars to the women’s team when they attend the national championships,â€Â water polo club advisor and biology professor Brain Tsukimura said. “Associate Student Inc. pays for insurance, league fees and some tournament entry fees.â€Â

During its season, the water polo club is required to play in at least two tournaments.

Each tournament has three to four matches and the team tries to play between three and four tournaments, Tsukimura said.

“The first two tournaments are to seed the teams for the championship,â€Â men’s water polo team president, Miles Holm said.

The men̢۪s team is ranked 18th nationally and 5th in their division of 12 teams, Holm said.

Its league record is 3-5 and the overall record is 6-6.

Even though they are highly-ranked, the men̢۪s team usually only travels only in California due to cost, Holm said.

On the other hand, the women̢۪s team has traveled to the national championships for the past three years.

Last year, the Fresno State women̢۪s water polo club team defeated Cal Poly to win the National Collegiate Club Championship, in Williamstown, Mass.

The previous year, the team finished third.

Last year alone, the women̢۪s club spent over $14,000, Tsukimura said.

A lot of support is from the parents of the athletes. Some of those parents traveled with the women̢۪s team when they went to nationals, Tsukimura said.

Where a team is ranked at the end of the season will determine if a team is allowed to go to nationals.

In order to save money, the men̢۪s team hires the women̢۪s team to keep score during matches while the women̢۪s team hires other people to keep scores.

The student-athletes must also pay $300 in dues to rent pool time at local high schools.

Those fees go to Buchanan High School for the men, who practice there on Wednesday, and at Fresno State on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Clovis West receives the fees from the women̢۪s team for its Wednesday practices, while they also practice once a week at Fresno State.

The men̢۪s team̢۪s next match is at Cal Poly next Saturday.