Dear Water Polo players, officials, and stakeholders,

When I started in the role of GM, I was made aware of a few challenges facing our sport. One of these was the shortage of pool space for our current and future programs.

Of course, WPWA does not have its own facility, but we almost got there on the weekend.

I arrived on Sunday morning to find a massive flood in the Royal Life Saving building and over 1 inch of water in our offices. Perhaps not suitable for a full water polo game, but a modified version?

You be the judge.

We have had industrial drying machines going full blast since and are hoping for a full return to office use later this week.

Go Go Polo

I was invited to attend a strategic planning session in Mandurah last weekend with the Mandurah Water Polo Association. It was a great pleasure not only to meet the members and the committee, but to witness the enthusiasm and forward thinking that took place at the gathering. There are a few great ideas brewing to get more people to play the game and to take up volunteering positions.

This aligns very strongly not just with WPWA Strategic Priorities but with the strategic initiatives being generated through Water Polo Australia.

My thanks to President Sam Broadbent for the kind invitation. Wishing you and your members every success.

Back in Perth, the WPWA staff have taken advantage of the offseason to undertake an audit of the equipment stored at HBF Stadium. Some of the goodies found included a stock of polo shirts from the 2015 18’s National Championships.

The shirts have been donated to Direct Reach Ethiopia (DRE), a charity that supports the Hope for Children Organization of Ethiopia (HFCOE) assisting some of the worlds most vulnerable children. The DRE vision is to educate and empower with direct assistance from the ground up. For further information please visit the DRE website.

Some pictures were provided by DRE of the children in their new shirts which they were thrilled to receive (check out the smiles). Great to see our shirts being put to such good use.

Some people prefer not to have a big fuss made over the great things they do but thanks CB for this great idea and for making it happen.

Events on the Horizon!!

Water Polo WA Charity Quiz Night

Save the date, the Quiz Night is coming!

Please save Friday 18 November in your calendars and start to brush up on your general knowledge and trivia.

We will be sending out a formal save the date flyer shortly with more information to follow.

WPWA Photo Polo

The risk of not sending me your photo entries as per my earlier call out, is that I will choose some photos from my files here at WPWA!

Please take some time to have a look at your water polo images and send through any that you believe speak to our values. Your help and engagement with this project is much appreciated.

Vale Eddy Brooks

WPWAI is deeply saddened at the passing of Montreal 1976 Water Polo Olympian Edmond “Eddy” Brooks.  Eddy was a kind, generous and popular member of the water polo community in Western Australia. Eddy was a highly respected player and coach at Triton and Dolphins Water Polo Clubs and as a player for Western Australia and Australia.

More recently Eddy was very active in the master’s community as coach of the Pinkies and Cockatoos teams at the FINA World Masters Championships in 2019.

Our sympathy goes to his daughter Belinda (Water Polo Olympian Athens 2004), sons Garth and Jarrad and their families.

Eddy fought his health battles with great dignity and courage and was highly respected and loved by all who knew him.

Performance Pathway Program Review

Over 200 online survey responses, 25+ strategic and operational documents reviewed and 12 supporting (in person) interviews conducted.

I would like to thank everyone for engaging in the review process and for providing the information the consultant needed to compile his report and recommendations.

There will be some further work and engagement conducted with the Board and members of the Performance Pathway Program Management Committee and then results and associated recommendations/actions will be communicated to everyone.

I am looking forward to celebrating our successes to date and to addressing any areas for improvement.

Staff

Bruno Barna arrives back in Perth next week (his office area should no longer be under water by then!).

Natalie Eastwell has joined us in a consultancy role to drive positive change across our social media platforms, websites, and events. I will provide a more detailed profile of Natalie in the next On the Ball with the GM.

You will also have seen a post regarding my intention to engage two new Growth and Participation Officers. Participation growth is a key strategic objective of our sport both locally and nationally. I will be engaging two people to focus on metropolitan and regional participation growth. These people will have extensive water polo experience and will drive several initiatives to support member growth in our clubs. Please check out the website for more information.

WPWA State Teams

We have over 130 nominees for our upcoming trials where the athletes will be competing for a place in one of 8 teams that we are sending to the National State Championships.

We will be locking in the coaches/managers and selectors over the  next week or so.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all (and especially the athletes) every success. Taking part in trials is exciting, a little daunting and comes with joy as well as disappointment.

My advice to you all is to stay true to your values and come away feeling that you have given it your all.

Best of success.

Reflection

When you play a game of cards, you have no control over the hand that you are dealt, but you have full control over how you play that hand. You also know that before you get dealt a new hand, the pack gets shuffled.

Kevin Knapp

GM Water Polo WA