New Development Academy launched

In April 2024, Water Polo NSW (WPNSW) launched the “Development Academy”. This development program, for 13&U and 15&U athletes, is focused on improving the foundation skills and giving exposure to a range of different game scenarios. Lead by our experienced coaches, the Development Academy runs across Term 2 and Term 3 and will provide athletes with the opportunity to train in a different environment with athletes, coaches and support staff from across NSW. The purpose of the program is to produce performance ready athletes who are eligible for selection in the 15&U NSW State Team Program.

The Development Academy has a role in feeding into the WPNSW performance program named the “Talent Squad” that continues to operate in partnership with the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS). This performance program caters to all Water Polo Australia (WPA) National Age Group Program (NAGP) identified athletes and is focussed on providing a daily training environment for performance and in preparation for the respective Junior World Championships and National Training Tours. We are excited to welcome Pip Pipkin as the new Assistant Coach at NSWIS and look forward to working with Pip to develop the best possible training program for our performance athletes. WPNSW is now pleased to present a streamlined pathway for athletes, coaches and referees from the Club level to Development Academy to Performance Programs and some to the High Performance Programs.

WPNSW also wishes to align the competition and events program to the athlete, coach and referee pathway. There are some interstate development carnivals coming up including the 13&U Development Carnival hosted by WPA in partnership with WPTAS in Hobart, the East Coast Challenge hosted by WPVIC in Melbourne, and the Interstate Challenge hosted by WPACT in Canberra. These are development competitions and WPNSW has invited our Clubs/Associations to enter teams under the NSW banner. WPNSW has decided not to select NSW representative teams for development carnivals and instead to support the Clubs/Associations. We are excited to announce that we have several teams participating in these events. We look forward to getting behind these teams and seeing more athletes and coaches participating in our sport with their friends, having a positive experience, and learning some new water polo skills.