Water Polo Australia (WPA) is the national governing body for water polo sport in Australia. WPA is recognised by Sport Australia, the AIS, and the Australian Olympic Committee and FINA through Swimming Australia Ltd.  WPA is a not-for-profit sporting organisation and as the governing body, WPA undertakes a number of tasks and projects across four key business areas to help keep the sport running efficiently and efficiently.  Most importantly WPA strives to ensure everyone involved is having fun, is safe and can perform to the best of their ability.

Corporate

Insurance Program

WPA provides its members with competitively priced, comprehensive insurance cover for registered athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers. The WPA polices covers all registered members for sports injury, and public liability, giving them protection at the lowest possible cost to the membership, thanks to the national collective bargaining.

Regulations and policies

WPA facilitates the development, maintenance and update of necessary regulations and policies that protect all within the sport, meet legislative requirements, ensure the sport is in a healthy state to continue growth and be a safe and inclusive place for all. Policies including member (and child) protection, sun safety, eligibility etc. are all designed to protect and empower the water polo community while ensuring a level playing field across the country.

Digital Services

WPA, through contracted national partners, provides digital services to help the water polo community better communicate, engage and effectivity participate in the sport. Membership and registration database, competition management platform, apps, online learning, communications and websites are all digital services provided by WPA for the benefits of the wider water polo community.

Government Funding and Grants

Water Polo in Australia is reliant on the generous funding support of all levels of government. Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport provide core funding and additional grants that enable WPA to operate; specifically they are used to maintain the capabilkit oif WPA, run high performance programs, and grow the sport.  As you would expect being eligible to receive these funds on an ongoing basis requires a high level of compliance and reporting to acquit the funds granted.   

Industry and Partnership Relationships

In order to have a cohesive industry, WPA strives to build and maintain relationships with industry bodies at all levels such as FINA, International Water polo Federations, Oceania Swimming, Swimming Australia and water polo groups domestically. WPA also strives to continually develop commercial relationship and partnerships with companies and businesses looking to support water polo in Australia.

Sport Development

Education

Facilitation of nationally consistent standards and best practice training principles for the education of the sports coaches, referees, officials and administrators. Without a national approach to education and accreditations, the risks of the sport both for players and liability for officials and administrators is heightened, and the quality of the sport is inconsistent..

Participation

National participation programs, allow the sport can work together to grow the number of participants and also the brand recognition and appeal for corporate investment to the sport. Through the cooperation of all States and clubs delivering sanctioned and consistent programs such as FlippaBall, the sport can work to increase the profile of the sport as a whole and attract people to the sport who may not have had the opportunity to experience it.

Club Development

Clubs are most often the place where participants first get to experience water polo.  WPA strives to develop programs and services that increase the capability of the clubs and reduce the burden to the many volunteers who run them. Through recognition, tools and best-practice processes, WPA aims to support all clubs through its actions.  

Member servicing

Water Polo Australia supports our members, the States who in turn, supports them to support their members; the clubs and those individuals registered to the clubs. Members services include responses to enquiries, communications direct to the community and promotion of the sport.

Competitions

National Calendar and Event Sanctioning  

Driving the coordination and scheduling of major competitions and tournaments across the country to facilitate maximum opportunities, participation and progression for participants at any level. WPA is also developing a sanctioning policy to support the development and cohesion of all water polo activity across the country.  

Competition Rules

WPA facilities the application, enforcement and update of domestic competition rules, as well as the implementation and interpretation of international competition rules across Australia. Domestic modification of international rules are designed to adapt local conditions and cultures to assist all ages, backgrounds and genders to be involved in a suitable level of the sport for their own safety and to ensure a level playing field across the country.

National Junior Age Championships

WPA delivers the Australian Youth Water Polo Championship event annually to celebrate the participation and achievements of age groups from 12&U to 18&U. The annual AYC event is a festival of junior water polo focusing on the representation of clubs, the engagement of all participants, the upskilling of team officials and referees, and showcasing the entertainment value of the top end of the sport. It is also a wonderful opportunity for Australia’s best players to pay infront of a home crowd and inspire the next generation of athletes.

National Representation Championships

From 2020 onwards, WPA may facilitate the National InterState Championships, bringing together representative teams from each State across Australia to battle for the title in teenage and young adult age groups. This event forms part of the pathway into national representation for players, coaches and referees and may form part of the selection process for upcoming international teams. 

National League Competition

The OVO Australian Waterpolo League is Australia’s top domestic competition with 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams from across the country fighting for the title of champion. WPA manages the OVOAWL competition annually with the support of club licence holders.

International Tournaments

The WPA Competitions Department lobbies FINA for the rights to host international water polo events in Australia. The domestic exposure and support from the grassroots of the sport grows when Australia hosts an international tournament, and the event management expertise within WPA is essential to continued international event hosting appointments.

High Performance

Preparation of Senior National Teams

The four-year preparation cycle of the National Senior Men’s Australia Team; the Shark’s; and the National Senior Women’s team, the Stingers, drives for success on the world stage; namely the Olympics. The provision of daily training environments, performance analysis and testing, securement of funding and funding obligations, program planning and international negotiations  

Coordination of Junior National Teams

Junior and Youth age teams are the future of Australia’s success in the years to come. WPA supports Junior and Youth teams through dedicated camps and tours as part of the top end of the representative pathway for water polo athletes and coaching staff. 

Coordination National Representative Teams

As part of the representative pathway; WPA also supports the selection and touring of key representative teams such as the University games teams and Australian country teams and coaching staff for international opportunities. 

Athlete Wellbeing

WPA dedicated specialised resources to support the mental wellbeing and practicalities of balancing elite sporting demands and working/life responsibilities. 

Pathway opportunities and programs 

WPA aims to provide guidance for the various stages along the representative pathway; at a national, state and local level; to maximise the development opportunities and tools for athletes and team officials.

Contact your State Association and/or your Club to understand the value and services offered by your State and/or Club respectively.