Welcome to our July newsletter! As we wrap up an exciting June filled with coaching development programs, athlete achievements, and participation growth, we're thrilled to share the latest updates from the Water Polo NSW community. From our successful Coffee Club series for female coaches to celebrating our athletes international performances and announcing our new Performance Pathways team, this issue is packed with inspiring news. Read on to discover last month's highlights and the exciting opportunities coming in July and beyond.

WPNSW/Sport House Office Relocation: We've Moved!

We're excited to announce that Water Polo NSW has officially relocated! Our team is now settled in our new home.

📍 Our New Address:

Sport House Level 2, 6B, Figtree Drive, Sydney Olympic Park 2127

Water Polo NSW Launches the WPNSW Coffee Club to Empower Female Coaches

Over the past month, the WPNSW Coffee Club series has delivered exceptional value to female coaches across New South Wales. This innovative online program has brought together elite coaching talent from Australian water polo to share insights, experiences, and wisdom with our coaching community.

Series Highlights

The journey began with Kate Pipkin current Aus U20 women's assistant coach, this was followed by Olympic gold medallist Taryn Woods, who explored the core motivations that drive great coaching and then by Jacki Northam, Assistant Coach at the NSW Institute of Sport, who guided participants in evaluating their current coaching landscape and identifying growth opportunities. Bec Rippon, Head Coach of the Australian Stingers, and Assistant Coach Eddie Dennis then provided invaluable perspectives on setting meaningful coaching goals and building sustainable development pathways.

Each session, hosted by Dr Damien Taylor, has fostered a supportive and collaborative environment where coaches can connect, share experiences, and refine their craft. Participants have consistently praised the series for its actionable takeaways and the rare opportunity to learn directly from the nation's coaching elite.

If you missed any sessions and want to catch-up you can access the records via our website by clicking HERE

What's Coming Next 

The series has two sessions to go with further information to be shared shortly. The WPNSW Coffee Club is open to female coaches of all experience levels.  

Winter Metro Season Returns

The Winter Metro Season is set to re-start with matches across all divisions as follows:

• Men's Competition: Monday, 29th July 2025
• Women's Competition:Tuesday, 30th July 2025
• Junior Competition: Sunday, 27th July 2025

Don't miss the exciting Winter Metro Grand Finals which will be streamed LIVE on our YouTube channel! Stay tuned for more details on how to watch all the action.

2025 State Championships

Save the Date!

📅 December 1-11, 2025 

📍 Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre

Preparations are underway! More comprehensive information about divisions, registration, and schedules will be available soon. The complete WPNSW Event Calendar for 2025-2026 will be published next month. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for all the latest updates.

We're seeking referees for our competitions. If you're interested in refereeing, becoming a referee or returning to officiating, please fill in the following EOI. 

(Current referees please also fill in)

WPNSW REFEREE EOI 

Meet Our Performance Pathways Team: Shaping Water Polo's Future in NSW

Water Polo NSW proudly introduces our Performance Pathways team who will develop the next generation of water polo talent. Welcome these experts bringing world-class expertise to our programs.

Performance Pathways Manager: Vedran Cirkovic

Vedran joins as our new Performance Pathways Manager, marking a significant advancement for our development initiatives.

Starting at age 7 with Partizan Belgrade, Vedran's career includes playing for Radnički Kragujevac, the Cronulla Sharks, and Serbia's junior national team. With a Sport and Physical Education degree from the University of Belgrade, he brings exceptional knowledge to this role.

His coaching spans school, club, state, national and international levels, most recently as assistant coach for the Aussie Sharks at Paris 2024. This expertise uniquely qualifies him to lead our pathways program.

Performance Pathways Coordinator: Lilli Harris

Lilli Harris supports our vision with her complementary background. A former competitive swimmer, she discovered water polo at Drummoyne Water Polo Club and developed into an elite athlete.

As a NSWIS scholarship holder who competed in the senior women's national program, and with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science, Lilli brings valuable knowledge and experience working with young athletes.

Her competitive background and passion for athlete development make her ideal for nurturing our next generation of water polo talent.

🤽‍♂️ Join us in congratulating Vedran and Lilli as they help shape the future of water polo in NSW! 💙

We're excited to see the positive impact they'll have on our athlete development pathway and the future of our sport.

Australian U20 Men's Team Finishes 10th at World Championship

The Australian U20 Men's Water Polo Team has concluded their campaign at the 2025 World Aquatics U20 Men's World Championships in Croatia with a 10th place finish, gaining valuable international experience.

Water Polo NSW congratulates NSW coaching staff including Head Coach Dragan Bakic (Sydney Uni) and Assistant Coach Dusan Krstic (Cronulla) and all players on their efforts. The experience gained at this championship will be invaluable for these athletes as they continue their development in the sport. Click HERE  to read Water Polo Australia’s wrap-up of the World Championships.

Shoutout to NSW Referee Daniel Bartels who was appointed to the gold medal match! A fantastic achievement and proud moment for the NSW and Australia officiating community. 💙

2025 Academy Program

From May through September 2025, the Water Polo NSW Development Academy Program is bringing together young talent uniting more than 160 athletes across U13 and U15 boys' and girls' divisions. With a focus on high-energy training, elite coaching, and inclusive participation, this statewide initiative is setting a new benchmark in athlete development for NSW.

Alternating Saturday sessions at Ryde and Pymble have created a structured, consistent, and professional training environment. The program blends technical refinement, mental resilience, and a strong sense of community. For many young athletes, it's the first step on a long and exciting journey through the WPNSW pathways.

Congratulations to our NSW athletes selected for the Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers and Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks heading to the 2025 World Aquatics Championships! 💙

Congratulations to our NSW athletes selected for the 20&U Women’s World Championships and 2025 Fisu World University Games 💙 

Assistant Coach, Women's Water Polo

The NSWIS Water Polo Assistant Coach is responsible for the provision of high-performance coaching services to targeted NSWIS scholarship, talented athletes, and national/emerging athletes with the goal of optimising the performances of these athletes nationally and internationally at benchmark events. The role will focus on providing coaching assistance and support to the Women’s head coach in the delivery of the respective NSWIS programs. This is a full-time role.

For further information about the role and the key accountabilities please see the job description.

Local Sport Grant Program 2025: Applications Now Open!

The Local Sport Grant Program aims to increase regular and ongoing participation opportunities in sport in NSW. Since its establishment in 2015/16, more than $37 million in funding has been provided to sporting organisations.

Through this Program, the Office of Sport is working towards achieving:

• Sector Growth: Supporting the sector in adapting and growing sport and active recreation at all levels across NSW.
• Facilities and Spaces: Enabling an inclusive and accessible network of facilities and places for sport and active recreation.
• For all People: Facilitating increased opportunities for inclusion in sport and active recreation so every person in NSW can participate throughout their whole life.

Grant Details

💰 Grants between $2,000 and $20,000 are available

🏊‍♀️ Open to incorporated, not-for-profit sporting related clubs and associations

💵 Up to $50,000 available in each electorate

📅 Applications close at 1pm, Monday 18 August 2025

🏆 Grants awarded in March 2026

⏱️ All projects must be completed by September 2027

For more info Click Here 

Wyong Cup is back in 2025 bigger and better. Come join Wyong Water Polo for a weekend of senior social water polo in the Fast 5's format at Wyong Pool. Wyong Cup is a high-energy social competition bringing together players of all skill levels for a thrilling day of fast, fun, and competitive water polo. With short-format games, plenty of action, and a great community vibe, Wyong Cup is expanding to a new level in 2025. 🤽🏻‍♀️

Dear Water Polo NSW Family,

 It’s been a productive and exciting month at Water Polo NSW, and I’m pleased to share some key developments from June.

Our WPNSW board and exec team has been hard at work planning for the future, and I’m proud to report that from your feedback we now have a draft of the WPNSW Strategic Plan that will guide our direction from 2025 through to 2032. This is a significant milestone, and we’re committed to building a strong, sustainable future for water polo across the state. 

The next step in this process is engaging with our community. We’ll be meeting with Presidents of our Clubs and Associations in the coming week to gather feedback and ensure the plan reflects the needs and aspirations of our members.

In addition, we’ve finalised the draft Regional Service Plans, which aim to create more opportunities for collaboration across regions. These plans focus on improving retention and participation at all levels of the game and will be vital to strengthening our sport’s foundation throughout NSW.

Thank you to everyone involved so far your support and input are essential as we continue working together to grow water polo in our state.

Yours in water polo,
Lucy

📬 Stay Connected: We Want to Hear from You!

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We'll dive right in and get back to you as soon as possible!

Thanks for being part of our water polo community. See you poolside next month! 🤽‍♂️🤽‍♀️