MELVILLE WATER POLO CLUB VOTED 2011-12 AUSTRALIAN WATERPOLO CLUB OF THE YEAR

At the 2012 Hall of Fame Awards Dinner the Melville Water Polo Club was voted the Australian 2011-12 Water Polo Club of the Year. Congratulations to all MWPC players, coaches, referees, flippaballers, parents and volunteers who have all contributed to this award.

Click on this link for details

WATER POLO INTERVIEWS ON SPORT FM

Click on the links below to hear interviews on Sports FM Radio

NWPL and MWPC Club of the Year Award

Aussie Sharks and Stingers pre Olympic Games preparation

Comedy Night 19 May
Fund Raiser

The MWPC Under 14 Girls are taking on the world at the Pan-Pac's in New Zealand in July 2012 and they need your support!!!

Come have some fun at their fund raising LIVE COMEDY NIGHT, Saturday 19 May. Bring a friend or make up a table for a fun night out.

$30 will get you live entertainment; Buffet dinner included; door prizes, silent auction; and a chance to win other great prizes.

• Download the flyer for our line up.
• Purchase your tickets at MWPC pool reception.

Great value and great fun!!

We welcome any donations / prizes you may be able to contribute.

For more information please call Carolyn on 0418 937 944

Australian Born 1993 Junior Women's and Men's Teams Announcement

The Melville Water Polo Club is well represented in both the Australian Women's and Men's Born 1993 Teams. Selected in the girls squad is Longmont Marlins Goal Keeper Lillian Hedges, whilst the boys are represented by Luca Altieri and Jayden Smith

Click on the links below for Details of the Girls and Boys

Memories of 2000 spur Stingers star Ralph toward London glory

Click on the link for a story on the Olympic journey of Longmont Marlins Star Glencora Ralph

Under 14 Girls High Tea - Guest Speaker Shelley Taylor - Smith

Support the Under 14 Girls by attending the High Tea

Click link for details

Big year planned for Cleland as he chases Olympic dream

Click on this link for the Story about Tim Cleland's Olympic dream

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BORN 1992 TEAMS ANNOUNCED TO COMPETE IN THE 2012 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

The Melville Water Polo Club is well represented in the WA Born 1992 teams to compete at the 2012 Australian Championships

Click on link below for deatils

2011-12 coaching arrangements -
Melville Water Polo Club and Tom Hoad

As many of you are aware Tom Hoad has been a long term member of the Melville Water Polo Club and the international water polo community. Tom has been coaching at Melville on a professional basis for the last 4 years up until August this year.

The Club and Tom have been working through a number of issues that lead to this disruption of Tom's coaching role and happily have now reached an agreement that will see Tom resume his coaching role at the Club immediately. The time taken to resolve this matter has not been ideal and has caused some confusion amongst our Club members and parents for which I apologise. The Club holds Tom in high regard and are confident that we will move forward together and improve on our great Club.

A petition was handed to me at a recent meeting with parents regarding the above. The petition highlighted that the Committee had not communicated adequately regarding the situation. I write to you to start to address this communication matter and provide some context around the situation we find ourselves.

The club is currently reassessing all of its operations with a view to ensuring that we operate in a financially sustainable manner. We operate our own pool facility, run the annual Tom Hoad Cup, and have our own men's and women's teams in the National League. All of these elements represent a drain on resources. The Club is in a sound financial position however the Committee is charged with ensuring that this remains so going forward.

One of the areas being looked at is the matter of coaching. Until quite recently the Club has always operated using volunteer coaches, as does every grass roots sporting club in Australia at a junior level. Indeed, the entire infrastructure you see at Bicton Pool has been built over the years as a result of volunteer labour, or by funds generated from volunteer input. We owe nothing on it, other than the gratitude to those volunteers.

We are now looking at a coaching model whereby we can pay a number of coaches across the junior boys and girls programmes (those involved in the Monday night competition). Until recently Tom was the only professional coach paid by the Club (we have paid a few junior coaches a nominal amount in order to fill gaps in our coaching roster). Part of Tom's coaching fee was covered by fees levied on players, however the majority of his fee was borne by the Club. The Committee took a critical look at the use of Club funds concentrated on one coach and concluded as follows:

1. Financially unsustainable

2. Created a significant disparity with the other largely volunteer coaches

3. Concentrated too many Club funds on one small player group

A system in now being devised that addresses these issues, whilst still allowing us to retain the services of professional coaches such as Tom.

The Club currently levies $60 per month (standard levy) on groups of junior players participating in the Monday night competition. This is split evenly between pool entry and coaching fees. In some instances, the coaches still operate on a voluntary basis and thus the coaching component is used to cover team travel costs, etc.

It is proposed that this system be retained (amount may be varied depending upon the final business plan) and thus there will be no change for the majority of junior players. We will also continue to rely heavily on volunteer coaches.

In the case of the costs associated with Tom's coaching fee, the Club will look at avenues to utilise Tom's skills in other areas to help offset some of the associated costs, however a parent group associated with boys to be trained by him, and other individuals willing to contribute funds, have undertaken to cover his costs as a professional coach so that the shortfall does not fall to the Club and thus disadvantage other members not directly coached by Tom. This is likely to be in the form of an additional levy to cover the gap between the standard levy and Tom's coaching fee, however further details of this will be provided to the relevant parties shortly.

It is noted that the levy value is likely to be significantly less than comparable elite coaching such as a swimming squad, and thus hope that most parents of kids coached by Tom see value in supporting the efforts to retain him.

We are mindful of ensuring that the kids are not excluded from Tom's coaching on the basis of not being able to afford extra fees, and thus the additional levy will be on a voluntary basis. Selection in teams representing the Club will remain based upon player merit.

Moving forward we want to ensure that all of our junior boys and girls are treated fairly and given the best chance to grow up in a positive sporting environment. Please note that for all of you involved in the Flippa Ball programme, including polo swim, there will be no additional fees applicable.

Our Club is stronger for the involvement of active members and parents and I encourage you to be involved in the Club. We are always after volunteers to help with the myriad of activities we have given that we have our own unique facilities. I have been told that we as a Committee don't ask for help enough. Take this as an open invitation. We are also seeking volunteers for this years Tom Hoad Cup. Please contact Damian Kelly if you can be of assistance.

I trust that the above has clarified some of the issues surrounding the coaching of juniors, and in particular Tom Hoad. If you have any questions arising, please contact our General Manager - Damian Kelly or any of the Committee.

Regards,

Rod Brown

Club President

2011 Tom Hoad Cup Corporate Packages

The Tom Hoad Cup International Water Polo Tournamament is on from the 27 - 30 December 2011 featureing the following International Teams:

China - 2010 Asian Games Sliver Medalist, 11th place at the 2011 FINA World Swimming Championships

Japan - 2010 Asian Games Bronze Medalist, 15th place at the 2011 FINA Worls Swimming Championships

Partizan Belgrade - 2010 EuroLeague Champions

Fremantle Mariners - 2011 Australian National Water Polo League Champions

International Barbarians

Please click on the link for details of the 2011 Tom Hoad Cup Corporate Packages

2012 NWPL Cap Sponsorship Opportunities

Get on board and support the current Australian Mens National Water Polo League Champions, and the fourth place Women, as they again challenge for the 2012 Titles and prepare for the 2012 London Olympics.

Please click on the link for details of the 2012 NWPL Cap Sponsorship Oppertunities. Note scroll down to page 2