Developing water polo from grassroots to national team activity

The Chief Executives of British Swimming and the Home Nations recently met as they look to strengthen the development of water polo from grassroots through to talent level.

This discussion comes at a time when Swim England has launched a series of regional meetings to engage the water polo community in shaping the future for the sport.

Consultant David Meli will lead the regional work and has also been commissioned by British Swimming to work on a funding submission to UK Sport.

The Home Nations Leadership Group will be renewed, chaired by Fergus Feeney, CEO of Swim Wales. It will include officers from each National Governing Body.

The organisations already work together on a number of initiatives and the meeting was designed to lay the parameters for ongoing partnership work and clarify individual roles and responsibilities.

These partnerships will also continue to explore the potential for collaborative activity.

The Home Nations’ responsibilities are to continue their focus upon the grassroots of the sport, working with coaches and teachers to introduce young people to water polo through the Learn to Swim pathway.

They will also deliver and support competitions, support the capacity-building of clubs and empower the volunteers who provide support, be it as coaches, referees, team managers or one of the many other roles.

In addition, the Home Nations will support their respective talent pathways and national team activity which will dovetail into an international competition pathway for British representative teams under the management of British Swimming.