School Liaison Policy

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Approval

This School Liaison Policy was adopted by the Committee Elect on the 3rd March 2026. The record of this is formalised in the meeting minutes of the Committee Meeting of the 3rd March 2026. 

Guiding Principles

This School Liaison Policy is guided by WWPC’s principles, which are:

Empower -Our athletes, coaches and officials take up opportunities which are provided to contribute towards their own success.

Encourage - Our athletes, coaches and officials develop their skills and abilities in a team lead environment.

Engage - Our athletes, coaches and officials respect the game of water polo in a fair and challenging way, with respect to each other, other clubs and officials. We support each other in and around the pool, by being role models for each other to inspire others in our love of the sport.

School Liaison Policy Objectives

This School Liaison Policy is guided by the following objectives:

  • To create a framework and clear guidelines around what services and/or support WWPC can provide to schools at all levels of school education (Years 1 - 13).

  • The overarching objective is to  promote the growth of water polo in schools with the aim that the majority of players within those schools will become affiliated to WWPC.

  • Intermediate and Secondary schools almost always have a dedicated sports coordinator who has the responsibility within their school to implement and manage sports programs - the expectation is that those coordinators will exclusively own that responsibility as they see fit within their own schools..

  • Placing the responsibility on the schools will build resilience within the school water polo programs and therefore foster the growth of water polo within a school.

  • WWPC does not intend on providing personnel (e.g. coaches, managers, coordinators) or equipment (e.g. balls and caps), to the school programs but could do short term loans of resources to help establish a program.

  • WWPC will not be trying to influence the appointment/selection of any team officials or players within any school teams. 

  • The exception is the current (2026 onwards) Flippaball program that does require WWPC coaching and management input.

  • The overarching emphasis is on schools taking responsibility for implementing and managing their own water polo program so that they can become self-sufficient.

School Liaison Process

The school liaison process is managed by nominated members/s of the WWPC committee. 

  1. The WWPC committee will appoint a committee member (‘The Member’) to be the holder of the school liaison portfolio.

  2. The member will be expected to report progress back to the committee on a quarterly basis.

  3. The member will oversee the establishing and maintaining of a data base of schools that will be liaised with which will include, but not be limited to, tracking of contacts made with the schools.

  4. The member will maintain an information pack that will be provided to schools.  The information will include, but not be limited to a covering letter introducing the WWPC and outlining the broad services we offer (including the discounted registration pathway), an up to date table of WWPC leagues available to schools, links to the WWPC web, social media and registration sites, general information about playing, coaching and refereeing paths available at WWPC, Auckland Water Polo and Water Polo New Zealand.

  5. The member is free to, and is encouraged to utilise the assistance of the extended WWPC cohort to assist in delivering the message to schools.

Services WWPC will offer school students - Flippa Ball

A program for students to play Flippa Ball.

  1. In the current format, students enrol as individuals as opposed to school teams.

  2. Coaches and parent help. 

  3. Equipment to play Flippa Ball during the program times, namely playing caps, balls and goals.

  4. Appropriate fees will be charged by WWPC.

  5. A discounted membership into WWPC while a fee paying participant in the Flippa Ball program.

Services WWPC will offer schools - Water Polo

  1. A platform for school teams (combined school teams are allowed with approval) to play water polo, which will be leagues governed by WWPC (e.g Friday night Intermediate League).

  2. Training space for school teams booked by WWPC administrator and then offered to school teams.

  3. Equipment to train for water polo at West Wave, namely training caps, balls, cones and goals.

  4. Equipment to play water polo at WWPC league games at West Wave, namely playing caps and balls if required (encouragement for schools to purchase their own equipment but while a school establishes their own program loan equipment can be made available for use at West Wave).

  5. Appropriate fees will be charged by WWPC.

  6. A discounted membership into WWPC while a fee paying participant in any WWPC governed school league. 

Complaints

Any complaints related to the school liaison policy are to be made following the WWPC Complaints Policy.

Other Policies

This policy is intended to be read and considered in conjunction with all other WWPC policies and procedures, in order to guide the relevant conduct of all persons affiliated to WWPC.