VICTORIAN WATER POLO INCORPORATED ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008 VWPI Annual Report 2007-2008 VWPI Annual Report 2007-2008 BOARD 2007-2008 COACHES AND MANAGERS PRESIDENT ELITE DEVELOPMENT CENTRE - MEN Rob Gronow Coach – Peter Smith Asst Coach – Travis Bloom VICE PRESIDENT ELITE DEVELOPMENT CENTRE - WOMEN Michael Weiner Coach – Greig Richardson SECRETARY Coaching Support – Lynne Morrison Darren McClafferty U/20 BOYS FINANCE DIRECTOR Coach – Peter Smith Manager – Nigel Kain Vacant U/20 GIRLS COMPETITIONS & REFEREES DIRECTOR Coach – Greig Richardson Ted Donovan Manager – Lynne Morrison COACHING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR U/18 BOYS Annabel Sides Coach – Travis Bloom Manager – Iain Lark MARKETING DIRECTOR U/18 GIRLS Perry Gaylard Coach – Greig Richardson Asst. Coach – Ali Gronow OFFICE STAFF Manager – Lynne Morrison Jon Sieben – Executive Officer U/16 BOYS September 2007 – January 2008 Coach – Luke Gavin Shane Oliver – Executive Officer Manager – Anthony Edwards February 2008 - Current U/16 GIRLS Tony Ryan – Administration Officer Coach – Kirsten Binnie July 2007 - Current Manager – Jo Grahame Sam Oliphant – Bookkeeper U/14 BOYS - EASTCOAST CHALLENGE July 2007 – March 2008 Coach – Anthony Edwards Carmen Stocks – Bookkeeper Manager – Lyn Celotti April 2008 - Current U/14 GIRLS - EASTCOAST CHALLENGE Jo Fox – Sports Development Officer Coach – Jo Fox July 2007 – June 2008 Manager – Nigel Kain HONORARY SOLICITOR SCHOOLBOYS John Howie Coach – Chris Gronow Manager – Bill Flanagan SCHOOLGIRLS Coach – Hayley Morrison Manager – Amy Scattolin VWPI Annual Report 2007-2008 PRESIDENT’S REPORT Congratulations to all those members selected as State, National League and Australian representatives either as players Once again I have great pleasure in or officials. The EDC program is having an presenting this Annual Report for Victorian impact on player development which is now Water Polo Incorporated (VWPI) for being borne out in many competition results. 2007/2008. Many thanks go to Australian Water Polo for their continued support of the program in It has been a fruitful twelve months and VWPI Melbourne. has continued to develop and grow. The Board has restructured staffing arrangements The bulk of our funding is still provided from and administrative processes which have members’ registrations and match fees. resulted in greater efficiencies. A new full Continuing Government grants were also time Executive Officer has been appointed received from both VicHealth and SRV which and we welcome Shane Oliver on board. mainly contribute to our development programmes. These grants will be repeated I would also like to thank all those who in the forthcoming year and certainly do ensure our sport is administered and assist in implementing the programmes in our managed in a very professional manner. strategic plan. Fees are being indexed to CPI Special thanks go to Board members who and will be passed onto members which have spent a lot of their personal time in should have only a marginal flow on effect in managing their various portfolios and in some the 2008/2009 financial year. cases assisting in other areas. Our contracted part time office staff also deserves Finally, on behalf of VWPI I would like to many thanks, Sam Oliphant in accounts, Jo express our great appreciation for the Fox in development and Tony Ryan in continued work done by Ted Donovan. Ted administration and competitions. has served Victorian Water Polo tirelessly Unfortunately both Sam and Jo called it quits over many decades, including many years as late in the year. Carmen Stocks has replaced a Board member, predominately in the role of Sam and the Board is currently interviewing Competitions Director. As we all know, for a Development Officer. I would especially without Ted game nights would not run. Ted like to thank Simon Weatherill and Adam is retiring from his position on the Board Luscombe along with their staff at MSAC for along with its associated responsibilities; all the support they provide to VWPI. They however he will still be involved as a Pool have been extremely flexible and have Controller. worked very closely with Ted Donovan, Competitions Director, in accommodating our Ted is synonymous with Victorian Water Polo needs. Finally, thanks to all the competition and we wish him all the best as he takes life a coordinators, pool controllers, referees, little bit easier. coaches, managers and officials who put in an enormous amount of work into making our sport the success it is. Rob Gronow President – VWPI The construction of the raiseable floor at the outdoor pool at MSAC was completed on time and within budget. We are back to gaining access to the new facilities from 6:30pm onwards in the evenings and early in the mornings. The evening timeslots mean greater flexibility for junior game sessions at reasonable hours. Junior participation has dramatically increased however continued effort needs to be maintained in the area of junior development. The obvious growth still emanating from the increasing popularity of the sport in schools is welcoming. VWPI Annual Report 2007-2008 VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT merits with appropriate recommendations to the Board. It is recommended that the Over the course of this year the role of Vice next Board implement enhanced President has focused on governance, policy education, professional development and and administration. There have been a supervision for officials to improve number of accomplishments this year in the professional standards and provide a following areas: better service to our members. Administration • A volunteer Member Protection Officer is needed to help address specific issues • Appointment of a full-time Executive Officer in conjunction with the President referred to the Board. and Coaching Director. Jon Sieben was • The Constitution also needs to be appointed to the position but unfortunately modernized to better serve the needs of resigned after a few months. Shane the Board and members. Oliver was subsequently appointed to the • The Competition By-Laws also need to be role. Shane has provided excellent updated regarding eligibility provisions for support to the Board and has been Division 1 as there have been a number instrumental in securing additional of exceptions that have been requested funding to VWPI to progress with by clubs and permitted by the Board. A additional strategic initiatives as well as strategic review is recommended for the introducing a number of initiatives to Competition structure supported by improve administration practices in the relevant Competition By-Laws. VWPI office. • Assistance to the Executive Officer to Michael Weiner appoint an IT Service Provider and Vice President – VWPI establish new computer capabilities within the office to enable better sharing of computer resources, external access to the office software, data backups and ongoing support. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Collaboration with the Victorian Country On behalf of the Association, the Board Water Polo Association to streamline the sincerely thanks the following people and registration process for those who organizations for their co-operation and participate in Victorian Country support through the year; Championships. • The Victorian Minister for Sport, the Judicial Honourable James Merlino MP; • Completion of a VWPI Judicial Policy. • VicHealth; This document outlines the processes to • Department of Planning and be followed in the case of reports by Community Development (Sport and referees or other breaches of VWPI Recreation Victoria); Policies such as Codes of Conduct. Report books have been created to • Australian Water Polo Inc; enable referees to quickly complete • State Sports Centre Trust; match reports during a game to enable • Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre; players to be notified of a reportable offence and the basis for the report. • City of Booroondara; • A number of Tribunal Appeals have been • South Yarra Fitness Centre (Melb High); investigated and addressed. Recommendations of the future: • A matter of concern has been the increasing number of written complaints to the Board by members against officials. Each matter has been investigated on its VWPI Annual Report 2007-2008 REPORT OF OPERATIONS - 2007- 2008 COMPETITIONS REPORT VWPI State Office National 2007 saw significant change within the VWPI Medals were scarce for Victorian age-group State Office. It was a time for re-organisation teams in National competitions over the year with the result being a full time Executive with the Junior 20/U Men being the only Officer and Sports Development Officer being success bringing home the bronze. However, appointed. These appointments were made it was pleasing to see that teams were mostly due to the hard work put in by the board and competitive and showed continued staff members resulting in grants from Sport improvement. & Recreation Victoria and VicHealth. The Board opted not to enter a Victorian A major focus for the 2008 – 2009 year will representative team in the 14/U National Club be closer ties between the VWPI State Office Championships. However, Melbourne and clubs which has been recognised as an Collegians sent a club team which finished in th area for improvement. a creditable 5 place in a strong 15 team competition. Additional new technology has been installed in the VWPI office that, together with a full- The School Boys and Girls teams both time office manager, will greatly improve enjoyed success in Brisbane with silver and office productivity. bronze medals respectively. The standings for all