ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2 CEO REPORT 3 A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD 4 MESSAGE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION 5 OFFICE BEARERS 6 HIGH PERFORMANCE 7 PERSONAL EXCELLENCE 9 REPORT FROM ATHLETE’S COMMISSION 9 NATIONAL PATHWAYS 10 COMPETITIONS & EVENTS 11 NATIONAL WATER POLO LEAGUE 12 REFEREES REPORT 13 PARTICIPATION REPORT 14 MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS 15 STATE REPORTS 16 INTERNATIONAL RESULTS 20 NWPL RESULTS 25 NATIONAL RESULTS 26 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 27 FINANCIAL REPORT 28 Photos: Anthony Pearse 1 PRESIDENT’S REPORT The past year has seen continuing now is to leverage this increased profile to Jane is a London bronze medalist and is progress on our objectives of raising the secure commercialisation arrangements to currently Secretary of the Water Polo Athletes profile of our sport and modernising our benefit the sport. Commission and a former director of Water Polo governance. Queensland. On the governance front, our principal funder, As mentioned in last year’s report the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), has As we advised earlier in the year, our CEO Chris we have engaged Beyond the Break, commenced a process of encouraging the Harrison, decided that he would make the a commercial sports consultancy, National Sporting Organisations (including Water Rio Olympics his last as CEO of WPA and we to assist us in developing and Polo) to review their organisational efficiency. transitioned to our new CEO, Christian Renford implementing our social media We have started discussions with our member in September this year. strategy. The aim being to states to consider the opportunities that exist As I said at our Rio farewell lunch, everyone substantially increase the in water polo in this regard and we expect this involved in water polo owes Chris a huge debt exposure and recognition of consultative process to produce some agreed of gratitude for his contribution to our sport water polo as a sport. This will initiatives during the year ahead. during his nearly seven years as CEO. Please help in increasing participation We continued to progress our strategies to see our longest serving director, David Martin’s in the sport and provide a more expression of the board’s gratitude elsewhere in increase participation in water polo. The Flippa compelling value proposition this Annual Report. I’d like to wish Chris all the Ball program, our entry level game, is growing for potential sponsors and best in the next challenge he undertakes. commercial partners. quickly and is now part of the ASC Sporting Highlights of this strategy Schools program. In addition our Think.Act.Play Our new CEO, Christian, comes to us from his over the past 12 months sportsmanship initiative has engendered a lot of role as CEO of New Zealand Swimming. He was have included a doubling positive feedback – including from other sports. previously CEO of NSW and then Queensland of our Facebook and In response to requests from the States we Rowing. He started his sport administration Instagram followers, will also be rolling out a community coaching career at Surf Lifesaving, which was his sport significantly exceeding program in coming months. as a competitor. As a grandson of the legendary the targets we set at marathon swimmer Des Renford he obviously Suzie Fraser retired as an appointed director the beginning of the has aquatic sport in his blood! during the year and we thank her for her very year. In addition we considerable contribution to our sport both as an Thank you to my colleagues on the WPA board secured substantial for their commitment and insight and the elite player and bronze medallist at the Beijing mainstream media hard working WPA staff for their enthusiastic Olympics and as a Water Polo Australia Director coverage in the contribution during the year. (WPA). lead up to the Rio Olympic Games. Jane Moran joined the board during the year Phil Garling Our challenge as an appointed director to replace Suzie. President 2 CEO REPORT With the Rio Olympic Games drawing closer, we believe and the Australian Human Rights Commission to develop The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), ASC, AIS and our our teams are better prepared than ever before and we are inaugural national index for inclusion of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Institute network. excited about their prospects on the world stage. Trans and or Intersex employees, customers and players in I take pride in being able to point to our funding investment The Australian men’s team, the Aussie Sharks have come a Australian sport. This is an important step in the continued from the Government increasing from $1,700,000 in 2009 to long way in the past 24 months under the guidance of coach, growth of water polo in Australia and to ensure that our staff $3,600,000 in 2016. Our turnover has increased from close to Elvis Fatovic and his defensive mantra. Our men can now and members are supported in their sporting pursuits. The $2,000,000 to $6,500,000. We also unified the sport in 2013 sustain a strong defensive stance, mistakes are less frequent Inaugural “Pride Cup” was hosted by the Victorian Seals on 5 with a single brand, and we moved into state of the art offices and a willingness borne from fitness is unquestioned. February 2016 and was a great success. at Sydney Olympic Park, which has improved our ability to Congratulations to our women’s captain Bronwen Knox who On a sad note, the very tragic news of the passing of Cole service our members and has allowed us to move with the played her 300th game for Australia against the Netherlands Miller on 4 January 2016 hit our very closely knit water polo times and thrive against our peers. at the FINA World Championships in Kazan in July 2015. community. An overwhelming outpouring of grief through I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners, This is an outstanding achievement that sees Bronwen join social media exemplified the huge respect held for the Miller AOC, ASC, AIS and each of the State and Territory Institute Melissa Rippon as the only other athlete to play more than family. Cole will forever be in our thoughts and prayers. and Academies of Sport. Without the additional funding and 300 games for Australia. By Rio Bronwen will be the most In funding this year, WPA was one of the major benefactors shared expertise our sport would not enjoy the success that it capped women’s player in Australian history. in the latest round of high performance funding under the achieves. The Australian women’s team, the Aussie Stingers, finished Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) ‘Australia’s Winning Edge’ Thank you to the States for their willingness to be part of a fourth in Kazan after suffering a gut wrenching 12-10 penalty (AWE) investment model, being awarded additional monies journey to ensure the sport says fresh and continues to grow shootout loss to Italy in the bronze medal decider. The in the 2015/16 AWE cycle. This was a good result for us that and of course to our team at the office who have provided team claimed the silver medal at the FINA World League reflected our team’s commitment and also the growing remarkable support. strength of our presence in the sporting arena. Intercontinental Tournament in Texas, after a narrow 6-5 Special mention also needs to go to the fabulous athletes and defeat to the USA in the final. As well as enhancing our High Performance reach, WPA and their support teams including their parents, who co-invest The National Water Polo League (NWPL) Final returned to I are committed to increasing participation and membership in our sport with money, time and through volunteering to Melbourne after more than 20 years, where the top six men’s in our sport. We thank the ASC for the larger investment ensure their children have the best possible chance to fulfil and women’s teams from around the country battled it out in development that allowed us to employ both a dedicated their dreams. development manager and a pathways manager. This from 11-13 March. It was the final no one had predicted, but it On an international level we are grateful for and acknowledge delivered the biggest finish. UWA Torpedoes walked away with certainly will assist us in our goals of greater participation and sustainability. the ongoing work of Peter Kerr on the FINA Doping Panel, their first ever NWPL title after winning the penalty shoot-out John Whitehouse in his role on FINA’s Technical Water against the home side Victorian Seals 13-11. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the Australian Polo Committee, and Russell McKinnon as the FINA Media Sydney University women’s side made history winning the Government through the Australian Sports Commission Committee representative. (ASC) for the funding under the Australian Government Club’s first ever National Water Polo League women’s title. Finally I would like to show my appreciation to the Water Polo They came from behind to claim 12-8 victory over 2015 Direct Athlete Support program for the year ended 30 June 2016. This valuable support helps assist our athletes in their Australia board led by President, Mr Phil Garling of whom I champions the Brisbane Barracudas in what was a physical am indebted to, for the support and strategic advice provided and closely fought game. preparation and commitment required to be a Australian representative athlete. during the year. Thank you. Water Polo Australia (WPA) joined the National Rugby League (NRL) as the second sporting organisation to become I have a tremendous amount of satisfaction looking back Christopher Harrison members of the Australian employer support program on what has been achieved in the six and a half years I have Chief Executive Officer ‘Pride in Diversity’, which is a not for profit organisation been with WPA.