Better coaches.
Better water polo.
Practical learning, shared knowledge and opportunities that help Auckland coaches grow their confidence and improve the experience they create for players.
A great coach does more than teach tactics. They shape confidence, enjoyment, standards and the experience players have every time they walk onto pool deck.
Auckland Water Polo's role is to complement the work happening inside our clubs by creating regional learning opportunities, connecting coaches with experienced practitioners and making it easier to share knowledge across Auckland.
The whole coach.
Technical knowledge.
Understand skills, positions and the technical detail behind better water polo.
Game understanding.
Build tactical awareness and help athletes understand why, not just what.
People skills.
Create environments where athletes can learn, be challenged and enjoy the game.
Planning.
Turn good ideas into purposeful sessions, seasons and development programmes.
Learn in different ways.
The programme changes through the year. Rather than locking coaching development into one course, AWP uses workshops, practical opportunities and access to experts to support Auckland coaches.
Coach Workshops.
Focused sessions on specific coaching topics, phases of the game, planning, athlete development and practical coaching skills.
Learn from experts.
Holiday Camps bring experienced domestic and international coaches into Auckland, giving local coaches the chance to watch, discuss and learn alongside them.
Technical Meetings.
Rule and competition discussions give coaches the chance to hear directly from experienced referees and ask the questions that affect how teams prepare and play.
See development in action.
Regional athlete development programmes create another opportunity to observe experienced coaches working with ambitious Auckland players.
Coaching is learned by coaching.
Classroom learning has a place, but the most useful development often happens beside the pool: watching another coach communicate, seeing how a drill is adapted, discussing what happened and then trying it yourself.
We want more opportunities for Auckland coaches to learn with each other, not in isolation.
More than Xs and Os.
Build purposeful sessions.
Know what you want athletes to learn and design training that gives them repeated opportunities to do it.
Make the message land.
Give athletes information they can understand, apply and take ownership of.
Keep learning too.
Review what worked, ask questions, seek feedback and adapt as your athletes and teams change.
AWP began expanding regional coach development in 2024.
That programme included coach workshops, access to visiting coaching experts through Holiday Camps and technical meetings around competitions. The format will continue to evolve as we learn what is most useful to Auckland clubs and coaches.
See previous coaching activity →Keep learning.
If you're coaching in Auckland and want to know about upcoming opportunities, or you have an idea for a development session the region would benefit from, talk to us.