USA Water Polo – Southwest Zone Olympic Development Program

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The Southwest Zone Olympic Development Program (ODP) Training Camp on November 28-29 at the Southlake-Carroll ISD Aquatic Center (North Texas) is coming up very quickly.  The final Southwest Zone ODP Training Camp will be January 2-3 at the Pearland ISD Natatorium (Houston area).  All of the upcoming Southwest Zone ODP Training Camps will have National Team ODP Coaches/Southwest Zone ODP Coaches working with the athletes and teaching/coaching the athletes.  Each Training Camp will work on distinct aspects of game (different from camp to camp) and build on the previous camp so it is good to attend as many camps as possible (participants will need to sign-up/pay for each camp separately).  The Southwest Zone ODP Training Camps are open to ALL USAWP Gold athletes Born in 98, 00, 02 & Younger.  Below are the USA Water Polo ODP Overview, age groups, online registration links, Southwest Zone Coaches, etc. for the Southwest Zone Training Camps.   In order to be identified for a Southwest Zone ODP team roster, an athlete must attend at least ONE Training Camp (including the ODP Camp in Austin this past September).  Southwest Zone Teams will be announced AFTER the final Training Camp in January via email.  Athletes selected to a Southwest Zone ODP team will have additional training in January-February and attend the USA Water Polo ODP National Championships in February-March 2016.

 

Southwest Zone ODP Age Groups/Coaches:  In addition to the Southwest Zone Coaches listed below, there will be National ODP Coaches attending each Training Camp.  For the Southlake (North Texas Area) Training Camp on November 28-29, Natalie Benson (Cadet Girls National Team Head Coach/Marist College Head Coach/Two Time Olympian), Nikola Malezanov (Cadet Boys National Team/Pittsburgh Water Polo), and Betsy Armstrong (Goalie Coach/Three Time Olympian) will be attending.  For the Pearland (Houston Area) Training Camp on January 2-3, Nikola Malezanov (Cadet Boys National Team/Pittsburgh Water Polo), Nicole Davidson (Development Girls National Team/Rose Bowl Water Polo), and Sean Nolan (National ODP Goalie Head Coach Coach) will be attending.

  • Girls Development:  Born in 2002 & Younger, Coach Chris Cullen (Zone Head Coach – Southwest Zone Girls ODP), contact:  ccullen@usawaterpolo.org
  • Girls Cadet:  Born in 2000 & Younger, Coach Hannah Dore
  • Girls Youth:  Born in 1998 & Younger, Coach Sabrina Carlile
  • Boys Development:  Born in 2002 & Younger, Coach James Smith (Zone Head Coach – Southwest Zone Boys ODP), contact:  jsmith@usawaterpolo.org
  • Boys Cadet:  Born in 2000 & Younger, Coach TJ Mankiewicz
  • Boys Youth:  Born in 1998 & Younger, Coach Spencer Dornan

Southwest Zone Training Camp Dates, Locations, and Online Sign-up Links:  The Southwest Zone ODP Training Camps are open to ALL USAWP Gold athletes Born in 98, 00, 02 & Younger.  In order to register online for a specific Training Camp, athletes must login at www.usawaterpolo.org and sign up/make payments at the following links (sign-up/pay for each camp separately).  Online Registration for the Training Camps will be closed on Wednesday evening prior to each Training Camp.  There is also a cap of 100 campers (boys/girls combined) at all three Training Camps.  Athletes that were part of a National Team roster in 2015 must still attend ONE camp to continue in the pipeline if they are in High School/Middle School. High School Athletes born in 1997 are welcome to attend the Training Camps, but are ineligible for the Zone Team rosters.  Those 1997 & OLDER athletes that have previously been identified will receive Junior Team invites.

USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program Overview:

  • USA Water Polo ODP Website:  http://www.usawaterpolo.org/odp/
  • Purpose:  The Olympic Development Program will serve as a forum to identify and develop athletes to represent USA Water Polo throughout domestic and international competition. The foundation of the program is a systematic approach to athlete development through a training program that focuses on both the technical and tactical components of water polo while placing a premium on overall physical fitness. This program will also provide a forum where coaches and referees are provided with professional development and to the vision of our Men and Women’s Senior National Team coaches.
  • Objective:  The Olympic Development Program exists to identify and prepare athletes to represent USAWP in international competition; while exposing, educating, engaging and developing all USAWP athletes, coaches and referees to the vision of our Men’s and Women’s Senior National Team Coaches
  • Goal:  The goal is to identify and develop athletes at the USAWP club level and then integrating them into national team pipeline via the Olympic Development Program.