USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program 2019-2020

Objective 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

insight into the vision of our Men and Women’s Senior National Team coaches.

ODP – Mission and Operations

Olympic

Development

Program

Overview

USA Water Polo has revised the Olympic Development Program infrastructure

to be more effectively streamlined in terms of communication and operations.

The new infrastructure will provide a direct line of communication from senior

team coaches, zone coaches and administrators back to the High Performance

Director.

The ODP system will involve 13 geographic zones throughout the country.

Each zone will be managed and operated by a zone head coach. Their

responsibilities will include coaching, programming, and administrative duties

in their respective zones as a liaison to USA Water Polo ODP. For a list of

current Zone Head Coaches click here.

Continued on next page

ODP – Mission and Operations

High Performance Organizational Chart

ODP Zone

Locations A national ODP staff provides guidance and interface with the USA Water Polo

Men and Women's national teams. Each zone will have an ODP Zone Head

Coach and at least two age group coaches for each gender.

ODP Training Zones

Midwest

Northeast

Southeast

Central California

Hawaii

Pacific

Coastal California

Pacific Southwest

Southern Pacific

Mountain

Pacific Northwest

Southwest

Great Lakes (Michigan, Ohio and Western PA)

Continued on next page

ODP – Mission and Operations

Zone Age

Groups

Age groups will be determined by birth year:

• Youth age group is born in 2002 and under

• Cadet age group is born in 2004 and under

• Development Age Group is born in 2006 and younger

Athletes will have an opportunity to move up between age groups, if selected

by an ODP coaching staff and/or National Team Staff and/or High Performance

Director. Example: A’04 athlete can be selected to compete with the ’02 group.

Note: Age groups are categorized based on age guidelines that qualifies the

athletes for World Championships, Youth and Junior World Championships,

Pan Am games, etc.

Zone Head

Coaches

Zone Head Coach: Each zone will hire one head coach per zone per gender.

These coaches will be the main point of contact for ODP in that zone area, and

will also coach the youngest age group of Olympic Development in their

respective zone. These coaches will also be responsible for selecting coaches

for other age groups in their respective zones, these zone coaches will be

referred to as Zone Age Group Coaches (ZAGs).

A zone head coach will also have the responsibility of communicating to clubs

in their zones and ensuring clubs have the proper information regarding ODP,

training dates, etc. USA Water Polo strongly believes that this process will

encourage collaboration and communication within zones. Any and all coaches

are encouraged and invited to attend zone camps for professional development.

Coaches can also send athlete recommendations to ZHCs and ZAGs for zone

team selection consideration.

Mental Skills In support of our ODP Coaches, and in the efforts to provide high performance

resources for athletes and coaches, Brian Alexander has been named the

official Mental Skills Coach for ODP. Brian was an NCAA All-American at

UC Santa Barbara and a long time member of the USAWP Senior National

Team. Brian puts out mental skills content and presents at various ODP events

throughout the season. Click here to access the content and learn more about

Brian. Continued on next page

ODP – Mission and Operations

Zone Camps ODP Zone camps will be utilized as a forum to display the ODP system of play.

Both national team coaches and staff from USAWP will work directly with local

staff and athletes to build an effective program in order to select local zone

teams. Each zone will have two ODP zone camps per year, which are open to

any USAWP Silver member. Athletes can attend their own local zone camp or

attend in other zones if desired, but must attend at least one camp in their

USAWP registered zone to be considered for zone team selection.

The hybrid format of the zone camps will be a tryout and training session. Zone

camps will be operated and administered by zone coaches, USAWP national

team staff, select national team pipeline coaches, national goalie coaches, and

the zone head referee. The local staff members will also be responsible for

logistics and operations of the zone camps. The zone staff will report back to

the USAWP national office on dates that best maximize participation within the

zone.

The two zone camps will have different focus areas, allowing for a variety of

opportunities to learn and train. All athletes are encouraged to attend both

camps.

Price structure: Any USAWP Silver or Gold Member within the age groups

may register for zone camps.

- Camp fee is $200 for a weekend camp (outside CA) and $165 for a 1

day camp (in CA)

*NOTE: Special pricing is available for USAWP “Shieldy” members. Upon

registration a discounted rate will appear. More information here.

Coach and Referee Schools will be also held in conjunction with zone

camps. These clinics will be offered once per zone per ODP season. All

coaches and referees are invited to attend. For a list of coach/referee schools

click here.

Continued on next page

Zone Team

In order to be selected to the zone team, an athlete must attend at least one zone

camp within their zone. An athlete can participate in any zone camp.

The goal is to have an athlete evaluated by both local and national staff members

for selection. Athletes will no longer be cut or removed from the camp. After

attending a zone camp, an athlete may be selected by zone staff members and

national team coaches to join the zone team. Coaches can also send athlete

recommendations to ZHCs and ZAGs for zone team selection consideration. An

ODP athlete recommendation form will be emailed to all USAWP coaches via

email.

All USAWP Silver athletes are invited to participate in ODP zone camps to

further develop and improve their skills, even if they do not intend to participate

on the zone team.

Team Layout:

The top 14 athletes in each zone (from the camps) will form the zone teams.

Larger zones will have a 2nd team (“B” team) based on the number of athletes in

those areas. If selected for the zone team, the charge to train and be a member of

that team will be $525 (and requires Gold USAWP membership). This fee

includes participation at the national championship event, on site

accommodations for the event (hotel for all participants and transportation for

zones outside of California once they arrive to host city), and additional zone

training. Team gear carries an additional cost to the athlete.

Applications for financial aid are available to those athletes named and

invited to the Zone Team Roster. Complete the Financial Aide link in the

invite and the High Performance Manager will follow up with the families so

they can complete the registration process.

Born in 2002 All-Stars

The ODP All-Stars program is open to all ‘born in 2002’ athlete, who are not

eligible for selection to Youth Zone Teams. Any athlete born in 2002 who attends

an ODP Camp or who is invited to ODP Academy will be eligible for selection

to the ODP All-Stars. At the conclusion of the last ODP Camp (January 2020) the

top 56 2002 athletes (48 Field Players/8 Goalkeepers) as determined by National

Team staff will be entered into a ‘draft’ process. National team coaches will then

draft each selected athlete onto one of four teams. This will ensure a competitive

tournament and allow athletes to meet and play with other players from around

the country. These four teams (comprised of 12 field players and 2 goalies each)

will compete during the ODP National Championships in their own mini-

tournament, which presents another opportunity to compete in front of National

Team and NCAA coaches.

Each All-Stars team will play four games over the course of the weekend.

The format will be Round-Robin followed by a Championship and Third-Place

game. National Team staff members will coach teams and they will meet on

Friday of the Championship for one training session together prior to the games.

Athletes who are selected to the ODP All-Stars (born in 2002) will be eligible to

be selected to the Youth National Training Selection Camp (NTSC). Cost of the

competition will be $350 and ODP gear will NOT be mandatory to purchase.

Continued on next page

Summary of Programming and Age Groups for 2019-2020 Season

Year of Birth Eligible for: Dates Membership Type

2002 Youth Camp and All-Star Team-High School

Camps Sept-Jan, National Championships February/March

Camps-Silver Nat’ Champs-Gold

2003 Youth Camp and Team Camps Sept-Jan, National Championships February/March

Camps-Silver Nat’ Champs-Gold

2004 Cadet Camp and Team Camps Sept-Jan, National Championships February/March

Camps-Silver Nat’ Champs-Gold

2005 Cadet Camp and Team Camps Sept-Oct, National Championships February/March

Camps-Silver Nat ‘Champs-Gold

2002-2005 Futures Camp-International (Invite only) Early August Gold

2006-2007 Holiday Camp-8th grade Nov-Dec Gold

2006-2009 13 and Under Skills Clinic Sept Trial, Bronze, Silver, Gold

2006 Development Camp and Team

Camps Sept-Jan, National Championships February/March

Camps-Silver Nat’ Champs-Gold

2007 Development Camp and Team

Camps Sept- Jan, National Championships February/March

Camps-Silver Nat’ Champs-Gold

2008 Development Camp and Team

Camps Sept-Jan, National Championships February/March

Camps-Silver Nat’ Champs-Gold

2009 11 and Under Skills Clinic and Festival Camps Oct-Nov, Festival Dec

Trial, Bronze, Silver, Gold

2010 11 and Under Skills Clinic and Festival Camps Oct-Nov, Festival Dec

Trial, Bronze, Silver, Gold

2011 11 and Under Skills Clinic and Festival Camps Oct-Nov, Festival Dec

Trial, Bronze, Silver, Gold

ODP – Mission and Operations

National

Championship

Tournament

Each zone team will compete in the ODP national championship tournament. The

tournament will be comprised of approximately 16 teams from 13 ODP zones.

Each zone will enter one team and the larger zones will enter two teams. The

tournament will start with bracket play comprised of four brackets of four seeded

teams, conducted by the USAWP national staff and the USAWP High

Performance Director.

While the ODP national championship will be centered on competition, another

major component will also focus on athlete development and experience as well

as coaching and referee development. Therefore, ODP and national team staff

will use the ODP national championship tournament as a forum for professional

development for coaches, referees, and athletes.

Locations:

The 2020 ODP National Championship will be held in Riverside -

February 28- March 1 – Boys National Championship

March 13-15 – Girls National Championship

Evaluations:

All athletes participating in the ODP National Championship will receive a

formal evaluation from their zone coach within ten days of the conclusion of the

National Championship tournament.

National Team Training and Selection Camp:

At the National Championship, USAWP will select athletes to move on to the

National Team Selection Camp by USAWP coaches, staff and support members.

National Team Staff will select the top 48 athletes at the youth and cadet age

group. The top 70 athletes will be selected at the development age group. A

minimum of 1-2 athletes per ODP zone will be selected for the youth and cadet

NTSC, while a minimum of 2-3 athletes per ODP zone will be selected for the

development NTSC.

If there are junior national team camps in the year, then athletes for that specific

camp and age group will be invited to attend.

Continued on next page

ODP – Mission and Operations

ODP Pipeline

System

Below you will see the ODP pipeline system and how it feeds towards the

national team programming:

Continued on next page

ODP – Mission and Operations

National

Team

Program

National teams will train and compete domestically and internationally.

The key value of connecting the USAWP ODP program with the national team

system is to streamline the requirement of going through the ODP in order to

be selected to a national team.

Nick Johnson Inspiration Award

The Nick Johnson Inspiration Award, established February 2015, recognizes athletes that fully

embody the vision and values of the Olympic Development Program. The values of the program

are based on the Olympic movement, defined as "Olympism."

"Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of

body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way

of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for

universal fundamental ethical principles."

The values that are derived from Olympism and translated into ODP are the backbone of why the

program exists and what it sets out to pass on to its participants. ODP athletes should have the

utmost respect for their opponents, officials, and the game of water polo. ODP athletes should

strive to maximize their potential as athletes and as people. Nick Johnson was a shining example

of this during his time with us. We hope this award inspires us all to embrace the values of ODP

and be a part of the Olympic movement.

For more information on this award click here.

Continued on next page

Goalkeeper Program

Goalkeepers participating in the ODP program will receive specific goalkeeper training from

experienced goalkeeper coaches through the guidance and leadership of National Goalkeeper

Coach and Olympian Sean Nolan. Each and every zone camp, ODP national championship, and

the national team selection camp will have one or more of the national goalkeeper coaches in

attendance. They will assist the national team pipeline coaches with the selections of the

goalkeepers for the zone teams. In addition to working with the athletes, the national goalkeeper

coaches will work with the zone coaches in order to improve their knowledge base and coaching

skills for the goalkeeper position. Coaches and players will benefit in a variety of ways, through

access to the following materials and resources:

• ODP Goalkeeper Coaching Manual

• Videotaping and video review with athletes and coaches.

• Classroom and on-deck coaching demonstrations and clinics.

• Position specific camps (for certain Zones only).

• In-water breakdown of goalkeeper fundamentals, such as: Base position, triangle positioning, the

lunge and throwing dynamics.

• Demonstration and dissemination of goalkeeper specific drills.

(Including DVD of drills and skills).

Each zone camp will have a different emphasis and learning opportunities. During the first zone

camp, national goalkeeper coaches will focus on the technical skills of being a goalkeeper. For the

second zone camp, the emphasis will shift to the tactical skills that are needed to become a more

complete goalkeeper.

The role of the national goalkeeper coaches will be to implement the technical and tactical skills

developed by the national goalkeeper director, to aid in player selections, and to be a strong

ambassador for the goalkeeper position to our ODP participants.

Referees

The USAWP Referee Association, under the guidance and leadership of Levon Dermendjian, in

collaboration with each Zone Head Referee (ZHR) will provide referees for all ODP events and

trainings and competitions. The USAWP Referee Association will not only oversee the officiating

of scrimmages at zone camps, zone trainings, and national competitions but will also take

advantage of these activities to provide valuable training and professional growth opportunities for

USAWP Referees across the Country. This year, referees will be appointed to officiate a specific

age group at the National Championships to better focus on referee education, growth, and

development. To further enhance the experience, the USAWPR will provide on site evaluation and

mentoring at each of these activities. The Director of Referees will also select referees, with the

endorsement and input of the ZHR, to attend National Team Selection Camps where the

referees will have the opportunity to work with national team athletes and coaches and have an

opportunity to learn the specific instruction given to athletes from national team coaches. This will

provide a forum for coaches and referees to dialogue on connecting the teaching of technical skills

in an effort to standardize application of playing rules across the country.

Additional Camps & Opportunities

Holiday Camps

For nearly 30 years the USAWP Holiday Camps have provided an opportunity for athletes in 8th

grade and younger to train and develop at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Coaches and Referees are also integrated in the camp as a professional development opportunity.

Camps are traditionally in December and the nomination process begins at the Zone level. Click

here for more information.

Co-Ed 11 and under Clinics and Festival

Some Zones will offer ODP training for both boys and girls ages 11 and under. At these trainings

athletes will be exposed to the ODP tactics and technical skills in an introductory manner. The

clinics will culminate in a Festival in December where athletes will play some games before the

Men’s National Team play an Exhibition game against an international opponent. Check with your

Zone staff to see if this available in your area and Click here for more information.

Futures Program

Cadet and Youth International Trip: Early August 2020 in Europe

The purpose of the Futures Program is to invite male and female athletes that have been identified

in the High Performance process of ODP and the National Pipeline Teams. These are athletes that

have shown great potential during the process, however did not make a travel roster for their

respective pipeline teams. The Futures Camp was created to give an additional opportunity for

these select athletes to grow and develop in an Olympic environment before the start of the next

ODP season. We want these athletes to continue their development and to walk away from the

camp with further leadership skills and knowledge to take back to their zones.

The international program will feature domestic training and an international competition in

Europe against club teams from that region and will be organized by DJ Global Wave Sports

Professionals.

ODP Academy

Based on performances in the previous season in the program and pipeline teams, an ODP athlete

may be invited to participate in the ODP Academy. This group is made up of invitation only

athletes hand selected by our National Team staffs from the previous year’s ODP and pipeline

national team season. A first year ODP athlete is not eligible for participation in the Academy.

Training will be held approximately once a month from October through May 2020, and led by

USAWP Senior Team coaching staff. The Academy athletes will then be released to their

respective zone teams for zone training and the ODP National Championships. Specific Academy

training dates will be delivered to the invited athletes after all current pipeline team activities are

complete. The ODP Academy provides our potential future Olympians with year-round training

and instruction from the top of the pipeline.

Key ODP Calendar of Events

Zone Camps September 2019 through January 2020

Zone Team Training

Regional Championship

Selection Tournament

TBD by Zone Staff

Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, and Southeast

Zones Only. Boys and Girls January 10-12, 2020 in

North Carolina

Hawaii, Mountain, Pacific Northwest,

Southwest Zones Only

Boys and Girls, January 10-12, 2020 in Utah

National Championship Boys – February 28-March 1, 2020

Girls – March 13-15, 2020

NTSC

(Selection and Training

Camp)

Boys – April 24 - 26, 2020

Girls – May 22 - 24, 2020

National Pipeline Team

Trainings & Competition

Boys – April through August, 2020

Girls – June through August, 2020

ODP Senior Staff:

ODP Senior High Performance Manager - Anne Laurence - alaurence@usawaterpolo.org

(All operational and logistical questions)

High Performance Coordinator – Meghan Nee- mnee@usawaterpolo.org

ODP Technical Administrator (Boys & Girls) – Bryan Lynton – blynton@usawaterpolo.org

ODP National Goalkeeper Coach – Sean Nolan – snolan@usawaterpolo.org

USAWP Chief High Performance Officer – John Abdou – jabdou@usawaterpolo.org