CEO Update: Jan - Mar 2026

7 days ago
4 min read

Wow, we are already in April and what a busy start to 2026 we have had!

It has been so good to have multiple events and programs during the first quarter of the year, with so much Water Polo happening across the state!

In addition to the action in the water, Water Polo Victoria was proud to launch our new Strategic Plan, Growing Stronger Together, which provides a clear roadmap for through to 2028. As a sport we have some lofty objectives, and we want to see our great sport grow and thrive as we have one eye on the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.

In the first CEO update of 2026, we look at what has been happening at Water Polo Victoria during the first few months of the year, and what we can look forward to through April & June.

Junior Summer Season Grand Finals

March 29th saw the finale for our Junior Summer competition, the culmination of many months of hard work by players, coaches and clubs. The 2025/26 Grand Finals showcased the best of our junior Water Polo talent, and that atmosphere at MSAC was electric! It was great to see so many junior athletes having fun playing our great sport, and we celebrate all our participants on what was a great season!

Congratulations again to all cubs, award recipients and grand finalists. You can read

all about it here!

A special shout-out to the Geelong Water Polo club on another successful Tri-States tournament in February as well!

Victorian Country Championships

Wodonga played host to another bumper Victorian Country Championships in early February, another successful and enjoyable tournament.

22 teams took to the water, creating an amazing atmosphere across both venues, whilst competition throughout the tournament was fierce, with some nail-bitingly close matches.

The tournament also acted as a selection event for the Australian Country Championships which will be in Ballarat this coming May!

Brighton Baths

Water Polo Victoria hosted our first event in The Brighton Baths in 2026, with 8 clubs involved in the inaugural tournament!

Over 100 athletes took to the water of Port Phillip Bay to play Polo against a stunning backdrop, with DVE Aquatic taking the winners medals on the day.

We look forward to playing more beach polo in 2027 and can't wait to see these events grow and engage more people!

Senior Summer Splash 2026

Our Senior Summer Splash competition ran for its second year, an 8-week

competition across 6 divisions during February and March.

We had an increase of teams compared to the 2025 edition, and saw many great games played in twilight sunshine throughout the competition! Thanks to all clubs, athletes, coaches and referees for their engagement with Summer Splash and we look forward to running it once again in 2027!

Water Polo Victoria Academy & Development Program 2026

WPV launched our new and revamped Academy program as part of our Performance Pathways Programs review.

The program is split into four groups that meet our junior athletes wherever they're on their journey. The new WPV Academy focuses on technical excellence, tactical development, physical preparation, and holistic athlete growth.

Aligned with the WPA x WPV Testing Matrix, athletes participate in regular monitoring across a range of water polo-specific and athletic performance tests, whilst Performance Pathways Manager Rowie Webster provides support for our coaching team and our top HP athletes.

We had excellent numbers of engaged athletes in Term 1 across Aspire, Elevate, Evolve and High-performance groups, and we look forward to another strong term after the school holidays!

AWL Season and VIC Phoenix

The Victorian Phoenix concluded another season of the Australian Water Polo League, with some good results and learnings once again.

Coached by Rowie Webster, the 2026 Phoenix Women’s season was defined by resilience and growth. Throughout the campaign, the team welcomed five debutants, representing a blend of emerging talent from the Future Phoenix pathway and experienced international players. The squad demonstrated determination in challenging conditions, culminating in a strong finish to a difficult Perth road-trip with a well-earned victory.

Several individual milestones also highlighted the season’s success. Four players reached the significant 50-game benchmark, while one player achieved the distinguished milestone of 100 games.

The Men's team saw overall improvements and strong performances during the latest campaign, with some hard-fought victories and narrow defeats throughout. It was also special to have Blake Edwards back in Victoria and playing for the Phoenix in 2026!

Under new head coach, Rowan Bennett, the team narrowly missed out on a final's appearance on the final weekend of the regular season. However, it was promising to see the emergence of young talent, as well as strong showings from veteran players, create a strong environment for the program

We look forward to the next campaign!

Coming up!

Term 2 provides a break from regular club competition, however there are plenty of events across clubland and through WPV to engage with! We know some clubs use this as a time to take some well-earned rest, whilst other organise Come & Try, inter club competitions and social initiatives! We look forward to seeing it all!

Friday Night Social Polo is open to new and current players, and is the perfect way to stay fit, meet new people and play Polo in a social. We start on May 1st, so sign up ASAP to secure your spot!
The Victorian Phoenix awards night is coming up on May 1st, and we invite the WPV community to attend and celebrate our teams. Tickets can be purchased here
Good luck to all our teams, athletes and coaches who are currently participating in the 2026 AYC event in Brisbane!
WPV will be hosting a Senior Regional Gala weekend in Ballarat at the end of May and invite all clubs to participate in this weekend away! The two-day tournament will be a great event to support a growing Water Polo region, and for our community to have a weekend away together! Ask your club about participating!
The WPV State program kicks off with trials on the first weekend of May, it is still not too late for athletes to submit their EOI!