The long-awaited proposal document for the future of English water polo, by the Ian Elliot-led Management Group, was well received when presented yesterday (14 November) to the ASA. It will now go to the ASA Sport Governing Board for further consideration.
There are still understood to be key areas that will be subject to future discussion. "We wait to hear the outcome of those talks," said BWPL chairman David Andrews today. "But this is a strategy that the League has been happy to endorse and we very much hope that this leads to a situation where the EWPMG can truly and positively determine the future of the sport."
Here is a summary of the EWPMG strategy. Read the report in full here.
Governance, Finance & Resources
1. The EWPMG has identified the authorities which must be delegated to the EWPMG in order to manage water polo and deliver the strategic objectives for water polo as set out in the ASA Strategic Review, ‘The Tunnicliffe Review’.
2. Those authorities should be delegated by the ASA to the EWPMG to manage the sport of water polo in England, in line with principles of good corporate governance.
3. There are 2 options for the management of the sport by the EWPMG, namely direct management of ASA staff by the EWPMG, referred to as Governance Option 1, or management by means of an ASA-employed Water Polo Manager accountable to the EWPMG, Governance Option 2.
4. The EWPMG is clear that Governance Option 1 is its preferred option for delivery of the strategic objectives for water polo.
5. The ASA should determine which of the EWPMG Governance Options proposed will best deliver the requirements of the Jan 2015 ASA Strategic Review, ‘The Tunnicliffe Review’, and put the chosen governance option in place as soon as possible.
6. The EWPMG recognises that the only current meaningful and sustainable element of the sport is that managed by the BWPL, and that the BWPL is a major stakeholder across the programmes of England Water Polo.
7. The EWPMG has identified a schedule of resources required from the ASA to deliver management of water polo.
8. The EWPMG has produced a consolidated water polo cost schedule to deliver the strategic objectives for water polo.
9. The ASA must determine a budget, and EWPMG will allocate the budget and resources accordingly to support England Water Polo.
10. The EWPMG should be transparent and report on its progress, and proposes to do so, including by way of an annual report and conference to the water polo community.
11. The EWPMG should be subject to audit, and held accountable by stakeholders for the management of water polo.
12. The volunteer workforce must be supported and developed for all activities.
Marketing & Communications
13. The EWPMG has identified that the aspirational brand values of England Water Polo are athletic dedication, hard work, professionalism and sporting achievement, and has created a visual identity for the brand which is in line with existing ASA brands’ visual identities.
14. The aspirational values of England Water Polo should be adopted by the ASA and the water polo community, and the visual identity of England Water Polo similarly should be adopted and utilised by the ASA.
15. England Water Polo should be promoted by the ASA as a popular, well organised aquatic team sport for males and females, which delivers on its sporting and administrative goals.
16. The EWPMG has demonstrated that well managed social media can be effective in communicating with the water polo community, and that there is an appetite and value in providing comprehensive comms support for our representative teams, and in relation to England Water Polo generally.
17. The EWPMG has identified matters of underperformance in relation to the management and delivery of PR & comms and web-based marketing by the ASA in relation to England Water Polo.
18. The ASA should therefore manage its PR & comms, and web-based marketing effectively, and in particular the ASA should develop the concept of editorial planning, improve the performance of its water polo hub, evaluate the performance of its PR & comms and web-based marketing, and provide appropriate resources, as identified by the EWPMG, in order to support and promote England Water Polo.
Participation
19. A sustainable increase in participation in water polo should be achieved, by means of implementation of a considered participation strategy.
20. There should be an increase in the number of Swim21 water polo centres.
Performance Pathway
21. The England Men’s and Women’s Senior Program should re-commence in 2016.
22. The International Age Group Programme should be re-focussed to encompass age groups within 2 years of competition, in line with the U19 and U17 European competition format.
23. The RTC program for junior athletes should be reviewed and refocussed. Broader engagement with the Regions will be required in order to deliver a credible regional programme of training (RTC) and Competition (Competition Blocks).
24. The junior and senior competition structure should be reviewed and revised to increase the level and number of competitive fixtures.
Match Official Development
25. The number and quality of match officials should be increased by means of a considered programme of changes.
Coach Education and development
26. By means of a comprehensive and affordable education programme, the number and quality of coach and team managers should be increased.
There are still understood to be key areas that will be subject to future discussion. "We wait to hear the outcome of those talks," said BWPL chairman David Andrews today. "But this is a strategy that the League has been happy to endorse and we very much hope that this leads to a situation where the EWPMG can truly and positively determine the future of the sport."
Here is a summary of the EWPMG strategy. Read the report in full here.
Governance, Finance & Resources
1. The EWPMG has identified the authorities which must be delegated to the EWPMG in order to manage water polo and deliver the strategic objectives for water polo as set out in the ASA Strategic Review, ‘The Tunnicliffe Review’.
2. Those authorities should be delegated by the ASA to the EWPMG to manage the sport of water polo in England, in line with principles of good corporate governance.
3. There are 2 options for the management of the sport by the EWPMG, namely direct management of ASA staff by the EWPMG, referred to as Governance Option 1, or management by means of an ASA-employed Water Polo Manager accountable to the EWPMG, Governance Option 2.
4. The EWPMG is clear that Governance Option 1 is its preferred option for delivery of the strategic objectives for water polo.
5. The ASA should determine which of the EWPMG Governance Options proposed will best deliver the requirements of the Jan 2015 ASA Strategic Review, ‘The Tunnicliffe Review’, and put the chosen governance option in place as soon as possible.
6. The EWPMG recognises that the only current meaningful and sustainable element of the sport is that managed by the BWPL, and that the BWPL is a major stakeholder across the programmes of England Water Polo.
7. The EWPMG has identified a schedule of resources required from the ASA to deliver management of water polo.
8. The EWPMG has produced a consolidated water polo cost schedule to deliver the strategic objectives for water polo.
9. The ASA must determine a budget, and EWPMG will allocate the budget and resources accordingly to support England Water Polo.
10. The EWPMG should be transparent and report on its progress, and proposes to do so, including by way of an annual report and conference to the water polo community.
11. The EWPMG should be subject to audit, and held accountable by stakeholders for the management of water polo.
12. The volunteer workforce must be supported and developed for all activities.
Marketing & Communications
13. The EWPMG has identified that the aspirational brand values of England Water Polo are athletic dedication, hard work, professionalism and sporting achievement, and has created a visual identity for the brand which is in line with existing ASA brands’ visual identities.
14. The aspirational values of England Water Polo should be adopted by the ASA and the water polo community, and the visual identity of England Water Polo similarly should be adopted and utilised by the ASA.
15. England Water Polo should be promoted by the ASA as a popular, well organised aquatic team sport for males and females, which delivers on its sporting and administrative goals.
16. The EWPMG has demonstrated that well managed social media can be effective in communicating with the water polo community, and that there is an appetite and value in providing comprehensive comms support for our representative teams, and in relation to England Water Polo generally.
17. The EWPMG has identified matters of underperformance in relation to the management and delivery of PR & comms and web-based marketing by the ASA in relation to England Water Polo.
18. The ASA should therefore manage its PR & comms, and web-based marketing effectively, and in particular the ASA should develop the concept of editorial planning, improve the performance of its water polo hub, evaluate the performance of its PR & comms and web-based marketing, and provide appropriate resources, as identified by the EWPMG, in order to support and promote England Water Polo.
Participation
19. A sustainable increase in participation in water polo should be achieved, by means of implementation of a considered participation strategy.
20. There should be an increase in the number of Swim21 water polo centres.
Performance Pathway
21. The England Men’s and Women’s Senior Program should re-commence in 2016.
22. The International Age Group Programme should be re-focussed to encompass age groups within 2 years of competition, in line with the U19 and U17 European competition format.
23. The RTC program for junior athletes should be reviewed and refocussed. Broader engagement with the Regions will be required in order to deliver a credible regional programme of training (RTC) and Competition (Competition Blocks).
24. The junior and senior competition structure should be reviewed and revised to increase the level and number of competitive fixtures.
Match Official Development
25. The number and quality of match officials should be increased by means of a considered programme of changes.
Coach Education and development
26. By means of a comprehensive and affordable education programme, the number and quality of coach and team managers should be increased.
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