Senior National Team & High Performance Program
2021-2028 Quadrennial Training Delivery
This document is to inform key stakeholders of an enhancement of the training delivery of Water Polo Canada’s Senior National Team Programs over the next two Olympic cycles (Paris 2024 & Los Angeles 2028).
Arising from three critical debriefing processes1 over recent years, both the Men’s and Women’s National Team are leading efforts to address critical gaps in our pursuit of Olympic excellence. Water Polo Canada is exploring avenues to enhance the delivery of the daily training environments (DTE) across the country by providing similar level programming that exists at the National Training Centre (NTC) in Montreal to selected regions throughout Canada. With the expansion of High Performance Centres WPC hopes to address the critical gaps in programming across Canada.
1. Athlete development and retention
2. Increase visibility and opportunity for athletes
3. Access to quality domestic & international games
4. NSO, PSO, Club alignment
Starting in September 2021 athletes in the Montreal National Training Centre or any High Performance Centres will be provided equal opportunity to make the Senior National Team. Water Polo Canada will explore the feasibility of starting in regions with established RDC programs Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Toronto and with immediate expansion to the Greater Vancouver Area. High Performance Centres will operate from September to May allowing athletes to pursue academia or lifestyles beyond Montreal while continuing their pursuit of Olympic Excellence.
Athletes will have access to high performance training in various cities across Canada. This will automatically improve the daily training environment for athletes in those regions while also fostering the growth of the Senior domestic competition structure by enabling athletes to train and compete with their local senior club program.
1 Three Debrief processes include Men’s Quadrennial Debrief (May 2020), Women’s 2019 Annual Debrief, Men’s 2021 Olympic Qualification Review completed with the Senior National Team Staffs and ran in collaboration with key Canadian High Performance Partners (Own the Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee and INS-Quebec).
Senior National Team Talent Pool (SNTTP): The Senior National Team Talent Pool are any athletes eligible to represent the Senior National Team.
Podium Pathway Talent Pool (PPTP): The Podium Pathway Talent Pool are any athlete who are eligible to represent a Provincial Team, Age Group National Team, or Senior Development Team. These athletes are committed to the identified High-Performance stream of the Athlete Pathway in their respective region.
National Training Centre (NTC): Water Polo Canada’s base of operations for its High-Performance programs located at the INS-Quebec in Montreal, QC.
High Performance Centre (HPC): will run regional high performance training programs aimed at enhancing the daily training environment, evaluation, and monitoring of athletes within the SNTTP between the months of September and May of the Calendar year. Locations that are operating a HPC will have their RDC integrated.
Regional Development Centre (RDC): will run regional development training programs aimed at training enhancement, evaluation and monitoring of athletes within the Podium Pathway. Athletes aged 15-19+. Mixed pool of athletes that are both SNTTP and PPTP athletes.
NATIONAL HIGH PERFORMANCE PARTNERS
Canadian Olympic Committee
Canadian Olympic & Paralympic Sport Institute Network
Institut national du sport du Québec
PROVINCIAL SPORT PARTNERS
Alberta Water Polo Association
2021-2028 QUADRENNIAL TRAINING DELIVERY
Senior National Team programs will be moving to a seasonal centralization approach supported by the sustainable development of High Performance Centres in identified major regions across Canada.
In collaboration with their National, Provincial, Municipal and other Sport Partners WPC will engage in a process of establishing High Performance Centers across Canada. These High Performance Centres led by WPC and operated collaboratively with our Provincial Sport Organizations will ensure that athletes have access to the appropriate level of Daily Training Environment for a National Team Athlete.
The centralization periods for the Senior National Team programs will occur during the following periods at our primary National Training Centre at the Institut national du sport du Québec.
Disclaimer: The below periods are tentative and subject to change. These periods described do not include blocks of time for training camps or competitions between the months of September to May of the competition season.
2021-2024 Paris Quadrennial
2024-2028 Los Angeles Quadrennial
*Extended centralized periods to support performance at major events including Olympic Qualification events and the Olympic Games.
The National Training Centre will continue to operate in collaboration with Water Polo Quebec to provide High Performance training for all National Team athletes who wish to train in Montreal.
Concurrently, WPC will be broadening the Senior National Team staff by investing in the coaching infrastructure at identified High Performance Centres. This strategy will allow for WPC to effectively transition to our new training approach.
Although specific details will be confirmed in the coming months WPC believes that bringing opportunity to multiple regions in Canada will support the long-term nationwide growth of High Performance athletes while stimulating a healthy return to sport from the Covid-19 Pandemic.
More information will be circulated in the coming months through our normal WPC & PSO communication channels.
Disclaimer: WPC will put forth a strategy to maximize the number of National Team Athletes training in the Fall of 2021 should the Covid-19 Pandemic impose increased restrictions.
