ON POOL DECK WITH THREE TIME OLYMPIAN ROWIE WEBSTER

Following the Tokyo Olympics, former Aussie Stingers captain Rowie Webster called time on her playing career, during which she represented her country at three Olympic Games.

But Webster continues to be no stranger to water polo, recently swapping her playing cap for a coaches hat, courtesy of an opportunity presented by the Australian Institute of Sport.

Webster is currently part of the National Generation 2032 Coach program, a two-year intensive coach development program for aspiring pathway and early career high performance coaches.

As part of the program, Webster was given the opportunity to coach the Victorian Phoenix women in the Australian Waterpolo League and has also been named on the Coaching Panel for Water Polo Australia’s National Age Group Program.

In January, following the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships, Webster joined former team mate Bron Knox, Athens 2004 Olympian Jodie Stuhmcke and Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalists Taryn Woods and Yvette Higgins on pool deck as part of the coaching staff for the Youth Women’s camp.

Webster said she loved being in camp to share her knowledge with the next generation, and also learning from the other coaches as well.

“We’ve got an incredible amount of knowledge in the coaching staff, and for the girls to have all women on pool deck this week who have all competed for their country at the highest level is really nice to see,” Webster said.

“I’ve been soaking it up like a sponge too. I’m new to the world of coaching so for me it’s gaining experience from those that have already walked and progressed through to a higher level.

“I’m lucky enough to be able to quiz Taryn at the end of the day as well…the conversations are really open, honest and organic and I love that about this group of women. 

“We can learn from each other, we can share ideas and we’re going to take that back to our own states and clubs and make the program better, holistically, for Australian water polo,” she said.

Webster said it’s been great to see all female coaches supporting young women to take their sport to the next level.

“I think it’s incredibly inspiring and empowering, and it’s something that none of us coaches had on our water polo journey,” Webster said.

“We spoke about it on day one as a coaching panel, we didn’t have access to really good female coaches, yet some of these girls in the squad at the moment know no different than to have five female Olympians standing on pool deck coaching them, and isn’t that really nice that they think this is normal,” she said.

For Webster, when the opportunity came up to stay involved in water polo after her career as an athlete, and start working through the ranks as a coach, it’s an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

“I always say it probably takes 100 people to get one athlete where they need to be. So if you aren’t that athlete, there’s 100 other roles that you could do to facilitate and help out…physios, coaches, psychologists, support staff, media, logistics, there’s everything in between,” Webster said.

“There’s no end point… the opportunities are endless if you’re willing to take a chance, step outside your comfort zone, it’s amazing where your life will take you.

“It’s a real privilege to be in the program that I’m in, and it’s only going to benefit the next generation for years to come.

“The fact that we’ve identified the need to produce Australian coaches and we’ve got an opportunity with a home Games in nine years time to do so, is fantastic and it’s only up from here! 

“One day, if I'm up there as an elite coach that would be amazing, but if not the processes and the structures around me and around every other young coach…we’ll all be better for it,” she said.