WPA Open Water Polo Championships - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Published Mon 09 Mar 2020
The upcoming Open Masters event in the 2020 WPA Open Water Polo Championships is a relatively new and unknown event, so we want to clear a few things up. We have compiled a list of common questions that you may have and answered them below. Of course, if you have any questions that we might have missed, we would love to hear from you.
I’m not a current member of a club, can I still play?
All players must be a current financial Individual Member registered in the WPAL MemberPool database and agree to abide to the constitution, rules, regulations, by-laws and policies of WPAL. A minimum Social membership type with an affiliated Club and/or Association is required.
Do all team players need to be members of the same club?
Not at all. As long as every player in the team has a social membership type with an affiliated Club and/or Association, they are welcome to join any team. If you aren’t a current social member of any club, get in touch and we can point you in the right direction.
I haven’t finalised my whole team list. Should I still nominate my team?
Yes! We don’t need that information yet. The first stage of the entry process is only team nominations which is due March 20th. You will then have until March 31st to nominate your draft team list.
Are there any different rules that I need to be aware of?
We are implementing two major rules into the Masters competition in attempt to make it a safe and fair playing environment for all players:
- Players over the age of 70 will be identified by a cap of a different colour than their own team and opposition, and can choose either of the following options:
- This player cannot be fouled; OR
- Goals scored by this player count for 2 goals
2. All teams ages will be considered to have their ‘average age’ calculated. The ‘average age’ will determine the team’s handicap for the tournament.
Average Age |
Goal Advantage |
40 or less |
0 |
41-45 |
2 |
46-50 |
4 |
51-55 |
8 |
56-60 |
10 |
61+ |
14 |
The difference between each teams’ handicaps will then be used to calculate the goal start for the team with the higher average age (ie. Team 1 AVG age of 47 = 4. Team 2 AVG age 43 = 2. Therefore, Team 1 will begin the game as 2-0.
What is the minimum player age?
Players need to be a minimum age of 35 years of age as at 31st December in the current membership year to be eligible for the Masters competition.
Can I play in both the Masters and Country Competitions?
We encourage all players to cross over competitions and play as much as they can. Unfortunately, however, individuals must enter in one or more divisions at their own risk. We will do our best to avoid clashes, however there may be change requests that cannot be accommodated. Of course, the Beach Water Polo Fours competition is run on Sunday May 10th, so everyone is free to enter without any clashes.
What are the dates and times we can expect to play?
Masters games will be scheduled from 8am – 6pm on the 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th of May. The draw will be released on May 1st.
How many games will we be playing in a day?
Teams can expect to play roughly 2 games per day for the duration of the competition.
How many players do we need in a team?
Teams must list a minimum of 10 and maximum of 14 players of the same gender.
How much is the team entry price?
Team entry is $1950 incl. GST.
Do we need to provide referees and officials?
As per the WPA Accreditation and Appointment Guidelines, each team must nominate a;
- WPA accredited Coach (minimum accreditation – WPA Development Coach)
- WPA accredited Referee (minimum accreditation – WPA Development Referee)
- Team Manager with current membership and WWCC clearance
- WPA Qualified Table Official (minimum qualification – WPA Competition Official)
We understand that Masters teams will have difficulty funding and organising a full water polo team as well as a coach, an official, a referee and a manager for the competition. So, we are happy for players in the team to double as any of the mentioned required roles. Please note however, that the same person is not permitted to fill more than any one official role, i.e. a nominated coach cannot be a referee.
When are the medal presentations?
All medal and MVP presentations will take place at the Social Function on Saturday evening.
After the Country and Masters Divisions wrap up and the WPA Open Championships come to a close, come and celebrate at the Catalina Café with great food, drinks, guest speakers from 5pm - 11pm.
Tickets are $65 per person and include a welcome drink, canapes throughout the evening, special guest speakers and the awards presentation for the week.
There will be other social nights throughout the week that will be announced prior.
What are the key dates I need to know?
- Team Nominations close - 20th March
- Draft Nominations - Individual and Team due - 31st March
- Referee/Technical Delegate EOI due - 1st April
- Draft Teleconference - 2nd April
- Australian Country Team Coach/Manager EOI due - 20th April
- Draw Released - 1st May
- Country Player National Team Consideration EOI due - 5th May
Do you have a question that wasn’t answered?
Get in touch with Event Organiser, Scott Nicholson, using the contact details below.
Scott Nicholson
scottn@actuex.com