Water Polo Australia to implement Australian Institute of Sport Mental Fitness extension program

Water Polo Australia is pleased to announce that two athletes have been selected as Mental Fitness Ambassadors as an extension to the AIS Mental Fitness program.

Tokyo Olympian Gabi Palm and Aussie Stingers goalkeeper Genevieve Longman have been selected as part of the water polo extension program that will see the AIS initiative rolled out across the National age group programs and available for State programs.

WPA is the first sport to implement the program, with the hope it will continue beyond the initial implementation year in 2022.

AIS Director of People Development and Wellbeing Matti Clements is thrilled to announce the implementation of the extension program.

“The AIS is excited that Water Polo Australia have leveraged this opportunity to create their own program,” Clements said.

“This is a fantastic example of the AIS enhancing capability within sport to raise awareness and support athletes of the importance of mental fitness within their own community,” she said.

23 year old Palm is proud to be selected as part of this exciting new initiative and looking forward to getting involved in the program.

“This is the first time a sport will deliver this program internally, and the fact that Water Polo Australia is taking the lead is something really special,” Palm said.

“In sport, there is such an importance placed on physical fitness, but what’s so great about this program is it’s placing an equal emphasis on mental fitness.

“I’m really honored to have been selected into this program. As well as being an athlete, I’m studying psychology, and through both of those things I understand the importance of mental fitness.

“Some of the practices that we’ll be teaching young water polo players are practices that I do myself each and every day, to not only help me in sport, but life in general.

“Mental fitness helps us to perform physically as well. You could be the fittest you’ve ever been and still not play great because you aren’t in the right headspace.

“To be able to work with the next generation, and provide them with tools at a young age, is something I’m really looking forward to,” she said.

Having worked hard on her own mental fitness in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games, Palm is hoping to give junior players the same opportunities.

“It’s a great opportunity to teach younger players these skills at just the right age, and also a good way for me to give back to our community.

“It’s really powerful that this program is led by elite athletes, because we understand the importance of mental fitness.

“Mental fitness is not something that you’re going to get overnight, it’s a constant process of chipping away.

“But if they can learn now, and we can help them to try and implement these practices into their everyday lives, then we’ve achieved our aim,” she said.

Palm was grateful for the support of the AIS and WPA in getting this program off the ground.

“It’s great that the AIS and WPA is giving us the chance to give back to our communities in such a meaningful way,” Palm said.

“Sport is 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical - and it’s great to see the AIS and WPA are taking the steps to make more people aware of this,” she said.

While Longman and Palm will be delivering the program to specific groups within the water polo representative pathways, Hannah Buckling and Danielle Spitty, as part of the AIS Mental Fitness program, are also available to deliver the program to junior water polo clubs across Australia. More details on the AIS Mental Fitness program are available here

States interested in accessing the program for their junior representative programs and regional academies, please contact admin@waterpoloaustralia.com.au for more information.