In this edition, we bring you all the latest updates, highlights, and upcoming events from SNB. Stay informed and connected with everything happening in our club!

🏆 State Champs Results and Winter Metro Updates Catch up on the exciting outcomes from the State Championships and get the latest on our Winter Metro games.

🤽‍♂️ Introducing our NEW SNB 2024/25 Committee Meet the fresh faces and dedicated members of our newly elected committee, ready to lead us through another successful season.

📅 Dates for the Diaries Mark your calendars for some important upcoming events! Stay tuned for key dates and activities you won’t want to miss.

🤽‍♀️ Countdown to the Olympics: Catching Up with Our Aussie Stingers Join us as we follow the journey of our National Women's team, the Aussie Stingers, as they prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Get the latest updates and insights into their training and competition.

Introducing the SNB Breakers Water Polo Club Committee for 2024/2025:

As we head into another exciting Winter season, we are thrilled to introduce the NEW SNB Committee for the 2024/25 season. We are so lucky that our Committee is full of dedicated VOLUNTEERS who bring a wealth of experience, passion, and commitment to help support our Athletes, Coaches and ALL our members. Meet the team who will be guiding us through the upcoming season:

 Executive Committee 

• President - Kyle Williams
• Vice President - Antionette Anazodo
• Treasurer - Chris Smith
• Secretary - Rachel Cooke
• Operations Director - Dean Semmens
• Men's Director - Claire Hatherall
• Women's Director - Rochelle Hatch

 Sub Committees 

• Assistant Treasurer - Vanessa Bird
• Uniform Manager - Carly Smith

• Events Manager - Elise Cooper
• Social Media Manager - Renata Parkes
• Grants Coordinator - Antionette Anazodo
• Fundraising Coordinator - Michelle Milcz
• Website and Newsletter Coordinator - Rachel Cooke
• Member Protection Officer - Renata Parkes

Whether you have experience in administration, event coordination, coaching, fundraising, finance, or simply have a passion for supporting our athletes and promoting Water Polo in our community, there's a role for you at SNB. Please see the below Vacant Positions.

 Vacant Positions 

• Assistant Secretary - Assist Secretary with club communications.
• Registrar - Help with Registrations and Trials
• Social Organiser/s - Organise small gatherings that the whole club can come together and be apart of; pizza nights, BBQs etc.. This postion can be shared between 1, 2 or 3 people, so grab a friend or 2 and sign up.
• Tour Manager - Help organise tour logistics for Canberra Cup and AYWPC. This postion can also be shared between 1, 2 or 3 people.

 If you are able to help in any way or have any questions please contact SNB Secretary .

Get out your Diaries....

The NSW Junior State Water Polo Championships unfolded this April 2024. Held in Sydney at Homebush Aquatic Centre, the tournament coincided with the school holidays, providing the perfect backdrop for 9 days of intense competition.

Here's a glimpse of our outstanding achievements:

🥇 Men's 16A Team: Golden Glory Our Men's 16A team won the Gold Medal with an awe-inspiring display of skill and teamwork. Well done to Coach Harly and Manager Sean for leading their team to winning the trifecta of the season. Winning Gold at Nationals, Gold at Summer Metro and Gold at State Champs 💪

🥇 Women's 16A Team: Thrilling Triumph In a heart-stopping Grand Final, our Women's 16A team showcased nerves of steel as they triumphed in a nail-biting penalty shootout. Their unwavering determination and resilience led them to victory, securing a well-deserved spot at the top of the podium. A very successful season with the team winning Silver at Nationals, Gold at Summer Metro and Gold at State Champs. Huge Thankyou to Coach Stefano and Manager Carly for their hard work and support throughout the whole season.

🥉 Men's 18 Team: Bronze Brilliance Our Men's 18 Team exhibited a stellar performance throughout the tournament, marking a huge achievement as they clinched the Bronze Medal. Thankyou to Coach Shannon for his brilliant coaching throughout the season.

As we celebrate these remarkable accomplishments, let us also acknowledge the dedication of our coaches, supporters, and the entire SNB Water Polo community. Your unwavering support and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping our success.

Here's to the spirit of sportsmanship, camaraderie, and continued success for SNB Water Polo Club!

The WPNSW 2024 Winter Metro Competition is kicking off with a burst of excitement this weekend, Goodluck to all our teams competing.

WPNSW Winter Metro 2024 Season Dates:

✨ Junior Men & Women (U14, U16 & 18's):

Starts Sunday 26th May - Grand Final Sunday 25th August

Exception Dates: 

• Sunday, 9th June (June Long Weekend) 

• NSW School Holidays - NO Games on Sunday 30th June, 7th, 14th or 21st July.

SNB Coaches and Specialist Coaching

We are incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated team of experienced coaches who are committed to helping our young players achieve their full potential. Each coach brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our club, ensuring that every child receives the best possible guidance in their Water Polo journey. This commitment is evident as many of our very own SNB coaches have been selected to assist WPNSW with their programs. Aren't we lucky to have these talented individuals working with our teams every week, implementing their specialised programs and strategies within our club already...

ITG and Winter Only Trainings

Water Polo is an all-year-round sport, which is fabulous but can also be exhausting. Winter is a great time to slow down the intense training sessions and focus on swimming fitness and techniques. This can be achieved with the help of our talented SNB Coaches, the ITG/Winter only training sessions and regular swim squads. This allows our players to continue their development throughout the short winter season, preparing for the more demanding Summer Metro season. It's important for everyone to balance their training load to avoid burnout and remember It is meant to be fun. 

If you or your child would like feedback regarding their development, please don't hesitate to contact your child's coach. They will be more than happy to provide information to help you and your child understand their progress and areas for improvement.

For further information, please visit our website SNB Water Polo, keep an eye on our social media pages for updates, or email:

• Rochelle Hatch - womensdirector@snbwaterpolo.com.au
• Claire Hatherall - mensdirector@snbwaterpolo.com.au
• Rachel Cooke - secretary@snbwaterpolo.com.au

Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to SNB Water Polo. Let's make this Winter season productive and enjoyable!

What a fabulous night we had at Presentation Night! We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made the evening such a memorable success.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to Michael Westdorp, affectionately known as "Westie," for being a fabulous MC. Your energy and enthusiasm kept the night flowing seamlessly, even if there were a few sound system hiccups.

We were honored to have the incredible Debbie Watson, Australian Women's Water Polo Gold Medalist at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, as our special guest. Debbie, your inspiring words and presence made the night truly special. Thank you so much for bringing your Olympic Gold Medal and Olympic Torch along—everyone loved having their photo taken with it.

A massive thank you to Elise for her incredible effort in organising such a great event. Your hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed, and we appreciate all the stress you managed, especially with the weather gods finally giving us a break and allowing the night to continue without interruption.

Well done to all the teams for a great 2023/24 season, and to all our award winners, well done on your achievements.

Our SNB Club Awards Recipients:

Jocelyn Sellar - 2024 Bronte Halligan Award - Junior Female of the Year 

Ethan Green - 2024 Mick Withers Award - Junior Male of the Year

Jemma Semmens - 2024 SNB Breakers Club Person of the Year 

We also want to thank all our players, coaches, volunteers, referees, and members for a fabulous season. Your commitment and passion are the heart of our community.

Lastly, thank you to our sponsors, Upstate and Jonah's, for your unwavering support. Your contributions are vital to our success and greatly appreciated.

CONGRATULATIONS 

Well done to all players who participated in the finals of the NSW CHS Water Polo Tournament in April. HUGE shout out to NBSC Balgowlah Boys for winning GOLD 3 years in a row in the Boy's Division (Breakers - Lachie, Mateus, Josh, Ethan, Max and Gabe), Lambton High School for in the Boy's Division Bronze (Breakers - Kosta) and Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College for Gold in the Girl's Divison (Breakers - Mak)   

Congratulations and Goodluck to all our SNB Players who are busy training and preparing for their upcoming Australian Team Tours:

 16&U Men's Australian World Aquatics Championship Tour - Alex Woolfe, Jett Semmens & Lachie Davies. These players will be travelling from 3rd June - 26th June to Serbia, Turkey & Malta to compete in the 16&U Men's Water Polo World Championships.

 16&U Men's Australian NZ Tour - Kosta Tsiaousis will travel with the team to New Zealand from 7th-15th July to compete.

 16&U Women's Australian World Aquatics Championship Tour - Zara Cooke & Alannah Paul. These players selected in the World Champs team will travel from June 12th - July 6th. Their tour will take them to training camps in Greece and Hungary, then onto Turkey to compete in the 16&U Women's Water Polo World Championships.

 18&U Women's Australian NZ Tour - Sophia Cooper will travel to New Zealand in July to compete, with games set to take place against 21&U teams at the New Zealand Nationals as well as the 19&U New Zealand National squad.

 20&U Men's European Tour Squad - Tom Serhan (former SNB Breakers Junior and "2023 SNB Junior Male of the Year") will travel with the squad and take part in a ten-day camp in Bosnia with the National teams from Croatia, Germany and Montenegro before travelling to Istanbul in Turkey for a friendly tournament against a selection of 20&U National teams from around Europe.

 Well done to the SNB players who have also made the following teams:

 NSWCIS U17's Men's Team (competing end of July) - Jett Semmens, Alex Woolfe & Charlie Lewcock. 

 NSWCIS U17's Women's Team (competing end of July) - Zara Cooke

 NSWCCC U17's Women's Team (competing end of July) - TBA 

 NSWCCC U17's Men's Team (competing end of July) - TBA 

 NSWCHS U17's Women's Team (competing end of July) - Chloe Long, Mia Akhurst & Annouk Brenchley.

 NSWCHS U17's Men's Team (competing end of July) - Lachie Davies, Max Ryan, Zach Paul & Kosta Tsiaousis.

 Congratulations to all our Breakers members who have had their AWL Debut recently:

• U18 Makala Kricak for Hunter Hurricanes 
• U18 Sophia Cooper for UNSW Wests 
• M14A's Coach, Kai Hatherall for Drummoyne
• W14's Coach Charley Porter for UNSW Wests

🏆 Congratulations to our very own SNB Operations Coordinator, Dean Semmens, for his fantastic win as the Coach of the Drummoyne AWL Team!

The Drummoyne Devils achieved a historic victory by claiming their first-ever Australian Waterpolo League title. In a thrilling gold medal match, they defeated the Sydney Uni Lions with a close score of 11-10 in April. This victory is especially significant as it marks Drummoyne's first championship after finishing as runners-up five times in the league's history.

The win took place at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, where the Drummoyne team finally got to lift the cup high, celebrating their hard-earned success. Well done to Dean and the entire Drummoyne Devils team!

  We are incredibly proud of you all for your unwavering commitment and dedication. Good luck to all our athletes in their upcoming tours and tournaments! 

The Australian Youth Water Polo Championships will make a stunning return to Perth, Western Australia in April 2025.

Week 1 | 14-18 April 2025: 18&U and 14&U age groups

Week 2 | 20-24 April 2025: 16&U and 12&U age groups 

SNB will be sending an A Grade Team in the 12&U, 14&U, 16&U and 18&U Divisions. More details regarding this tournament including which teams will be selected to compete at Nationals will be published after Summer Metro trials and once teams are confirmed in September 2024.

Well the countdown is on... The 2024 Paris Olympics is a time of immense pride and celebration as athletes from around the world prepare to showcase their talent and dedication on the world stage.

In the lead-up to this event, we've had the pleasure of witnessing some fabulous performances right here at home. The Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers, our National Women's Water Polo team, have been captivating audiences with their skills and determination. Recently, they engaged in three thrilling Trial matches against China at various pools across Sydney, offering a taste of the intense competition to come.

Some of our Junior players were lucky enough to catch up with the Stingers players after the game and have some photos with them.

Among the standout stars of the Aussie Stingers are three incredible athletes who hold a special place in our hearts. Tilly Kearns and Bronte Halligan, both proud Junior members of our very own SNB Breakers, are set to make their second Olympic appearance, while Sienna Hearn is gearing up for her Olympic debut. These remarkable women exemplify the spirit of perseverance and dedication, having embarked on their Water Polo journey right here at SNB Breakers and now realising their dreams on the world stage.

The Aussie Stingers recently released an incredible and emaotional video titled "To My Younger Self," in which they reflect on their past experiences and offer words of wisdom to their younger selves. It shows the resilience and courage required to pursue your dreams, and we encourage everyone to take a moment to watch and be inspired, you may need tissues...

As we eagerly anticipate the start of the Paris Olympics, lets rally behind our athletes, celebrating their achievements and supporting them all the way. Together, we can share in the triumphs and joys of this extraordinary journey.

Stay tuned for more updates and SNB club social events as we continue to countdown to the Paris Olympics!

To my younger self

COMING SOON!! In 2024 SNB will be moving toward a digital Uniforms ordering system shortly to streamline the ordering process, so please stay tuned for updates on our website.

For those seeking to purchase uniforms, our Uniform Manager is Carly Smith and she can be contacted for orders on the following email: uniforms@snbwaterpolo.com.au. Please ensure ALL outstanding invoices are paid. If you have any issues or concerns related to the uniform, please feel free to reach out to Carly.

The Northern Beaches Water Polo Academy - "The Water Polo School"  has been set up to manage, promote, encourage and develop  Water Polo on the Northern Beaches and beyond, specialising in Grassroots programs.

• Flippaball for boys and girls 6 years to 10 years -  (Ages are grouped together)

• Junior Development Competitions and Programs 10 years to 12 years

• Junior Development Competitions and Programs 13's and above - on request (minimum numbers required)

• Northern Suburbs Schools Competition

  • Opens (Term 1 & Term 2) - Years 10, 11 & 12

  • Intermediates (Term 2 & 3) - Years 8 & 9

  • Year 7 (Term 3)

• Social Ladies & Mens Competitions  

  • On request (minimum numbers required and subject to pool availability)

• Water Polo Event & Competition Management  

  • We would love to host or assist your club/organisation with their upcoming Water Polo Competition and/or Event.  Please reach out to Paula Woolley - nbwaterpoloa@gmail.com  or  0409905501

We work in partnership with the Sydney Northern Beaches (SNB Breakers) Water Polo Club to assist with their Representative Pathway selections.

Water Polo is available all year round... Please visit our Events page to see what is on offer each school term.

This newsletter is a community effort, we encourage everyone to contribute, share your passion, and make this newsletter a vibrant source of information and inspiration for everyone. So if you have any stories, Event Highlights, Photos, Nutritional Recipes for pre or post trainings or an achievement you'd like to share in the next Newsletter?

Email us at haveyoursaysnb@gmail.com - we'd love to feature your contributions!

To ensure you never miss out on any of the fun and excitement happening at SNB, make sure you stay informed and connected through our various channels:

💻 Website: Visit our website regularly for the latest news, updates, and event information. Whether you're looking for match schedules, club announcements, or player profiles, our website is your go-to destination for all things SNB!

📱 Social Media Platforms: Follow us on our social media platforms to stay up-to-date with real-time updates, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive posts. From Facebook to Instagram and Twitter, join our online community and engage with fellow SNB supporters.

📧 Newsletter Subscription: Subscribe to our newsletter to receive exclusive updates, event announcements, and special offers directly to your inbox. Be the first to know about upcoming matches, club events, and exciting opportunities to get involved!

By staying connected through our website, social media platforms, and newsletter subscription, you'll have access to all the latest updates and event announcements at SNB. 

Lastly we would like to Thank all our fabulous members for being a part of our SNB Water Polo Club family. Goodluck with the season ahead.

Sydney Northern Beaches Waterpolo Club

Who are we? S-N-B