All recreational teams will have the opportunity to practice 1x per week, usually on Sunday mornings, at local pools.  We strive to include participants in 2-3 local scrimmages throughout the regular season (year). There are normally no additional fees when joining a local pool scrimmage. Participants may wear any swimsuit of comfort for practice or scrimmages, however, a NWPC suit may be purchased, if desired.

Splashball (ages 5-8)
Boys and Girls age 5-8 participate in a fun, introductory program. No water polo experience is needed!  Splashball teaches basic water polo skills and understanding of water polo in a fun, recreational environment. Athletes start off in the  shallow end and work on swimming with the ball, passing, and shooting.  After working on the basics, Splashball participants play abbreviated games to wrap up practice. Splashball offers a great introduction to water polo, where players are encouraged to make friends and have fun! Participants must have a basic swimming ability and be comfortable in the water. Cost: $75/month.
USAWP Membership Level: Splashball (practice only) or Bronze (plus local scrimmages).
Advancement to Coed Beginner:  Swim across the pool without stopping, developing egg-beater/treading water and coach's recommendation.

Coed Recreational (10U/12U Beginner)
Athletes grade 6th and younger participate in an hour long practice once a week, usually on Sundays. Players work on water polo basics like swimming with the ball, egg-beater, passing, and shooting. During the second half of practice athletes participate in scrimmage games and half court drills. NWPC 10u/12u workouts offer a great introduction to water polo for beginning players and younger athletes. The goal of 10u/12u Sunday program is to introduce young athletes to water polo, develop water safety skills and have fun with friends. No water polo experience is necessary, but participants must have a basic swimming ability. Cost: $125/month.
USAWP Membership Level: Bronze (local scrimmages only) or Silver (travel tournaments, but not Jr. Olympics) or Gold (travel tournaments and Jr. Olympics).
Advancement to Coed Intermediate:  Swim 50 yards without stopping or using the bottom, egg-beater with hands out of the water for 10 seconds, and coach's recommendation.

Coed Recreational (10U/12U Intermediate)
Athletes grade 6th and younger participate in an hour long practice once a week, usually on Sundays.  Players work on water polo basics like swimming with the ball, egg-beater, passing, and shooting. Intermediate players will also learn offensive an defensive strategies, as well as participate in more complex passing and shooting scenarios. During the second half of practice, athletes participate in scrimmage games and half court drills. The goal of the 12u Coed Intermediate program is to prepare young athletes for competitive play, while harnessing all of the fun and dynamic aspects of water polo in a safe and easy to learn experience. Players should be able to swim 50 yards without stopping. Cost: $125/month.
USAWP Membership Level: Bronze (local scrimmages only) or Silver (travel tournaments, but not Jr. Olympics) or Gold (travel tournaments and Jr. Olympics).
Advancement to Competitive 10U/12U Coed (Advanced):  Swim 100 yards without stopping or using the bottom, egg-beater with hands out of the water while passing, attend practice on a regular basis, athlete motivation, and coach's recommendation.

Designed for athletes of all ages and skill levels that want to improve their water polo skills while having fun, in a less intense environment. Athletes will have the opportunity to practice 4x per week, usually Monday through Thursday, in the evenings at local pools. While encouraged to attend at least 2x practices per week, attendance at practices, scrimmages and tournaments is optional, and athletes can attend when it fits their schedule. 
Northwest Premier teams will strive to attend Session III JOs in TX (optional) and participate in optional travel trips throughout the year. Scrimmages and tournaments are in addition to regularly scheduled practices and fees. Participants may wear any swimsuit of comfort for practice or scrimmages, however, a NWPC suit should be purchased if planning to attend travel tournaments.

10u/12u Boys and Girls (Advanced)
Athletes are offered hour and a half long practices, usually Mon-Thu. This program accommodates motivated novice through experienced players. For the first half of practice, athletes condition with swimming and egg-beater drills while working on strengthening fundamental passing and body position skills. The second half of practice usually involves shooting drills, front court work and counter attack drills. Cost: $295/month.
USAWP Membership Level: Bronze (local scrimmages only) or Silver (travel tournaments, but not Jr. Olympics) or Gold (travel tournaments and Jr. Olympics).

14u Boys and Girls  
Athletes 8th grade and younger participate in hour and a half hour long practices, usually Mon-Thu. This program accommodates motivated novice through experienced players. For the first half of practice, athletes condition with swimming and egg-beater drills, while working on fundamental passing and body position skills. The second half of practice usually involves shooting drills, front court work and counter attack drills. The 14U players will fine-tune their water skills and fundamentals while working on game tactics. The goal of the Premier 14u Program is to develop athletes for high school varsity water polo in a fun and rewarding environment, as well as prepare motivated players for the Elite HS Program. Cost: $295/month.
USAWP Membership Level: Bronze (local scrimmages only) or Silver (travel tournaments, but not Jr. Olympics) or Gold (travel tournaments and Jr. Olympics).
Invitation to Elite 14u Team: Achieve good fundamentals and game knowledge, attend practice on a regular basis with a preference for 4x per week in Spring/Summer, commit to Jr. Olympics, plus coach's recommendation. 

HS Boys and Girls 
Athletes 9th grade and older participate in two hour long practices, usually Mon-Thu. This program accommodates novice through experienced players. For the first half of practice, athletes will condition with swimming and egg-beater drills while working on fundamental passing and body position skills. The second half of practice usually involves shooting drills, front court work and counter attack drills. The goal of the Premier HS Program is to develop athletes for high school varsity water polo in a fun and less intense environment, as well as prepare motivated players for the Elite HS Program. Cost: $295/month.
USAWP Membership Level: Bronze (local scrimmages only) or Silver (travel tournaments, but not Jr. Olympics) or Gold (travel tournaments and Jr. Olympics).
Advancement to Elite HS Team: Achieve good fundamentals and game knowledge, agree to comply with all HS Elite Team Expectations, plus coach's recommendation. 

Designed for athletes 7th grade and up that want to practice in a high intensity environment, compete on a national level and prepare to play NCAA water polo. Athletes practice 4x per week, usually Monday through Thursday, in the evenings at local pools. In June, practice moves to early mornings and all team players must attend summer training camp.
Travel teams attend one local and one travel tournament per session, and have weekly Sunday scrimmages when not traveling. Elite athletes are expected to attend every practice and tournament offered during a session, Winter through Summer. Northwest Elite teams attend Session I and Session II Jr. Olympics in California.

Expectations

• Athletes will be held accountable for behavior, attitude and effort during practice.
• Athletes that miss more than 5 practices during a session will be removed from the Travel program (there will be some exceptions in the case of family or medical emergencies. Family vacations, school trips, other sport commitments or extracurricular activities will not be considered for an exception). 
• Athletes that cannot attend a tournament during a session will be removed from the Travel team for that session (there will be some exceptions in the case of family or medical emergencies. Family vacations, school trips, other sport commitments or extracurricular activities will not be considered for an exception). 

Additional Notes

• High School (HS) Boys are expected to play with their HS water polo teams during fall; Travel Team training for boys will start with the winter session.
• HS Girls are expected to practice with NWPC at least 2x week during the fall HS Girls swim season.
• HS Girls are expected to play with their HS water polo teams during the spring.
• HS athletes without a HS team will practice at NWPC during fall and/or spring.
• Travel team will attend one local and one travel tournament every session - winter, spring, and summer (more tournaments may be added based on team interest).
• Travel team will scrimmage the Masters every Sunday when we do not have travel tournaments.

14u Boys and Girls:
Boys: Young high school athletes and 14U Jr. Olympic team members train/scrimmage at different locations throughout the season. These practices are designed to provide more personalized instruction in order to improve fundamentals prior to Jr. Olympics, joining the HS Travel Boys Team, and playing varsity high school water polo. If a 14u team plans to attend Session I at JOs, this team will practice under Travel Team guidelines.
Girls: Advanced 14U girls practice with the Elite HS Girls team. These practices are designed to provide more personalized instruction around the fundamentals and develop team offensive and defensive strategy prior to Jr. Olympics and varsity high school water polo. If the HS Girls team plans to attend Session II at JOs, this team will practice under Elite Team guidelines. Cost: $295/month
USAWP Membership Level: Gold

HS Boys and Girls - Offered Winter through Summer Sessions
Athletes 9th grade and older participate in two hour long practices, usually Mon-Thu, and either a Sunday scrimmage or weekend tournament. This program accommodates motivated and experienced players only. For the first half of practice, athletes will condition with swimming and egg-beater drills while working on fundamental passing and body position skills. The second half of practice usually involves shooting drills, front court work and counter attack drills. The goal of the Elite HS Program is to develop athletes for varsity high school water polo, national competitions and NCAA water polo. Cost: $295/month.
USAWP Membership Level: Gold

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