Dear Parents and Guardians
It’s that exciting time again where we start preparing for the annual interprovincial tournament, taking place this year in Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown from 8 to 12 December.
Trials for all age groups except the U13 boys will be held on the 16 and 17 September at Reddam House in Tokai. The U13 boys’ trials will take place on Sunday 15 October at the same venue. Here’s the schedule:
| Girls – Saturday 16 September | |||
| Age Group: | Date: | Time: | Place: |
| u19 | Saturday 16 September | 08h30 – 11h00 | Reddam Old Pool |
| u16 | Saturday 16 September | 08h30 – 11h00 | Reddam New Pool |
| u15 | Saturday 16 September | 11h30 – 14h00 | Reddam Old Pool |
| u14 | Saturday 16 September | 11h30 – 14h00 | Reddam New Pool |
| u13 | Saturday 16 September | 14h30 – 17h00 | Reddam Old Pool |
| Boys – Sunday 17 September | |||
| Age Group: | Date: | Time: | Place: |
| u19 | Sunday 17 September | 08h30 – 11h00 | Reddam New Pool |
| u16 | Sunday 17 September | 11h30 – 14h00 | Reddam New Pool |
| u15 | Sunday 17 September | 14h30 – 17h00 | Reddam New Pool |
| u14 | Sunday 17 September | 14h30 – 17h00 | Reddam Old Pool |
| u13 | Sunday 15 October | 12h00 – 14h00 | Reddam New Pool |
Pre-registration for trials is compulsory and must be completed by 11 September 2017. This is an online process and can be accessed by clicking here or navigating to the following address in your browser: https://goo.gl/forms/F6Ri6kaLIjFZ7NJo2
There are no fees for trials, but every player must bring along:
- One certified copy of their ID or passport
- Completed WP Aquatics Capitation Form (attached as a pdf)
Arrive timeously for trials, preferably half an hour before the scheduled time. There is a fair amount of administration work that needs to be done before the trials start. Report to the convenor and make sure your online registration information is correct.
Team announcements are usually, but may not be, made at the conclusion of the trials. This is up to the discretion of the age-group selection panel. Typically, the U15 boys’ teams are only announced after the Melliar Cup.
The Capping Ceremony will take place at SACS High School on Tuesday 17 October from 18h00. More details on this event will be made available closer to the time.
Logistics for the interprovincial tournament are a massive exercise. Transporting 302 players, coaches, managers and referees from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, accommodating and feeding them, and then returning them home safely needs to happen with military precision. I am very pleased to say that these arrangements are under the capable leadership of Mandy Fisher. If you receive requests for assistance or information, please respond timeously.
Grahamstown will also be in play this year. The U13 boys, U16 girls and U16 boys will be staying and competing in Grahamstown. They will, however, attend the opening and closing ceremonies in Port Elizabeth. All finals will be played in Port Elizabeth.
IPT costs are not finalised yet but we are hoping to keep them in a similar range to those paid in 2016. Teams will be departing by luxury bus from Rondebosch Boys’ High School around 20h00 on Thursday 7 December and arriving back in Cape Town on Wednesday 13 December around 06h00.
All players must travel to Port Elizabeth with their team on the transport provided. Players not wanting to make use of the buses on the way home can make alternative arrangements; coaches and managers must be made aware of these arrangements timeously beforehand. Unfortunately there are no refunds for players not making use of the bus for the trip home.
The kit is the same as last year and must be ordered and paid for at the conclusion of team announcements at trials. Kit samples will be on hand for sizing purposes and credit card payment facilities will be available. We have introduced two new items; unisex joggers to match the existing hoody and a branded WP water polo towel. More details on the IPT will be available in due course.
Schools’ water polo is thriving in Western Province but it doesn’t just happen. Our sport relies on many individuals putting in a lot of work behind the scenes. If you think you might be helpful in a certain area, please shout. If you are approached to assist please do so with a generous spirit. At the end of the day, it’s all about creating opportunities for our children to enjoy the sport they love.
Please subscribe to the news function on wpschoolswaterpolo.co.za, like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @wpschoolspolo to stay informed.
Yours in polo
Cullum Johnston
For all the info for trials, as well as some of the confirmed info for the IPT in December, please follow the link below.
