News – Water Polo Australia

For David Smith, the progression from player to coach of the Ryde Rhinos 16&U Girls Gold team at the recent Australian Youth Water Polo Championships (AYWPC) held in Perth has been a fulfilling journey.

David was first introduced to water polo by his father at the age of six. Rising through the junior ranks and going on to compete on the national stage, he would develop a strong passion in nurturing and providing coaching for tomorrow’s stars, taking on the reins for the Ryde Rhinos 16&U Girls Gold team.

“It’s about improvement, it’s about watching the girls enjoy and improve, while they’re enjoying the sport that I love playing,” Smith said.

David further emphasised the importance and impact volunteers like himself play in the water polo community.

“The more volunteers in any sport, the better. But particularly in water polo, there’s only a limited amount of knowledge in water polo, so we need those people volunteering,” he said.

“I think it’s a great sport to continue throughout your life and then giving back through coaching is another great thing to do.”

Volunteer coaches play a vital role in nurturing talent and growing the sport, something David said is particularly important leading into events like the AYWPC.

“There’s high level water polo here [AYWPC, Perth] and you get to try new things with the team and put in place what you’ve been practicing and working really hard for,” David said.

“But then it’s a real community, water polo. The girls all know each other and they’re all talking and celebrating after each game too, which I love.”

The opportunities that come with volunteering also provide value for coaches to perfect and refine their coaching and management skills, whilst also creating a space for coaches and development staff to network and share insights.

“You’re always learning as a coach as well and then you take that experience back to club land for your team as well.”

For David, coaching is a continuous learning process – believing the sport’s strong community spirit keeps players engaged, ensuring water polo thrives for future generations.

“I think it’s about the community spirit and they see each other [Youth participants] and they encourage each other. And I think they want to stay in playing the sport because they see others, some of their friends playing the sport too.”