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SAANICH WATER POLO SCHOOL
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Why Water Polo and Power Swimming
Water Polo is the ultimate workout, moving every part of the body. Since the
sport happens in water, there is no weight bearing or risk of serious injury.
Water Polo players become superb swimmers, with sprint times rivaling those of
national/international level freestyle sprinters. Water Polo teaches much more
however than just swimming. Water Polo players use Power Swimming making them
prime candidates for working in the capacity of Lifeguards. Water Polo is best
started at a young age and contributes to the development of a superb
cardio-vascular system, strength and endurance. Add to all this the fun of a
team sport that involves the magic of the ball, and you have a winning recipe
that has kids enjoying a challenging activity without noticing how hard they are
working, improving, and growing up strong and healthy!
How do I get started in the sport of Water Polo
Saanich Water Polo School’s program is built on the Long Term Athlete
Development Model. Therefore it is best to begin as early as age 6-9, however
with sufficient swimming skills, kids can begin as late as age 13/14. In the
course of water polo instruction, young players learn Competitive Swimming
Skills and Power Swimming Skills. Power swimming uses powerful bursts of energy
making the athlete’s reaction time, strength and endurance improve
simultaneously.
AGES 6-9: KINDERPOLO/MINIPOLO
Programs run all year around. Kinderpolo/Minipolo sessions are taught by
experienced coaches in a shallow water environment. These lesson sets of
approximately 7-10 weeks are run through the local pools and community centers.
You can register by checking the local active living guides or by
calling/emailing SWPS for the most current information. Please note that Power
Swimming training is highly recommended in conjunction with Minipolo/Kinderpolo
sessions – please see information below.
CONTACT INFORMATION: email: waterpoloschool@shaw.ca OR TEL: 250-514-9236
to find out where the next kinderpolo/minipolo session begins! Registration is
continuous.
Ages 9-12: JUNIOR WATER POLO TRAINING
Programs run all year around. Junior Water Polo Training sessions are taught by
experienced coaches in a deep water environment. These lesson sets of
approximately 7-10 weeks are run through the local pools and community centers.
Swimming experience is not necessary, but the child must be confident in the
deep water. You can register by checking the local active living guides or by
calling/emailing SWPS for the most current information. Please note that Power
Swimming training is highly recommended in conjunction with Junior Water Polo
training sessions – please see information below.
CONTACT INFORMATION: email: waterpoloschool@shaw.ca OR TEL: 250-514-9236
to find out where the next Junior Water Polo training session begins!
Registration is continuous.
Power Swimming Training
AGES 6-12 and beyond:
Power Swimming is more than swim lessons and more than competitive swimming
instruction. Through power swimming a young athlete is taught all the basic
strokes with an emphasis on freestyle sprinting . The athlete is trained to be
able to execute short burst/sprints of powerful energy many times in a workout
that mimics game situations. This training is similar to the power skating
techniques used by hockey players. The goal of Power Swimming is to raise fast,
confident swimmers with superb reaction time and great strength. We like to
think of power swimming as “training for life”. If you have ever seen skilled
water polo players in action, they seem as though they can “walk on water”.
Power Swimming instruction can begin as early as age 5-6. Training begins in
shallow water, but moves to deep water as EARLY as possible. In the early years
of water polo training a large part of each practice is devoted to competitive
swimming/power swimming instruction, and in later years practices still carry a
significant swimming component. Power Swimming is taught by special coaches with
both competitive swimming and water polo training/background. Equipment can
include everything from kickboards to water polo balls, rebounders, floating
targets and other fun training tools that make power swimming an entertaining
departure from mere wall to wall swimming. Athletes advance through levels from
beginner to expert.
Saanich Water Polo School offers Power Swimming immediately in conjunction with
the young athlete’s kinderpolo/minipolo or junior water polo training. In later
years Power Swimming is incorporated into the deep water actual water polo
workout in the pre-competitive and competitive training. It is ESSENTIAL if
you have a child between the ages of 6-12 interested in the sport of water polo
that they begin Power Swimming training as soon as possible. SWPS offers
multiple time slots during the week –
2 practices per week are recommended.
CONTACT INFORMATION for POWERSWIMMING: email: waterpoloschool@shaw.ca OR TEL:
250-514-9236 to find out where you can register your 6-12 year old child for
Power Swimming.
Click here for Why Water Polo -
brochure
Mission Statement
Saanich Water Polo School’s quest is the preparation of National/International caliber athletes in the sport of
water polo according to the highest standards in the industry. Coaches work according to the long term athlete
development model engineered by Sport Branch Services. Saanich Water Polo School is a registered society,
working within the framework of the societies act to bring long term stability and quality to its programming:
SWPS is built upon the athlete centered, coach directed, volunteer assisted model.
History and Home Facility
Saanich Water Polo School can be found in the District of Saanich in the city of Greater Victoria, on beautiful
Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada). Saanich Water Polo School is proud to represent the sport of
water polo in one of the Nation’s High Performance Facilities, Saanich Commonwealth Place Pool. Home to legendary
athletes, Saanich Commonwealth Place is a legacy of the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria. Commonwealth Place
features a themed wave-pool, tots’ pool, waterslide, hot tub, sauna, & steam room , teach pool, 50 meter competitive pool,
dive tank, a state of the art fitness facility, and a sports café. For a virtual tour of the
Competition
Pool please
click here.
Saanich Water Polo School - a member club of BC Water Polo and Water Polo Canada - was established in 1997,
and is known for its high level international tournament hosting capability. Through Technical Director Ferenc Vindisch
- a "product" of the Central Sports School of Budapest, Hungary - the club has built an impressive network of
international coaching and athlete contacts.
Ferenc Vindisch - Technical Director
 Ferenc Vindisch - Master Coach - began his Water Polo career in Budapest at KSI (Central Sport School).
He played in Hungary's fiercely competitive "A" Division for over a decade and his active Water Polo career
included spots on the Juvenile, Junior, and Senior Hungarian National Teams. After finishing his active career
as an athlete he returned to coach for KSI, working with athletes that later participated in the Hungarian National Team.
Ferenc founded SWPS in 1997 and has been working to promote the sport of water polo in Victoria and beyond.
Once a year, athletes from North America travel to Victoria to take part in the exciting and unique "Hungarian Style Bootcamp"
to sample Ferenc's coaching and take home some of the KSI style "complex training method".
From October 1st, 2007 until May, 2008 Ferenc has worked with the British Water Polo Association on preparing a program for the 2012 Olympic GBR National Water Polo Teams.
Testimonial:
“Putting our daughter into Saanich Water Polo School is probably one of the best things we have done for her.
Here are a few of the benefits that she has reaped. Her fitness level is 100%. She has learned to swim under
adverse conditions, (such as someone trying to sink you), and still control focus. Winning and loosing is not
what it is all about for her, and the friendships she has built coupled with the travel have helped her become
a well rounded individual.”
- parent Rob P. |
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