Play for the Sharks

Playing Water Polo for Cronulla Sharks FAQ

If you have additional questions, please contact the club. 

About the Club

Why should I play for Cronulla?

The Cronulla Sutherland Water Polo Club is one of the most successful clubs in Australia and prides itself on Integrity, Excellence and Belonging. In addition to the high-quality training and competition available to our members, our Club offers a genuinely welcoming sense of community. For us, water polo is more than just competing in sport. It is a channel to fitness, a sense of community, education, travel and friends for life. We are embodied by our unofficial mottos "sharks never stop" and "once a shark, always a shark". We are fueled by the salt, surf and sun. While there are many beautiful pools in the world, none compete with our spiritual home of Gunnamatta Bay. 

Can I join Cronulla if I'm new to water polo?

Cronulla Sutherland Water Polo Club is a representative club that competes in the Water Polo NSW and Water Polo Australia competitions. While new players are welcome, the standard of competition is generally a bit advanced for first-time players. If you're looking to get into water polo for the first time we recommend checking out Gunnamatta Water Polo. 

What is Gunnamatta Water Polo?

Gunnamatta Water Polo is a subset of Cronulla Sutherland Water Polo that does not compete in the Water Polo NSW or Water Polo Australia competitions. While primarily a feeder club for people new to the sport (e.g. U8s-U16s) Gunnamatta also offers a less serious competition through the Sutherland Shire Water Polo Association which includes an all-age competition. You can learn more about Gunnamatta Water Polo here. 

What is Academy?

Academy (or Juniors) is Cronulla's program for players aged 12-18. Players train and play water polo in teams according to their age (U14s, U16s & U18s). Games are played on Sunday afternoons across metropolitan Sydney. Home Games are played at our home pools of Sutherland Leisure Centre and Gunnamatta Park. The objective of the Academy program is to help develop our junior members into great people and as a result great water polo players, preparing them for whichever path they want to take for their water polo journey - whether it be social, competitive or high performance. 

What is Grade?

Grade (or Seniors) is Cronulla's open-age program. Players train and play water polo in teams according to their ability and experience. Division 1 teams (1st, 2nd, 3rd Grade) play on Saturday afternoons, whilst Division 2 teams (4th, 5th, 6th Grade) play on Tuesday evenings (Men) and Wednesday evenings (Women). Division 1 competitions are relatively more competitive with a higher standard of water polo than Division 2 competitions. Players generally begin playing Grade around the age of 15-16, or once they are no longer eligible for the Academy program. Division 2 is a fantastic way for Academy players to develop their skills if they are pushing for representative teams. Division 1 is the next step for the top level Division 2 players ready to take the next step. For all teams, games are played across metropolitan Sydney, with home games played at our home pools of Sutherland Leisure Centre and Gunnamatta Park. 

Can I play both Academy & Grade?

Yes - We generally recommend players entering their second year of U16 Academy to consider playing in a Division 2 team (i.e 4th, 5th, 6th Grade) as well as their Academy team. By playing Division 2, juniors will play with and against more senior players and begin developing new water polo skills. This will better prepare them for more senior competitions, including U18s, Division 1 and National League. Whilst playing both Academy & Grade does mean playing an additional game each week, training loads will not be increased for Division 2 players. For players in U18s, or top level U16s, we recommend considering playing in a Division 2 or Division 1 team as well as an Academy team. Division 1 teams will generally train separately and it would be expected that players attend all training sessions. 

Season & Competitions

When do the seasons run?

Summer Season is the main competitive season, running from October to April, with a break over Christmas and New Years. 

Winter Season is a secondary competition, running from May to August, with breaks over the school holidays. 

How will teams be selected?

The club is looking to implement a more robust and transparent selection process this season based off feedback from the past years, disrupted by Covid. Trial timelines ans structures will be decided by the Club's Technical Director, in collaboration with Grade and Academy leads.

More information will be available soon.

Registrations & Fees

How much will the season cost?

Season 2022/23 fees are yet to be set, but will be similar to last year's costs. CSWPC is proud to remain the most affordable water polo club in the Sydney Metro competition. We continue our commitment to offering our members additional value for their club membership each year.

Where does my money go?

The chart below provides an indicative breakdown of where your water polo fees will go for the 2021-22 season. Note this is indicative only and may be slightly different for each registration type.

Active Kids Vouchers - How can we claim them?

If you have ONE Active Kids Voucher available for your child you can enter this at the point of registration.

If you have TWO Active Kids Vouchers available for THE SAME CHILD, please contact the Club prior to registering. 

Why do parents have to register as a non-playing supporter?

As a requirement of both WPNSW and WPAL, at least one parent must register as a non-playing supporter of the club. This is in line with child protection best practice and ensures we provide a safe playing environment for our junior players.

Am I covered by insurance?

By registering for CSWPC as a player, referee, coach or supporter you are automatically covered by Water Polo Australia's sports insurance policy. To find out more, please visit the WPAL website.

Training & Coaching

Who will be my coach?

Coaches are yet to be announced, but will be decided before teams are selected. 

Do I need to pay to be a coach or referee?

In 2021, Water Polo Australia introduced a $40 registration fee for all affiliated coaches. CSWPC is happy to announce that the club will be covering this fee for all of our team's coaches. It's our view that we should be supporting our volunteer coaches and they should not have to pay to give back to the sport.

What is the training schedule?

The training schedule is still being finalised and will be dependent on pool allocation time and number of registrations.

Uniform

Do I need to buy club uniform?

Club Uniform items - Polo, Shorts & Swimming Costume - are compulsory items and must be worn to all competitions and games. The club also offers a variety of other apparel and equipment to purchase for players, family and supporters (e.g. hoodies, hats, swimming caps, balls, towels, backpacks and more).

How do I buy club uniform?

Click the 'Shop' tab on our club website. This will take you to the Delfina uniform portal where you can buy all items in one shop. Please note some items may take a few weeks to arrive as they are ordered in bulk.