Level 3 NCCP – Coaching with Shadow Water Polo Club since 2007

Wendy is a National-level Coach and instructor, with 14 years working with athletes from Shadow Water Polo Club. She first became involved as a parent when looking for a sport for her four children. A year after her children joined the club, she started coaching.  Wendy is no stranger to the joys of swimming. Originally from Northern Ontario, Wendy had been a swimmer growing up.

“I initially found the sport to be engaging and interesting to watch. For my children…physically demanding, addressing important survival skills, fun, progression and development in their skill level, overall physical fitness, mental function etc.”

While initially becoming involved as a coach for the younger and beginner age members, Wendy’s primary focus was to make learning the sport more fun, and build retention in membership. Improving comfort and confidence in the water, along with swimming, and water polo skills are key to kids sticking to the program, and in setting and achieving longer term goals and dreams.

“When children are challenged and happy and developing, parents are happy”.

Wendy believes Shadow is different in that its primary mandate is to instill a love of the game in their athletes. A big part of that is establishing a bar for each member, and coach, at every level. That bar is continually being changed and raised, as new goals are set and everyone improves with experience. It’s how Shadow Water Polo Club works with athletes and families to build lifelong skills and habits that will turn children into athletes, and athletes into champions.

“We encourage growth through perseverance, individual and team goal setting, hard work and fun. The “bar” at Shadow is an ever moving and changing entity…dependent upon each individual athlete and I think every child in the pool recognizes this and it’s for this reason we have such a strong retention level in our club. We also have a great deal of fun mixed in with that hard work!”

Wendy says if there was one thing prospective members needed to know about the sport or the club, it would be to come out for some fun and give it a try. “Try it out, you’ll either love it or hate it…my guess is you’ll love it!”