Memorial Day is here and you’re wondering: How will your child will get in shape for Junior Olympics, HaBa WaBa or get noticed by that special college coach that he or she adores?
Welcome to Swimming World’s 2019 Water Polo Camp Guide. As this is our SECOND-ever guide to youth polo camps, we hope to include as many camps as possible. In striving to be comprehensive in our coverage, we invite readers to chime in, either with additional camps and / or their camp experiences.
We list camps from all over the United States as well as a handful of international camps.
Enjoy!
EAST
Brown Water Polo Camps
PROVIDENCE, RI: The Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center in Providence is one of the newest—and finest—in the Northeast. Felix Mercado, Brown men’s and women’s head coach, runs a highly regarded camp with three separate sessions.
Pros: very desirable residential camp—with a commuter option—that often sells out because Mercado is a hands-on manager of his signature camp. Plus, he often finds diamonds in the rough for his men’s and women’s programs at his camp.
Elite Water Polo Camp 1: Dates: June 25 – 28 (Tuesday – Friday) Coed ages 14 – 18 by the start of camp
Elite Water Polo Camp 2: Dates: July 30 – August 2 (Tuesday – Friday); Eligibility: Coed ages 14 – 18 by the start of camp
Price: Residential – $705; Commuter – $400
Contact: Felix Mercado; Felix_Mercado@brown.edu
LIU’s Steinberg Wellness Center Pool. Photo Courtesy: LIU Brooklyn Athletics
LIU Brooklyn Water Polo Camp
BROOKLYN, NY: In 2020, Long Island University will field a women’s team for the first time in its history. Gabby Juarez, the new LIU coach, will team with Andrei Draghici, a former professional player, on a camp for ages 8 – 16. Emphasizing competition, the program will focus on polo basics while participants are introduced to specific offensive and defensive roles.
Pros: if you’re in NYC you can’t beat the location—especially as there’s a discernable growth of polo in the region.
Dates: Monday, August 26 – Friday, August 30
Price: Commuter – $600
Contact: childrensacademy@liu.edu / 718-4881364
Princeton Water Polo Camps
PRINCETON, NJ: Two separate sessions at one of the East’s finest aquatics facilities. Run by Derek Ellingson, who has been involved with Princeton varsity polo for the past 15 years—and now leading the Tiger women—there are always a host of local coaches and former Division I athletes on hand.
A well-organized camp on the Princeton campus; many local DI coaches around. Residential option draws players from as far away as Florida and Texas.
Elite Camp | Session 1: Dates: June 22 – June 25 (Saturday – Tuesday)
Elite Camp | Session 2: Dates: July 31 – August 3 (Wednesday – Saturday)
Eligibility: Entering Grades 5-12 in September 2019
Price: Residential – $695.00
Contact: camps@princeton.edu
East Coast Water Polo Clinic
GREENWICH, CT: High quality weekend camp at the home of Greenwich Aquatics, the Northeast’s strongest age group program, and run by its head coach, Ulmis Iordache. All athletes must have previous water polo experience, must be 11+ years old, and be current USA Water Polo members.
Includes Slobodan Nikic, one of the mainstays of the Serbian national team that has dominated the past decade; a gold medalist in 2016 Olympics who won three world championships; Brett Lathrope, head coach, MIT men’s water polo and 2018 Monte Nitzkowski Distinguished National Men’s Coach of the Year; JJ Addison; Brown assistant men’s coach; NCAA champions with USC (1998).
Pros: Great warm-up before JOs; Greenwich hosts the best boys’ and girls’ programs in the Northeast, and having local college coaches on the pool deck is a bonus.
Dates: Saturday, July 13 – Sunday, July 14
Price: Commuter – $360
Contact: Ulmis Iordache; ulmis@yahoo.com / 203-606-3956
Olympian Ashleigh Johnson is a graduate of the Nike 5Meter camp Miami. Photo Courtesy: Princeton Athletics
5Meter Water Polo Camp Miami
MIAMI, FL. The 19th annual Miami Winter Water Polo Camp will be held in Miami, Florida and features Olympian Genai Kerr. Brown Head Men’s and Women’s Coach Felix Mercado and John Abdou, USAWP’s Chief High Performance Officer.
Dates: December 27 – 30 (Friday – Monday)
Price: Commuter – $495
Contact: info@5meter.com / 877-824-7656
Florida International Water Polo Camp
GAINESVILLE, FL. The first edition of the Florida International Water Polo Camp is a joint affair, hosted by Gator Water Polo with Barcelona International Water Polo Academy (BIWPA), RFLearning, and USA Water Polo. Quim Colet, sports director of the BIWPA Academy, ex-member of the Spanish team at the Beijing and London Olympics; Yuri Colet (CN Poble Nou), Sarah Lizotte (Honor division player with CE Mediterrani) and David Huelsman, University of Florida Head Men’s Water Polo Coach.
Dates: July 1 – 5 OR July 8 – 12 (Monday – Friday);
Price: Residential – $695; Commuter – $450
Contact: camp@gatorwaterpolo.com
2019 Navy Summer Water Polo Camps
ANNAPOLIS, MD. This camp—at the U.S. Naval Academy’s fantastic aquatics facility—and now run by legendary coach Luis Nicolao. There’s a club discount available for 8 or more athletes from the same club, each club member receives $50 discount. Must be attending the same session.
Session 1: June 23 – June 24; Ages: 10- 19
Session 2: June 30 – July 3; Ages: 10 – 19
Day Camp: July 8 – 11; (TBA)
Price: Residential – $650; Commuter – $590
Contact: Luis Nicolao; nicolao@usna.edu / 609-712-3137
Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne
MIDWEST
Chicago Water Polo Showcase
HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL. Clinic—run by John Abdou, USA Water Polo’s Chief High Performance Director—introduces athletes to college-level instruction from current NCAA and National Team Coaches, while also educating athletes on what it takes to be recruited and successful at the college level. Athletes must be entering at minimum their 10th grade year in high school and be prepared for rigorous college-level instruction. Athletes will receive position-specific training for: Goalies, Centers, Defenders, and Attackers.
Includes: John McBride – Head Coach, Bucknell University; Jay O’Neil – Head Coach, St. Francis University; Tamara Perea – Head Coach, Siena College
Dates: June 22 – 23 (Saturday – Sunday)
Price: Commuter – $225
Contact: Timothy Daniel; Nepolo7@hotmail.com / 847-208-3428
WEST
Tony Azevedo Water Polo Academy
LOS ANGELES, CA. Combining two of the marquee names in US water polo, this camp features Tony Azevedo, a five-time Olympian, and Adam Wright, his teammate from the 2004 and 2008 and 2012 Olympic squads and Michael Zellmer, Ga goalie for the German squad in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. All at UCLA’s beautiful Spieker Aquatics Center.
For boys & girls, ages 10-18
Dates: June 24- 28 (Monday – Thursday) <SOLD OUT>
Price: Residential – $995; Commuter – $795
Contact: Sara Azevedo; sara@azevedowaterpolo.com
The fantastic facility for polo at UCLA. Photo Courtesy: M. Randazzo
Cal Water Polo Camps
BERKELEY, CA. If you want your child to spend a week in San Francisco honing polo skills, there’s nothing like working with Kirk Everist and Coralie Simmons. Everist, head coach for the Cal men’s program, oversees the Cal Boy’s Water Polo a three-day training program opportunity in June, for players ages 11-14 (Skills Camp) and players 13-18 (Advanced Skills). Includes assistant coach Jeff Tyrell.
Simmons, the Golden Bear’s women’s coach, runs Cal Girl’s Water Polo Camp offers a three-day training opportunity in June, to high school level players ages 13-18. Andrew Silva is a special assistant, who will join Cal coaches Simmons and Heather Petri.
Dates: Boys – June 17 – 20 (Monday – Thursday) <SOLD OUT>; Girls – June 10 – 13 (Friday – Sunday)
Price: Boys – Residential – $635; Commuter – $460; Girls – Residential – $425
Contact: 800-645-3226
Malibu Water Polo Camp
MALIBU, CA. If there’s one place in the continental U.S. that is a perfect setting for polo, it’s the Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool at Pepperdine University. Having Terry Schroeder—one of the most accomplished American water polo athletes and coaches—and Merrill Moses, a four-time Olympian, coaching young athletes is as good as it gets.
Session 1: June 17 – 21 (Monday – Friday)
Session 2: June 24 – 28 (Monday – Friday)
Session 3: July 8 – 12 (Monday – Friday)
Session 4: July 29 – August 2 (Monday – Friday)
Price: Residential – $750; Commuter – $590
Contact: (818) 889-8732 / malibuh2opolo@gmail.com
Nike 5Meter Water Polo Camps at San Diego State
SAN DIEGO, CA. USSC has partnered with USA Water Polo Olympian Genai Kerr in offering a Nike 5meter Water Polo Camp this summer in beautiful San Diego. Instruction takes place each day at the Aztec Aquaplex, located on the San Diego State campus.
Designed by the top coaches and athletes in the country, Nike 5Meter Water Polo Camps provide in-water instruction to make an immediate impact on an athlete’s game. Young athletes will have the opportunity to learn first hand how Olympic Athletes train, meet their nutritional needs, and balance their lives.
Dates: July 5 – 7 (Friday – Sunday); August 3 -4 (Goalie and Shooting Clinic)
Price: Residential – $350 and $250
Contact: info@5meter.com / 877-824-7656
Nike 5Meter Water Polo Camps at UC Santa Cruz
SANTA CRUZ, CA. The Nike 5Meter Water Polo Camp at the University of California, Santa Cruz is designed to provide youth and high school water polo players with the fundamentals, latest drills, in-water scrimmages and position specific training (Divers, Shooters, Goalies and 2 Meter Offense & Defense) essential for improvement.
Dates: June 27 – 30 (Thursday – Sunday)
Price: Residential – $625; Commuter – $425
Contact: info@5meter.com / 877-824-7656
Photo Courtesy: Annie Tworoger, 3rd & Ocean
Pacific Water Polo Shooting & Goalie Analytics Camp
STOCKTON, CA. This is Pacific Water Polo’s first Analytics Shooting and Goalie Camp, a one-day program for athletes ages 15 – 18 designed to focus on the fundamentals of water polo, shooting and goalie statistical analysis. It’s billed as the first-ever analytic approach to goalkeeping, taught by James Graham, Pacific Head Men’s and Women’s Water Polo Coach and Associate Head Coach Joey Gullikson.
Dates: Boys – August 10 (Saturday); Girls – August 11 (Sunday)
Price: Commuter – $150 – $200
Contact: Joey Gullikson; jgullikson@pacific.edu
Stanford Water Polo Camps
STANFORD, CA. There’s few finer facilities for polo in America than the Avery Aquatic Center. Having some of the best coaches in the game—John Vargas, head coach for the Cardinal men’s program and former U.S. Men’s Senior National Team Coach, and John Tanner, seven-time NCAA champion with Stanford’s women’s team—makes this one of the country’s most desirable camps.
Boys :Beginning/Intermediate
Session 1 – June 17-20 (Monday – Thursday) 9am – 12pm session and 1 – 4pm session (designed to be taken together)
Session 2 – June 25-28 21 (9am – 12pm session
Price: Commuter – $245 for morning session; $245 for afternoon session
Boys Advanced Camp – June 22-25
Price: Residential – $725; Commuter – $600
Girls Beginning/Intermediate Camp
Session 1: June 17-20 (Monday – Thursday) 9am – 12pm session and 1 – 4pm session (designed to be taken together)
Session 2: June 25-28 (Tuesday-Friday) 21 9am – 12pm session
Price: Commuter – $245 for morning session; $245 for afternoon session
Contact: Susan Ortwein; sortwein@stanford.edu / 800-357-7687
Maybe someday your kid will join Stanford’s John Tanner for a championship dip! Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne
UCLA Water Polo Camps
LOS ANGELES, CA. UCLA’s combined success in men’s and women’s polo is unparalleled. With Adam Wright now overseeing both the Bruin’s men’s and women’s program, this coed water polo camp program is an ideal opportunity for boys & girls ages 14-18 to work with one of the nation’s best coaches. Additional staff are: Jason Falitz, UCLA Associate Head Coach; Jack Grover, UCLA Men’s Assistant Coach; Kodi Hill; UCLA Women’s Assistant Coach.
Session 1: July 29-31
Price: Residential – $640; Commuter – $415
Contact: camps@athletics.ucla.edu / 310-206-3550
Wolf Wigo’s Santa Barbara Water Polo Camps
SANTA BARBARA, CA. If there’s a gold standard in water polo, Wolf Wigo is it. Co-founder of Kap7, the nation’s largest water polo equipment manufacturer, head coach for the UC Santa Barbara men’s team, and two-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012)
Session 1: June 26 – July 3
Session 2: July 8 – 12
Session 3: July 19 – 23
Session 4: July 29 – August 1
Price: Residential – $725; Commuter – $495
Contact: goletapolo@yahoo.com
INTERNATIONAL
Barcelona International Water Polo Academy
LES CORTS, BARCELONA, SPAIN. If you would like an international adventure for you child, there’s perhaps no better place to go than Barcelona. Led by Quim Colet, sports director of the BIWPA Academy, ex-member of the team of the Spanish team at the Beijing and London Olympics and with extensive experience as a coach. They will be accompanied by Yuri Colet (CN Poble Nou), Sarah Lizotte (Honor division player with CE Mediterrani), Joel Esteller (honor division player with CN Barcelona) and Sergi Clols (honor division player with the CN Catalunya) among others.
CN Barcelona Pool: July 1 – 5 or July 7 – 13 (Monday – Friday) – Commuter; June 30 – July 6 (Sunday – Saturday) – Residential
CAR Sant Cugat Pool: July 15 – 19 OR July 22 – 26 (Monday – Friday) – Commuter; July 14 – 20 OR July 21 – 27 (Sunday – Saturday) – Residential
Price: Residential – $1,200 (approximate); does not include airfare
Contact: info@biwpa.com / +34 664 549 435
Barcelona is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Photo Courtesy: BIWPA
Marco Risso Waterpolo Camp
MALTA. What could be better than a polo camp on Malta a unique island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea?! Led by Marco Risso, with 25 years’ experience coaching junior and professional players in Italy, joined by Carlo Silipo, Italian National Coach, junior team and a gold medalist at the 1992 Olympics and Marco Baldineti, one of Italy’s most successful club coaches, a European champion at Pro Recco both as coach and player. This camp is for the discerning traveler—but one who would like attention from some of Europe’s best polo coaches.
[Richard Micaleff Talks Malta Water Polo, One of Europe’s Most Exotic Destinations]
Dates: Camps start on July 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd; flexible stay though 10 days is suggested.
Price: Residential – ranges from $650 for one week, half-board accommodations to $1,400 (approximate) for two weeks full board; does not include airfare
Contact: Richard Micaleff; richard@spr.com.mt / +356 7984 5716