Message from Tim Auger

Dear Carmel, Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Area Water Polo Players,

I hope all is well and everyone is enjoying the fall Water Polo season.  Last year our son, Kevan Auger, had the opportunity to attend the Olympic Development Program that is run in the winter by USA water polo.  It was such a great boost for his training and WP skills that I am encouraging more local families to get involved. He attended at a 14 year old for the first time…we wish we had started earlier!!

The ODP program involves 1 weekend day a month in November, December, January and February.  (You should be playing local Club polo at the same time with Legacy). The dates can be accessed on the USA water polo website ( www.usawaterpolo.org/odp/pacific-zone-boys.html# ) . The locations are TBD but they will be in the bay area. The training days are intense 8 hours days of swimming, skill set work and scrimmages.  Carpooling is a great idea if there are enough families interested in their sons or daughters participating. We will always be driving up so if you need help let us know. The program is not cheap, but the value is amazing.

During the last session for the training groups they determine the tournament teams for the ODP zones tournament. Last year it was in San Diego. The fee for the 14U includes the tournament and the hotel for the player. It does not include travel. This was an amazing tournament with the team skills being outstanding.  Everyone made a 14U team last year.  For the 16 or 18 U team,  I believe it is not an automatic that your son or daughter will make a zone team, but if they improve and play hard there is a good chance.

We have no financial incentive to promote the ODP program. We just were able to see such a huge improvement in our son’s play that we wanted to reach out and try and involve as many local players as possible. It is my feeling that if you want to be a good high school player and perhaps play at the next level, this program is a must.  From my count we only had 3 local players participate last year.  We saw clubs and high schools from the bay area that had 6 to 10 players  attending, and it is no wonder that those are the clubs that participate and win most of the tournaments we attend.

If you have any questions please give me a call at 831-915-4420 or email me at timaugerdmdinc@gmail.com. The registration is open on the website. Do not worry about “missing” the try out dates. Just make the first work out session listed in November and go forward from there.  On another note, the ODP website can be quite confusing. If you have any questions, give Anne Laurence a call or drop her   an email. Her info is listed on the site.

Thanks

Tim Auger