Frequently Asked Questions

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For our inaugural winter season (December 2025/January 2026), we will offer programs for high school-aged girls and boys, as well as select younger players that are capable of play at this level. Beginning in February 2026, we will offer a typical cadre of age groups, including 14u, 12u, and 10u (mixed).

Our club's primary focus is to serve the Monterey Peninsula. However, we welcome players from all areas who exhibit the necessary character, skill, and level of commitment.

Club dues vary based on the age group and season of play. However, you can expect the cost to equate to $250-$300/month excluding tournament costs, which will be split equally amongst the families of rostered players.

We believe strongly that sports are for everyone and that all kids deserve the opportunity to play, regardless of financial circumstance. Water polo in particular is a sport that will benefit from the inclusion of individuals from more diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, so we are committed to accommodating interested young athletes whose families can demonstrate the need for financial assistance. For more information or to discuss your particular circumstances, please reach out to us at info@carmelwaterpolo.com.

Water polo is one of the most complete and rewarding sports a young athlete can play. It builds strong swimmers, confident kids, and true teammates. Players develop exceptional strength, endurance, and body control, without the wear and tear and probability of injury found in most land-based sports. The sport moves quickly and challenges players to think on the fly, communicate, and work together, helping them grow both physically and mentally. While the sport of water polo is still relatively small in the United States, there are approximately 70 U.S. colleges and universities with men's and women's NCAA water polo teams. The sport is very popular in Europe, with professional leagues in Italy, France, Croatia, Greece, Spain, Serbia and Hungary, which contributes to an abundance of overseas training opportunities for committed athletes.

As a sanctioned USA water polo club, we organize our athletes into the following age groups: 10u, 12u, 14u, 16u, and 18u, based upon the athlete's age as of August 1st. In certain circumstances, athletes may be offered the opportunity to play up with an older age group.

For practices, girls are expected to bring a one-piece suit and boys are expected to bring water polo briefs, commonly known as "Speedos." If your athlete is new to our sport, and is uncomfortable in Speedos, they may initially wear a swimsuit of their choice. In addition, athletes should bring swim goggles, a towel, and a bottle of water.

We do not have designated tryout dates, as we offer pathways for all players at our club and evaluate our athletes on an ongoing basis to make sure they are exposed to the right instruction and level of competition to maximize their development.

All age groups train a minimum of three days a week during most weeks. In the summer, our older age groups will likely practice more frequently.

The expectation is that players attend all practices and games. From time to time, it is inevitable that a player must miss a practice. In this circumstance, 14u players and younger should have their parents communicate directly to the head coach in advance of their absence. For 16u players and older, the communication should come directly from the player.

The expectation is that players attend all practices and games. From time to time, it is inevitable that a player must miss a practice. In this circumstance, 14u players and younger should have their parents communicate directly to the head coach in advance of their absence. For 16u players and older, the communication should come directly from the player.

Depending on the age group, gender, and the extent of the shortfall, our solution may vary. For instance, in some situations, it might make sense to have a player from a younger age group play up, or we may obtain guest players for certain tournaments, as appropriate. To address larger shortfalls, we are in the final stages of structuring an affiliate relationship with one of the more decorated Bay Area clubs to supplement our rosters. This will allow us to be more competitive in the short term at the larger tournaments.

We encourage all of our high school athletes to participate on their high school swim teams. Swimmers at many elite high school teams in California often get their yardage in at other practices outside of their local high school. Accordingly, from roughly February through April, Carmel Water Polo practices will place a heavy emphasis on swimming, overall conditioning, and at the appropriate time, rest, in order to support our athlete's success on their respective high school swim teams. 

Our club's approach to individual player development is centered around coaching the whole player, including their technical development, physical conditioning, tactical understanding of the game, as well as developing their mental and emotional strength and resilience. At 10u, we stress the ABCs (agility, balance, and coordination). We also share game clips featuring the highest level of play both domestically and internationally so our youngest athletes can start visualizing the player they would like to become. Beginning at 12u, the basis for our curriculum is influenced by what is taught in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) as well as practice structures that look similar to what is offered at top flight NCAA Division I programs.