First Annual Water Polo Coaches Conference Set for December 11-13 at Palms Hotel in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nevada  -- The best minds in the game of water polo today will converge on Las Vegas, Nevada on December 11-13 as the First Annual Water Polo Coaches Conference will be held at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas on December 11-13.

A three-day event which will feature some of the most highly respected coaches in the game today, the conference will cover topics spanning from promoting an international trip, the state of United States Water Polo and American Water Polo, legal issues, a referee outlook for the future, training elite players  and administering a club team.

Among the speakers is two-time Olympian and SET Water Polo Club director Brad Schumacher, the co-founder of KAP 7 water polo balls. 

"The coaches conference was created to offer a positive environment where water polo coaches can share ideas about all facets of our sport," notes Schumacher. 

"From tactics to development to sport growth to sharing ideas about how to retain athletes; it is time that water polo coaches have a forum where we can foster professional development.  Most importantly this conference has no bias, it is open to all in water polo."

The list of presenters includes SCAF Senior Program Chair Steve Redding, American Water Polo Director and Collegiate Water Polo Association commissioner Dan Sharadin, United States Junior Team Coach and Director of San Diego Shores Water Polo Club Doug Peabody, former Olympian and current University of California-Berkeley men's head coach Kirk Everist and former US Olympic coach and University of California-Berkeley women's coach Rich Corso.

The keynote address of the conference will be presented by University of California-Berkeley High Performance Director Keith Power on Friday, December 11.

To attend the conference, fill out the Conference Information and Registration Form available on the WPCA website and mail a check with the form to: Water Polo Coaches Association or WPCA, 3233 Grand Avenue, Suite N-67, Chino Hills, CA  91709.

All checks should be made out to Water Polo Coaches Association.  Registration for the conference is $75 per person   ($25 for spouse's badge).

Individuals can also make payments with a credit card online by going to the CHAWP online store.

Room reservations at the Palms Hotel, home to some of the city's most extraordinary accommodations and nightlife across a 95,000 square foot casino, are available by calling toll free at 866-942-7770 prior to the cut-off date of November 11.  Please reference the name "Club Water Polo Association" when calling for reservations.

All reservations require a one night's deposit, plus tax, by credit card for each room reserved.  Individual cancellations received seven (7) days prior to arrival will be charged one night's room charge plus tax.

More information on the Water Polo Coaches Association is available on the organizations website at www.waterpolocoaches.org

Keynote Address:  Keith Power , High Performance Director, UC-Berkeley

One of the leaders in his field, Power is charged with ensuring California is at the cutting edge of research, development and delivery of high performance systems and processes after having competed, coached, led and consulted at the very highest level in sport.  Possesses a proven track record of excellence working with globally renowned business organizations, he is a former international track & field athlete and Great Britain bobsledder who at 23 was appointed head coach of Great Britain's bobsled team to become the youngest national coach in the history of British sport.

The youngest person to coach at an Olympic games after leading the British team at two Olympic Games, he guided the four-man British bobsled team to a bronze medal at the 1998 Games.

He has published articles in academic journals in the area of performance psychology, and presented research work at international scientific conferences. Previously, he has been a World Class Performance adviser to UK Sport, senior executive member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), Chair of the Interdisciplinary Sport Science Section of BASES, a member of the British Olympic Association Coaches Advisory Group and worked as a coach educator in several sports. He has had papers published in academic journals in the area of performance psychology and also presents sport and business research work at internationally renowned scientific conferences and workshops.

He has extensive experience in developing elite level sports performance systems, and creating and sustaining elite sports environments, having led Performance Audits for the UK Sport, the British Bobsled Association, English Premiership Soccer Teams, top Rugby Clubs and the Welsh Rugby Union. He has held Performance Director roles at top Soccer clubs and Rugby Clubs in the UK and has experience of working with elite sports teams and organizations in New Zealand and Australia.

As a BASES (British Association of Sport and Exercises Sciences) accredited sport psychologist he has worked with a wide range of elite sports teams and individuals in sports such as soccer, rugby, track and field, golf, swimming and tennis. He has also advised several top head coaches in professional sports in the UK.

In the corporate world he has worked at with global organizations such as Hewlett-Packard, Motorola and Toshiba at the senior level in the area of human performance enhancement. This has included performance coaching, human change systems and processes, creating and sustaining elite teams and cultural performance analysis and culture change programs.