2011-12 Annual Report - Australian Water Polo Inc

WATER POLO AUSTRALIA 2011/12 ANNUAL REPORT
Athletes’ Commission
Report
30
Firstly, I would like
to congratulate
the Olympians for
their tremendous
results in London this
year. After several
nail-biting penalty
shootouts, the
Stingers were able
to come away with
the Bronze, and the
Sharks seventh place
was their best result
since Barcelona
in 1992.
The Athletes Commission over the past
12 months has provided an active voice of
the athletes in our sport to the Water Polo
Australia Limited’s (WPAL) Board and its
executive staff. The commissioner’s roles as
outlined in the charter are to:
• Advise the board of WPAL on any matters
relating to water polo which impact on
water polo athletes;
• Represent the athletes on WPAL’s Board
through the Athletes Commission Chairman
who is a voting member of the Board;
• Nominate representatives from among their
members to represent Water Polo Australia
athletes on WPAL Board as requested from
time to time;
• Nominate athletes for election by ballot to
the Australian Olympic Committee Athletes’
Commission;
• Provide leadership and direction on matters
that directly relate to water polo athletes.
This year marks the end of term for the
current Athletes Commission, which
comprised of Nikita Cuffe (2004 & 2008
Olympian), Bronwyn Knox (2008 & 2012
Olympian), Toby Jenkins (2004 Olympian),
Thomas Whalan (2000, 2004, 2008 & 2012
Olympian) and myself, Trent Franklin (2004
& 2008 Olympian). As chairman, I would like
to thank them all for their support during the
past four years. I believe this Commission
has made progress in improving the
wellbeing and experience of our athletes.
This year saw the finalisation of the
National Competition Committee (NCC), of
which the Athletes Commission provided
input and recommendations, including
the recommendation to have an athlete
that has played at the national level
on that committee. With this becoming
the overarching body for our domestic
elite pathway, we saw it as an important
component for the athletes to provide input.
With the first appeal to an Olympic Team
selection, input was taken from a selection
of athletes as to the positive and negative
aspects of the process. The Athlete
Commission provided input on these
processes for future selections, in hope to
achieve absolute best practice for both the
endeavours of the team and wellbeing of
all athletes. Whilst selection will always be a
difficult and often challenging process, we
want to ensure the athletes are fairly treated
and are close to their support networks at
the time of team selections.
The committee and I would like to thank the
President, Board Members and CEO of WPAL
for their support during our term.
The Athletes’ Commission would like to
encourage any Athletes who have any
issues, concerns or idea’s they may have
relating to the sport, to approach the WPAL
Athletes’ Commission. We would like to wish
the incoming Athletes’ Commission all the
best. A formal handover of prior and current
issues will occur once the new Commission
has been finalised.
Trent Franklin
Chairman
Water Polo Australia Athletes’ Commission
Photo Credit: Anthony Pearse, Pearse Photography