An Essential Part of the Team

Each team in the competition requires a team manager, typically a parent of one of the players.

While the role is not difficult, it is essential.

Duties include:

• Maintaining a WhatsApp group for parents/guardians of the players

• Serving as the primary communication point between the team and the club

• Communicating training and game times to families

• Coordinating table officials and marshals for the games

• Working with other team managers to find substitute players if needed

• Distributing and collecting caps

• Checking the scorecard at the start of the game to ensure everyone is listed, and striking off absent players

• Being aware of any players without parents at the venue

• Assisting the coach as directed during the game

• Entering game results online after the game

• Organising social opportunities for players and families to get to know each other

• Coordinating a gift for the coach

The following sections go into the above duties in detail to help those who are unsure or have never been a team manager before.

Getting started

Blue Card

As Team Manager you will be on the pool deck at events and around the team. As such, you’ll need to get a Blue Card from Bluecard Services if you don’t already have one.

If you already have a Blue Card, please send the number and your date of birth to registrar@rivercitywaterpolo.com - we will add it to our register.

If not, applying for a Blue Card is free and simple, see our page on Blue Cards in the Info Hub above.

Team WhatsApp group

As a Team Manager, you'll be the administrator of the team's WhatsApp group with all the parents/carers of the players.

The club will send set up the group from registration information and make you administrator. It may be necessary to add additional parents/carers which you can do after discussing with the registered parents/carers.

In line with WPA Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, children are not to be included in these team WhatsApp groups for parent/guardian logistics.

To help the team get to know each other, it is useful to compile a list of player names and their corresponding parents’ / carers’ names. A quick access place to put this for everyone is the WhatsApp group's description. Let everyone in the group know it is there and how to access it.

Communicating with the club

The club will set up a Team Managers’ WhatsApp group for the competition, including all team managers, coaches, and club representatives.

This group will be used to communicate important updates to all team managers, such as changes in competition or training schedules. Please stay informed and ensure these updates are shared with your team’s WhatsApp chat.

The Team Managers’ WhatsApp group is also a valuable resource for asking questions or passing on enquiries from your team. Questions are often quickly answered by other team managers or club members.

For more private matters, feel free to contact any club representative directly. Use the contacts list to find the most appropriate person, and they will redirect your query if needed. The club is here to support you, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Table officials

Your team must provide at least one accredited table official for every game. This table official also needs a Blue Card, as they will be seated on the pool deck during games.

Discuss with your team’s parents the importance of the table official role, and identify any experienced parents who can help.

To prevent the role from always falling to the same people, encourage as many parents as possible to complete the online training and accreditation, and to register their Blue Cards - refer to the Blue Cards section in the Info Hub menu above for the process.

Parents often find table duty intimidating if they haven’t done it before. The team can have two table officials at the table, allowing an inexperienced official to learn from an experienced one. However, it is important that the team provides at least one confident and accredited official for each game.

Appropriate behaviour

The manager and parents/carers are there to support the team and coach with positive encouragement during training and games. However, only the coach can give instructions to the players. Managers and parents/carers should avoid distracting the players or providing their own instructions.

Open criticism or abuse of players, coaches, supporters, or officials is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Ensure that everyone understands this policy. Any issues with a player or the coach should be reported privately to you as the manager or to a club representative.

If you observe behaviour that doesn’t meet these standards, please intervene if you feel comfortable and safe. If not, contact a club representative immediately. It’s important to address these issues promptly to prevent escalation.

Loud in the stands, quiet on the pool deck

We love the passion of water polo supporters. Positive and encouraging noise for all players and teams creates a great atmosphere. We encourage parents and supporters to wear team colors and vocally support our teams, as well as good play from the other teams, from the stands and designated supporter areas.

However, volunteers on the pool deck must remain quiet. If they cannot, they cannot be on the pool deck.

This applies to team managers on the bench with the coach or relaying information to table officials. When on the bench, the team manager must remain quiet—coaching is the coach’s role, and cheering is for the supporters. Excessive noise on the bench can distract the coach, lead to penalties from officials, and even result in removal from the venue.

Similarly, table officials must stay quiet and impartial. This can be challenging in close games, especially for parents who are table officials and want to see their team or player do well. Nonetheless, it is essential for table officials to remain quiet, calm, and impartial. Please ensure your table officials understand and adhere to this policy.

Relationship with the coach

Different coaches have varying expectations for manager involvement. Don’t assume that what worked with your previous coach will be the same for your current team’s coach.

The best approach is to ask the coach how you can best support them and what they need. Remember, some coaches, especially younger ones, may find it challenging to communicate their needs. Be empathetic and assist them in articulating their expectations without imposing your own preferences.

Examples of duties coaches might request include:

• Helping with the kit bag

• Bring players together for warm up/team chat

• Engage with parents

• Sitting on the bench with the team during games

• Collecting statistics during the game, e.g. remembering how many goals and major fouls players have

• Communicating with table officials, such as handling player cap number swaps

• Managing bench players and keeping them focused

• Organising and transporting equipment (i.e. balls & water bottles) during game transitions

• Hand out and collect player caps, ensuring player numbers match the scoresheet

• Ensuring all caps are collected at the end of game

• Collecting balls at end of game

• Knowing which caps to wear - the first team on draw is white caps.

• Knowing which end we start at - look at the clocks, white team starts on the blue side.

Your role is to provide whatever support the coach needs to be most effective. The best way to find out is to ask and follow their lead.

Throughout the week

Communicate fixture and training details

There are typically two training sessions and one game each week. However, with busy schedules, changes in pool availability, rescheduling, and the mid-season summer break, things can get confusing.

As the manager, it’s your job to stay on top of these details and condense the relevant information for your team.

The best way to do this is by messaging your team each week to confirm training days, times, and locations, as well as fixture details. This will save parents from having to sift through all the information and reduce overall confusion and questions.

Player availability and table official volunteers

Each week, you will need to:

1. Confirm player availability for the game.

• If short on players, discuss with the coach about needing substitutes.

• Use the Team Managers’ WhatsApp group to find substitutes if necessary.

2. Organise at least one table official and marshal for the game.

• Tip: have backup volunteers prepared to avoid last-minute scrambles.

• Be prepared to step in as a table official if needed.

To avoid a last-minute rush, ask for player availability and table official volunteers mid-week. Ensure the team informs you of any last-minute unavailability (e.g., sickness).

Once you have the player availability, inform the coach of any absences so they can plan accordingly. This may include players that will arrive late or need to leave early due to other commitments (e.g. other games).

If there are any conflicts in game times opportunities can arise to change times if raised early.

You can gather this information using the poll feature of WhatsApp.

This allows you to cover fixture details and collect the necessary information while making it visible to all parents. Poll responses also don’t produce notifications, keeping the chat quieter.

Additionally, you can use the poll to organise post-game lollies, a popular duty among teams. A bag of snakes goes a long way—just ensure that you check and communicate any player allergies/intolerances at the beginning of the season so no one gets excluded. For example, many soft lollies contain gluten.

Game day

Take a spares kit

Everyone forgets things from time to time. It is really handy to have extras in case one (or more) of the team are missing something. A good kit to have one hand on game day includes

• Sunscreen

• Swimming cap (they break and get forgotten)

• A couple of nail clippers (in case someone hasn’t cut them)

• Hair bands

• Ziplock bag and a sharpie (e.g. in case you need to hold onto earrings)

Help the coach

You should have already discussed your responsibilities with the coach for game days, but be prepared to assist with any unexpected needs that arise.

Ensure there is a clear meeting time and location for the team before the game. Arrive on time, and gather the team in one spot for the coach. Typically, the coach will want the team assembled at least 30 minutes before the game to allow for warm-ups, cap collection, and game plan discussion - but check with them.

Know the pool location for your match, as most venues host multiple games concurrently. Familiarise yourself with the location and check maps ahead of time. Arrange a designated meeting point to simplify finding each other and getting to the game location, so the coach can focus on the game without worrying about these details.

Check the scorecard

At the end of the game before your team’s game, go to the official’s table. Introduce yourself to the referees and pool coordinator, if present, and ask to review the scorecard for your game. You’ll likely find the opposing team’s manager doing the same, please be friendly and say hello - you’re representing our club. This is also a good time to bring your team’s table officials to the table.

Ensure that any absent players are removed from the scoresheet and verify that the players are numbered correctly according to their caps. While scoresheets are pre-printed with cap numbers for the season, errors can occur.

Notify the table secretary of any changes to cap numbers, e.g. for goalkeeping positions for the first quarter. If any changes in goalkeeping occur during the game, make sure you or the coach inform the table secretary so that these changes are accurately recorded.

Take a photo of the scoresheet

After the game ends, take a photo of the scoresheet for your records, or ask your table official to do so and send you the image. This will help with entering game statistics and results online and serve as a record in case of any disputes later.

Share the scorecard to WhatsApp group.

Be aware of any players without parents

Sometimes, players from your team may arrive at the venue without their parents. Make sure they are well taken care of and feel supported throughout their time at the venue.

After the game

Communicate the results

Share the game results in your team’s WhatsApp group chat. Not all parents and carers can attend the games, so they appreciate updates on how the game went. Be sure to keep your comments positive.

Enter the game results/statistics

As the team manager, you must log game results in Revolutionise Sport after the fixture, using the access provided by the club. If you encounter any issues with access, please contact registrar@rivercitywaterpolo.com.

• Mark any players who did not participate as absent.

• Add any substitute players who played for your team.

• Enter the goals scored and major foul counts for each player on your team.

If your team wore white caps, you are responsible for entering the final score as it appears on the scoresheet.

Other duties

Social media

Our comms/social media manager is always on the lookout for great photos, results, and stories to keep the community informed and engaged. Please share any really good photos or information with social@rivercitywaterpolo.com.

Encourage other parents to also contribute by sending their best photos and updates to social@rivercitywaterpolo.com.

But please help our comms/social media manager by prefiltering these photos to just the really good ones, rather than inundating them with photos. Also bear in mind that while the those in the photos may have consented to have their image used in posts, it may not be a nice photo of all of them they'd like to see online. Ideally ask them.

To further assist our comms/social media manager, please identify people in the photos you send. This helps the manager cross-check with the preferences expressed by players and parents regarding the use of their images on social media and the website. By providing this information, you make it easier and faster for the manager to ensure that all images are used appropriately and in accordance with expressed preferences.

Please be mindful when posting photos on social media that include children who are not your own. Make sure to inform your parents of this as well. It’s easy to accidentally include a child from your team or another club in your photos, and you may not be aware of their preferences or circumstances that could be affected by sharing images.

Social opportunities

Consider organising social opportunities for players and families to get to know each other better. Building a strong team community can enhance camaraderie and create a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. 

Casual meet-ups are popular, such as picnics, BBQs, or coffee meet-ups, where players and their families can mingle outside of the usual training and game environment.

End-of-season celebrations are common too, for example a dinner or a BBQ to celebrate a season together. Don’t forget the RiverCity club end of season celebration will be on too, but sometimes teams like to also have a special team event too.

Also use the WhatsApp group chats to share updates, photos, and events, and to facilitate discussions and connections among families.

Creating these opportunities not only helps players and families bond but also contributes to a positive and supportive team culture.

Coach’s present

Our coaches work incredibly hard and do a fantastic job—something we’re very proud of. It’s a thoughtful gesture for the team to contribute a small amount of money to purchase a gift for the coach at the end of the season.

Players often enjoy presenting the gift, and coaches truly appreciate the gesture. The gift doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive; even a team photo signed by everyone can be a cherished keepsake.

To streamline the process, consider using an online card and collection platform like GroupTogether. These platforms allow you to gather messages, photos, and donations from players and parents. You can also print the virtual card if it contains many heartfelt comments and photos.

You might also create a separate WhatsApp group for parents (excluding the coach) to discuss and arrange gift ideas.

Tip: Start this process early, ideally near the beginning of the second half of the season. It often takes more time than expected to decide on a gift, collect donations, and make the purchase—especially if the gift needs to be ordered and delivered. Starting early ensures you have plenty of time to plan when to present the gift, typically at the end of the season.

Template welcome email

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the [Team Name] team! I’m [Your Name], [Player’s Name]’s [Your Relationship to Player].

Our coach is [Coach’s Name], and our players are:

• XXX

• YYY

• ZZZ

My main responsibilities are:

• Updating you with club information, fixtures, and training details.

• Answering or directing your questions to the club or coach.

• Confirming player availability and organising substitutes if needed.

• Coordinating table officials and marshals for each game.

• Assisting on game day.

We need volunteers for table official duty at every game. It’s not as daunting as it seems, and the online course is helpful. New volunteers can pair with experienced officials to learn the ropes.

To do table duty you’ll need a Blue Card. The process (included below) is free and relatively easy if you don’t have one. If you do have a Blue Card, please share the number and your date of birth with registrar@rivercitywaterpolo.com to register if you haven’t already.

I’ll use WhatsApp polls to gather player attendance and table official volunteers each week, so please keep an eye out for messages.

I think it would be good to plan a casual meet-up for us and our players, like a pool or park gathering. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Welcome to the team, and let’s have a great season!

Best regards,

[Your Name]