Water Polo Australia (WPA) has introduced its pioneering Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (IDE) Strategy, which will form an integral part of WPA’s comprehensive social impact framework. Demonstrating a strong commitment to making water polo a sport that embraces all individuals, WPA aims to provide an inclusive environment and formats that cater to people from diverse backgrounds and communities.

Comprising members from within the water polo community and representatives from partner organizations, the IDE Steering Panel brought together a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Their collective insights, rooted in personal experiences, helped identify common barriers that have hindered inclusivity, stifled diversity, and limited equity within the sport.

With a detailed action plan tailored to the Australian water polo landscape, the IDE Strategy aims to address these challenges head-on, ensuring that everyone feels welcome and finds their place in the water polo community.

One distinguished member of the IDE Steering Panel is Domenic Tripodi from the ACT, leveraging over two decades of experience in the healthcare sector and his role as a parent to junior water polo players. Tripodi’s lived experiences, particularly supporting his child who is a junior para-athlete, allowed him to shed light on disability inclusion, emphasizing the significance of encouraging individuals of all abilities to engage in water polo.

“We are really happy to have such a dedicated group with different levels of experience develop Water Polo Australia’s first Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) Strategy.

“I wanted to be part of developing this strategy so I could share my lived experience as a parent of a child with a disability. My son first got involved and sitting poolside, it was the coaches who encouraged us to get my daughter, who is an amputee, in the pool to have a go.

“From what we have learned going through those experiences, I hoped I could help other areas of water polo get more people with a disability involved in the sport. We want to show clubs at the grassroots level that there is a commitment from the highest levels of the organisation around inclusion and diversity.

“If we can broaden people’s focus so that anyone can have a crack at water polo, that would be a great result,” he said.

Together with the IDE Steering Panel, Tripodi envisions a more inclusive future for water polo, encouraging broader perspectives and providing opportunities for everyone to experience the sport.

Emily McGowan from Victoria, another esteemed member of the Steering Panel, brings her unique perspective as a proud LGBTQIA+ community member. McGowan’s personal experiences as a trans athlete inspired them to join this groundbreaking initiative, with a deep desire to ensure meaningful representation of all communities within water polo.

“As a trans athlete, it’s been hard to see a place for myself in the sport when there are so few sporting role models who look like me,” they said.

“I wanted to be part of the IDE committee to help WPA understand ways to make LGBTQIA+ people feel welcome in our sport, so that I can one day see my community meaningfully represented in our water polo community.”

McGowan said the strategy is designed to help all levels of the sport understand how they can make sure that everyone has a place to enjoy water polo.

“Having an IDE strategy will provide a foundation for the inclusion, diversity, and equity work that will allow us to welcome more people in to share our love of water polo. This will help our sport grow and be sustainable into the future.

“The Steering Panel hopes this framework will be a step towards creating a safe and welcoming environment for anyone who wants to participate in water polo, so that our water polo community expands to reflect the rich diversity of the general population,” they said.

McGowan’s involvement in the IDE Committee reflects their dedication to helping WPA create a welcoming environment where LGBTQIA+ individuals feel valued and embraced. Through the IDE Strategy, McGowan envisions a water polo community that genuinely reflects the diverse society we live in.

The IDE Strategy serves as a vital foundation for fostering inclusion, diversity, and equity in water polo at all levels. By implementing this framework, WPA aims to create a safe and welcoming environment for anyone interested in participating in the sport. The organization firmly believes that the water polo community will flourish and thrive when it embraces the rich diversity of the wider population.

Water Polo Australia is excited to embark on this transformative journey, leveraging the IDE Strategy to drive positive change within the sport. By ensuring inclusivity and celebrating diversity, WPA aims to make water polo truly accessible and enjoyable for all individuals, ultimately propelling the sport to new heights of success and sustainability.

Read the full article here.

Photo Courtesy Water Polo Australia

Courtesy Water Polo Australia