A big heartfelt thank you goes out to all the wonderful parents who joined us at last week's parents' meetings!

Let's dive into the exciting highlights from the meeting, club communications and contacts, local tournaments, looking ahead to the Junior Olympics, and this week's schedule.

 

CLUB ORGANIZATION AND CONTACTS

Mid-Pen Water Polo Club is administered by Menlo Park Water Polo Club, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our Federal Tax ID is 46-5208910.

We have a board of directors who are all volunteers, a Club Athletic Director, Coach Bruno, and four additional coaches: Steven Canales, Eric Bittner, Natasha Kervick, and Adam Dean.

If you have any questions about registration or your SportsEngine account, please email me at info@mpwaterpolo.com.

If you have water polo or practice questions, please ask the coaches—their contact info is on your team page (log in to your SportsEngine account to access the team pages from the Parent Portal.)

If your athlete missed the T-shirt distribution, please get in touch with your team's parent volunteer—their contact info is on your team page (log in to your SportsEngine account to access the team pages from the Parent Portal.)

 

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CLUB

Email Updates
Look forward to a weekly email from yours truly, brimming with the week's highlights. Remember to give it a read! You can also find the exact email posted on our website.

Parent Portal
We've got a nifty Parent Portal waiting for you at https://www.mpwaterpolo.com/parent-portal. Here, you can:

• Download the SportsEngine app, the coaches' hub for team communication.
• You must turn the notifications on to receive our communications:
  • In the app, click the gearwheel, then "Teams," and turn on ALL the team notifications.
  • On the website (https://www.mpwaterpolo.com/), click on the "My SportsEngine" link in the upper right corner menu; click on your account in the upper right corner, and then "Settings." In "Communication Preferences," ensure your email and phone number are checked.
• Review the "Your SportsEngine Account" document in the Parent Portal to ensure your account is set up correctly.

 

Stay Connected with the SportsEngine App
Our coaches use the app to keep communication flowing. If you want your athletes to have access to the SportsEngine app, email me with their email address.

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

You can check the schedule in many ways—stay in the loop!

• Check out our calendar for all the upcoming water polo goodness.
• Log in to your SportsEngine account to access the season schedule and team pages.
• Your team schedule (and RSVP function) is on the SportsEngine app.

 

ATHLETES' BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

Team Spirit and Conduct: Let's build a team that shines together! Show respect and positivity to your teammates. Remember, we're all in this together. If you have thoughts or concerns, share them with a coach – they're here to listen!

Punctuality Matters: Being on time isn't just a game rule; it's a life skill. It shows respect for your team and coaches.

Practices and Games Are Mandatory: Your commitment matters! Be there for your team. If you can't make it, post on the team chat.

Practice Etiquette: Let's keep practices productive and fun. If behavior gets in the way, you might be asked to chill on the deck for a bit. Remember, it's three strikes, and you're out—let's avoid that and have a blast in the pool!

 

PARENTS BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Parents' Role: Stay in the loop by checking your emails and SportsEngine messages. Make sure we have your best contact details. Coaches will ensure you're in the loop when communicating with your athlete.

Timeliness Matters for Athletes: Encourage your athlete to be punctual and prepared. It's a great habit that shows respect for the team and coach.

 

LOCAL TOURNAMENTS

We're all about spreading our energy in local tournaments around the Bay Area. Check out the schedule for the tournaments already on the calendar.

 

THIS WEEK'S PRACTICES

10U, 12U, and 14U
There is no practice at Menlo-Atherton this Thursday (2/15), so the 10U, 12U, and 14U groups are practicing at Woodside High School.

16U and 18U
16U and 18U have regular practices—RSVP on the app.

 

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE JUNIOR OLYMPICS (JO)

All the JO information is on our website.

 

Go Mid-Pen!