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Irvine, CA - August 27 - The Fall 2025 USA Water Polo Virtual Coach Academy Education Series schedule is here! Learn from some fantastic coaches and administrators covering a variety of topics with a focus on youth athlete development and sport growth. See below for a full description of each seminar and
click here to register. Virtual Coach Academies are $35 for members or $45 for non-members. Register for all four academies and save - $95 for members and $150 for non-members. This project was funded partially funded by the World Aquatics Support Programme.
September 14 — Todd Clapper (1-3p PST)
"Your Season Just Ended — Now What?!"
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Learn how to conduct a 360-degree review and SWOT analysis of your program through the lens of athlete development. This session will also guide you in structuring a comprehensive annual plan by breaking down the four key phases: off-season, pre-season, in-season, and post-season. Discover how to build individualized development plans that align with both team goals and athlete growth.
Todd Clapper began his coaching journey after graduating Cum Laude from Slippery Rock University, where he transformed from a walk-on to the starting goalkeeper and team captain, earning All-Conference honors in his senior year. He then built a solid resume: assistant coaching roles at Slippery Rock and Villanova, a standout head coach tenure at Wissahickon High School, followed by a six-year stretch at Brown University leading both their men's and women's teams and earning multiple "Coach of the Year" honors. From 2005-22, Clapper took the helm of Arizona State University's women's water polo program. Under his leadership, the Sun Devils consistently ranked in the national Top 10 and made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014, followed by a Final Four appearance in 2021.
That wealth of experience shapes the core of his upcoming session, "Your Season Just Ended—Now What?!" Drawing on years of program-building insight, he'll guide attendees through conducting a comprehensive program review, detailing how to assess training methods, tactical systems, and overall team effectiveness. With a career marked by long-term planning and athlete development, Clapper is uniquely positioned to help coaches build thoughtful annual plans that align team goals with individual growth across the off-season, pre-season, in-season, and post-season phases.
October 12 — Brian "Chuckie" Roth (1-3p PST)
"Age Group Essentials: Developing the 12U & 14U Water Polo Athlete"
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Examine the unique developmental needs of 12U and 14U water polo athletes and explore how to structure age-appropriate training sessions that build technical skill, tactical awareness, and overall game sense. Coaches will leave with practical strategies for maximizing engagement, teaching fundamentals, and setting athletes up for success in the next phase of their development.
Brian "Chuckie" Roth has been the head coach of the women's water polo program at Santa Barbara City College since 2013, leading the Vaqueros to multiple 3C2A State Championships. With more than 25 years of coaching experience spanning youth, high school, and collegiate levels, Roth has built a reputation for developing athletes with a strong technical foundation, tactical awareness, and a deep love for the game.
In his upcoming session, "Age Group Essentials: Developing the 12U & 14U Water Polo Athlete," Roth draws on decades of experience guiding young athletes through key developmental stages. He understands how to balance skill-building with fun, ensuring that training at these formative ages fosters confidence, game sense, and long-term growth. Having worked extensively with athletes who are just beginning to refine their competitive identity, Roth offers practical, tested strategies that prepare players for the demands of the next level while keeping their passion for the sport alive.
November 9 — Cassie Churnside (1-3p PST)
"Beyond Drills: Developing Training Environments Conducive to Real Learning"
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Learn how coaches can move beyond traditional, static practices and focus on creating dynamic training environments that promote real, transferable learning. We'll explore how to design sessions and create drills that reflect the game, encourage decision-making, and foster deeper understanding so athletes not only improve but retain and apply what they've learned. Ideal for coaches looking to elevate the purpose and impact of every minute spent in the water.
Cassie Churnside played a pivotal role in Stanford's national championship victories in 2011 and 2012 as a standout athlete. After graduating from Stanford in 2012 with a degree in communication, she spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at Harvard University shaping both the men's and women's programs. During her time there, she guided the Crimson women to their first-ever Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship game appearance, and was integral to Harvard men's historic undefeated season and conference championships. In 2022, Churnside was named head coach of the University of Michigan women's water polo team. In her debut season, she led the team to a 23–10 overall record, a 9–1 conference showing, and a third-place finish in the CWPA Championship.
From winning national titles as a player at Stanford to building competitive success at Harvard and now leading Michigan's program, Cassie Churnside has made it a priority to create training environments that mirror the realities of game play. In her session, "Beyond Drills: Developing Training Environments Conducive to Real Learning," she draws on this experience to show how coaches can make every minute in the pool purposeful. Her approach blends dynamic, game-like scenarios with intentional decision-making opportunities, ensuring athletes not only improve but also retain and apply what they've learned. It's a philosophy she has carried throughout her career, and one that has consistently translated into athlete growth and competitive success.
December 14 — Nicole Lum (1-3p PST)
"Developing Water Polo Programming Through City Partnerships"
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Discover how strategic partnerships with city agencies, parks and recreation departments, and community organizations can be a game-changer for growing the sport. This session will explore real-world examples, practical frameworks, and proven approaches for launching and sustaining water polo programs at the grassroots level. You'll walk away with practice tools to support program development, along with a step-by-step guide for engaging city municipalities and initiating conversations that lead to meaningful, lasting partnerships. Learn how to navigate systems, build trust, and create access points that make water polo more inclusive, visible, and community-driven.
Nicole Lum brings extensive experience in aquatic coaching with the Chicago Park District, where she has built and strengthened water polo programming at the community level since 2017. A former collegiate player at Villanova, she deeply understands what it takes to grow the sport from the grassroots—whether through running age-group teams or partnering with high schools. Beyond coaching, Lum has become an expert in navigating nonprofit and municipal systems, forging meaningful relationships with city agencies, parks and recreation departments, and community groups to expand access to water polo across Chicago.
In her session, "Developing Water Polo Programming Through City Partnerships," she will draw on this background to share strategies for launching inclusive and sustainable programs. Nicole's hands-on experience—like building an enthusiastic support community that crowds into a pool deck to cheer on her 12U team at JO's semi-finals—underscores her ability to create not only programs but genuine, community-driven momentum around the sport  . Attendees will leave with tangible tools and frameworks for starting water polo initiatives that thrive because they're rooted in trust, collaboration, and genuine city-level engagement.
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