January 2020

Re: USA Water Polo National Team Tryouts

Dear Principal and/or Athletic Director,

On behalf of the United States Water Polo Olympic Development Program, I am writing to inform you that the undersigned athlete has been selected to try out for one of the following USAWP National Teams: Junior, Youth, Cadet or Developmental. These teams make up the national team pipeline for our Olympic Development Program (ODP). The athletes will be tested on water polo technical and tactical skills, which then lead to selection onto a USAWP zone team. Once the zone teams are selected they participate at the National Championships. The Boys National Championship will be held on February 28- March 1 in the Riverside, CA. The Girls National Championship will be held on March 13-15 also in the Riverside, CA.

From the National Championships the top 50-70 athletes, per gender and age group are identified and invited to attend the National Team Selection Camp on Memorial Day Weekend (May 22-24) for girls and on April 24-26 for boys in Southern California. After the completion of the NTSCs approximately the top 20 athletes will be identified to compete and train in both domestic and international tournaments through the remainder of the 2020 calendar year.

USAWP conducts these regional and national selection tryouts each year as part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP). Thirteen zones across the country are responsible for selecting and identifying athletes to represent their zone teams. These regional Zones are: Southern Pacific, Coastal, Pacific Southwest, Pacific, Central, Pacific Northwest, Mountain, Southwest, Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, Southeast and Hawaii. The zones all together compete in the ODP National Championship. Prior to the ODP National Championship there are a series of tryouts/trainings that are held within each particular zone. The schedule of these tryouts/trainings can be found on the USAWP website under ODP. These zone teams make up the pipeline from which the USA Olympic Water Polo Team identifies and selects athletes.

Our Olympic Development Program may take place during the scholastic High School Water Polo seasons for some athletes in America. Those athletes wishing to participate may need an exemption from their local State High School Association and Athletic Departments to allow them to participate in the ODP. We ask for your support with the identification of our future National team athletes and Olympians. United States Water Polo has a strong history of success in the Olympic Games; most recently with the USA Women winning the gold Medal in London 2012 and in Rio 2016 and our Men winning the Silver Medal in Beijing 2008. The Olympic Development Program is the backbone of our success. If required by your Associations, please provide the necessary approval forms and permission slips allowing the undersigned to participate in their respective Zone and National selection process as organized by USA Water Polo through the Olympic Development Program.

The Undersigned hereby agrees to make up, according to all school policies and procedures, any schoolwork or homework assignments missed as a result of these activities.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter. Respectfully,

John Abdou jabdou@usawaterpolo.org High Performance Director, United States Water Polo www.usawaterpolo.org

Athlete Signature_________________________ Parent Signature____________________________ Athlete Print Name________________________ Parent Print Name___________________________ High School_________________________________________________________________________ (Please Include City and State)