FAQ - Masters
- What kind of skills are required to play? Do I need to have previous experience?
- While competitive swimming experience is nice, it isn't necessary. However, you do need to be a strong swimmer. Previous water polo experience is not needed, and while a good number of our players have previous experience, a decent number have never played water polo prior to joining BCWP.
- When are practices?
- Please see your family calendar for the most up-to-date practice schedule.
- How many practices do I need to attend?
- You can attend as many or as few practices as you like. We do, however, ask that you RSVP to practices so that we can plan accordingly. Those who show up to practice the most get first dibs on playing time at tournaments.
- What kind of equipment do I need?
- You'll need a swim suit and maybe some goggles for warm up. The rest of the equipment is provided.
- How much are dues for 2025?
- Dues are $70 monthly or $780 annually. Students pay $100. Dues cover all practice equipment, pool rental and American Water Polo for insurance purposes.
- How often do you compete? Is competition mandatory?
- We try to have a competition on the calendar every two months, however, given our location and the dearth of playing opportunities, many of our tournaments revolve around the college schedule. Ideally, we attend 4-6 tournaments each year. Competition is not mandatory--in fact, several players do not compete at all.
- How do tournaments work?
- We adopted a fixed pricing structure to help account for variability in tournament fees. Our hope is that the availability to play in a tournament should not be dictated by the fees associated with that tournament. In general, our captain will gauge interest for a tournament. Once we have enough to commit to a tournament, we'll bill the following:
- $55 - entry. This fee is non-refundable. You're playing on a team, so by committing to a tournament, you're committing to the team entry and expecting others to do the same. If you drop for any reason, you forfeit your entry fee.
- $80 - travel. Those who wish to travel with the squad would pay this fee. This assumes that the squad is traveling to the tournament together, which is tournament- and circumstance-dependent.
- $110 - lodging. Standard fee for staying with the team rooms. We assume you do not mind roommate(s) to bring down costs.
- Why must I commit to tournaments so early?
- Tournaments are difficult to come by in our area. Those few that are available to us tend to fill up fast. If we don't commit early, we risk losing our spot.
- What is this about the high school season?
- Water polo is a small sport--many of us who compete with the masters team also help coach or officiate during the high school season. Since pool space is limited, we often have to shift practice times to accommodate during the high school season.
- Can I try a practice before joining the team?
- Sure for $5! Text 901-409-2723 for the trial code you will need to complete registration.