SUSTAINABILITY OF PROGRAM

Membership in the club is increasing, reflecting overall growth in the population of the Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam-Port Moody (School District 43) area. As our president recently noted in a February 2009 report, Coquitlam Lions are now the largest water polo club in British Columbia with 75 players in its four primary age groups. As evidence of Lions’ ability to attract players and maintain their enthusiasm, many of our current players participated for their schools in the BC High School Water Polo Tournament in March 2009 and Lions were able to provide them pool time in support of this event. Also this year, Lions introduced a training program for adults interested in learning the sport, and it also was able to assemble an alumni team to participate in the senior mens’ category of the BC Open Water Polo tournament. Those latter developments are strong indications of the enthusiasm with which our players’ parents regard the Coquitlam Lions club and the sport in general – and the loyalty that former players feel toward the club.

As previously mentioned, the club draws most of its coaches from current and former players, and offers financial assistance to its current players for the furtherance of their coaching skills – most notably supporting them as they train as life guards, swim instructors, and in first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses. Those training courses do more than just prepare our players to serve as coaches. They provide valuable lifesaving skills that make our young coaches into certifiable community ‘assets’ for life -- as well as make them immediately employable in a wide range of community-focused careers including lifeguarding, parks and recreation leadership and outdoor camp counselors and stewards.

Our players are also trained to serve as referees at our games and we believe this experience is fundamental to developing a mature, life-long understanding of sportsmanship and the importance of good conduct, positive encouragement and self-restraint during amateur sporting events.

Coquitam Lions also relies on parent volunteers to serve as organizers and minor officials at our games and tournaments – enhancing their own understanding of the importance of good sportsmanship and restraint during amateur sporting events.

Lions also has development program and a mini league for Atom and Bantam athletes at Chimo pool from January to March.  Cadet  and Juvenile program is dependant on sufficient registrations.