Officials Training and Certification Program
Water Polo Canada uses the Officials Training and Certification Program (OTCP) as its officials’ education and development tool. Officials include both referees and minor officials.
Recent Program Changes
| Date | Summary of Changes |
| 2023 |
|
WPC'S OTCP OVERVIEW
Water Polo Canada's OTCP consists of three referee levels:
- Community Sport Referee
- Provincial Competition Referee
- National Competition Referee
COMMUNITY SPORT REFEREE
The Community Sport Referee level is an entry-level referee program targeting teenagers and adults with little experience with the rules of water polo. This referee has typically been playing water polo at the club level for a couple of years or is a parent of an athlete who has been involved in the sport.
Pre-Requisites | Training: 14 years old (minimum) as of Dec. 31st of the calendar year Certification: 16 years old (minimum) as of Decc. 31st of the calendar year |
Eligibility | Community Sport Referees can officiate games at the following LTAD Stages:
|
Training | The Community Sport Referee Course consists of six (6) hours of classroom training and three and half (3.5) hours of practical training. |
Evaluation | To become certified, a Community Sport Referee must complete the following:
*This exam will be given at the end of the Community Sport Referee workshop **Practical experience and evaluations may occur at the same time. A Referee does not have to complete all twenty (20) verified hours before requesting an evaluation. |
PROVINCIAL COMPETITION REFEREE
The Provincial Competition Referee level targets officials with knowledge of the rules of water polo and athletes who are refining their competitive skills at the provincial and national levels. The typical Provincial Competition Referee has three to four years of playing experience and another couple of years of referee experience. Referees at the Provincial Competition level are expected to have a good understanding of the rules of water polo and are looking to refine their knowledge of the game in a competitive environment.
Provincial Competition Referee Trained is the minimum referee level needed to begin officiating at National level events (e.g., the National Championship League and the National Provincial Championships). Referees interested in becoming a Provincial Competition Referee must be “certified” as a Community Sport Referee.
Pre-Requisites | Training: 16 years old (minimum) as of Dec. 31st of the calendar year Certification: 18 years old (minimum) as of Decc. 31st of the calendar year Community Sport Referee Certified |
Eligibility | Provincial Competition Referees can officiate games at the following LTAD Stages:
|
Training | The Provincial Competition Referee Course consists of six (6) hours of classroom training and five and half (5.5) hours of practical training. |
Evaluation | To become certified, a Provincial Competition Referee must complete the following:
*This exam will be given at the end of the Provincial Competition Referee workshop **Practical experience and evaluations may occur at the same time. A Referee does not have to complete all thirty (30) verified hours before requesting an evaluation. |
NATIONAL COMPETITION REFEREE
The National Competition Referee level targets officials with prior water polo experience and athletes who are perfecting and maintaining their competitive skills at the national level. Referees interested in becoming a National Competition Referee must be “certified” as a Provincial Competition Referee.
Pre-Requisites | Training: 18 years old (minimum) as of Dec. 31st of the calendar year Provincial Competition Referee Certified |
Eligibility | National Competition Referees can officiate games at the following LTAD Stages:
|
Training | The NationalCompetition Referee Course consists of six (6) hours of classroom training and six and half (6.5) hours of practical training. |
Evaluation | To become certified, a National Competition Referee must complete the following:
*This exam will be given at the end of the National Competition Referee workshop **Practical experience and evaluations may occur at the same time. A Referee does not have to complete all forty (40) verified hours before requesting an evaluation. |
OFFICIALS DEVELOPMENT MODEL
Please click here to download a PDF version of the Officials Development Model.
REFEREE DEVELOPERS
Referee Developers are experienced referees that have received specific training so that they can effectively teach and evaluate developing referees. This training will provide referees interested in teaching referee workshops, evaluating referees and/or becoming national event delegates with the tools needed to complete these tasks. Only active Referee Developers are able to teach and evaluate referees.
The Referee Developer standards for each WPC referee level are listed below:
- Community Sport Referee workshops and evaluations must be completed by a Certified Provincial Competition Referee who has completed WPC’s Referee Developer training.
- Provincial Competition Referee workshops and evaluations must be completed by a Certified National Competition Referee who has completed WPC’s Referee Developer training.
- National Competition Referee workshops and evaluations must be completed by a PanAm Aquatic (PAQ) or World Aquatic (WAQ) Referee who has completed WPC’s Referee Developer training
If you are a referee interested in becoming a Referee Developer, please contact WPC's Education and Events Manager, Corey Conroy.
REFEREE STANDARDS FOR NATIONAL LEVEL EVENTS
All National event referees must be at least Provincial Competition Referee trained and meet all of WPC's registration and safe sport requirements.
NCL Officials & Delegates
| Level | Minimum Certification | Registration Level for Officials (minimum) |
| 16U | Provincial Competition Referee Trained | Provincial Referee |
| 18U | Provincial Competition Referee Certified | Provincial Referee |
| Senior | National Competition Referee Trained | National Referee |
| Delegates | Not Applicable | WPC Delegate |
Registration:
All members (PSOs) and registrants (clubs, athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers) must be registered in WPC’s online National Registration and Event Management Database (hereafter simply referred to as RAMP Interactive®). As per the National Registration Policy, "All individual Registrants must register with a Club in their province of residence and the associated PSO in their primary role (athlete, coach, volunteer); however, Registrants whose primary role is official, are not required to associate with a home club"
Safe Sport Requirements:
| Requirement | Frequency | Link |
| WPC Participant / Registrant's Acknowledgement and Consent Form | Annual | Completed during RAMP Registration |
| WPC Screening Disclosure Form | Once | Link |
| WPC Annual Screening Renewal Form | Annual (starting year after first WPC Screening Disclosure Form) | Link |
| Enhanced Criminal Record Check (CRC) | Once every three years. Must be dated as of August 31, 2023 | Link |
| Skilled Interactions for Officials | Once every five years | Login to Coach.ca / E-Learning / Multi-Sport - Cost $19.95 |
| Understanding the Rule of Two | Once every five years | Login to Coach.ca / E-Learning / Multi-Sport |
| Making Headway in Sport | Once every five years | Login to Coach.ca / E-Learning / Multi-Sport |
| Safe Sport Training | Once every five years | Login to Coach.ca / E-Learning / Multi-Sport |
*For more information about WPC’s Safe Sport Compliance Program please contact WPC’s Safe Sport Compliance Coordinator, Janis Loach.
Last updated: August 19, 2025
