Parktone Primary School in Parkdale is the first school in Victoria to try Flippa Ball™, a modified water polo game for juniors developed by Australian Water Polo. The pilot is being delivered as part of the Australian Sports Commission’s Active After-school Communities (AASC) program by Victorian Water Polo.

Flippa Ball™ is a version of water polo designed for children aged between eight and 12 years (6–12 in Victoria). It is played in shallow water for added security and safety. The game is fun and simple and can be played by all children, regardless of height, gender and swimming ability.

‘We want the children to have a fun, safe and enriching aquatic experience through Flippa Ball,’ said Victorian Water Polo sport development officer Julie Makohon. ‘By offering this modified version of water polo through the AASC program, it enables our small organisation to reach more juniors and hopefully grow our club numbers.’

Parktone Primary students have been learning Flippa Ball™ during Term 1 under the guidance of experienced water polo coaches Matt and Allie Kendall.

‘The children love trying new sports and it is fantastic that we have been able to offer something as unique as water polo,’ said AASC coordinator Anne Ziogos.
‘Our number one goal is to engage children in positive and fun experiences, and help them develop a love of sport that motivates them to join a sporting club.’

The AASC program is an Australian Government initiative delivered by the Australian Sports Commission that provides primary school children with free sport and other structured physical activity programs in the after-school time slot. The program is run in up to 3270 schools and after-school care centres across Australia.