Referee Overview

Referee Overview

Officials Training and Certification Program (OTCP)

Water Polo Canada uses the Officials Training and Certification Program (OTCP) as its officials’ education and development tool. 

The purpose of the OTCP is to align the referee development system with water polo’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model and with the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) for water polo. The OTCP courses and the requirements for each certification level are now based on the LTAD philosophy of being athlete-centered, coach-driven, and administration/sport science/sponsor-supported.

Certification Levels: 

• Regional referee = Regional “trained”
• Provincial referee = Provincial “trained”
• National C and National B = National “trained”
• National A = National “certified”
• FINA = FINA
• FINA-R = FINA-R

Evaluation Standards:

• Regional “trained” referees will eventually be required to complete 3 successful evaluations in order to complete certification. These evaluations will occur at 12U, 14U or Masters events;
• Provincial “trained” referees will eventually need to complete 6 successful evaluations  in order to complete certification. These evaluations will occur at 16U, 19U or Masters events;
• National “trained” referees will eventually need to complete 6 successful evaluations in order to complete certification. These evaluations will occur at 19U or Senior National events;
• Only events specifically identified by WPC and the PSOs will be eligible as evaluation opportunities;
• Only one referee can be evaluated during any given game;
• In order to complete certification at any level, referees must be evaluated by at least 2 different evaluators; 
• Cost of evaluation will be covered by the referee waiving their usual remuneration/honoraria for the game during which the evaluation will take place.

Referee Developers

A list of all referee evaluators can be found under the following tab:  Certified Referee Developers 

OTCP Model 

Please click here to download the diagram and view the entire referee pathway in PDF format.