Coaching Team

Senior Women's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Angie Winstanley-Smith

Angie arrived in New Zealand over 8 years after a long professional career. Angie played at all levels - Olympics, World, European, World League and 10 consecutive Champions leagues. She played professionally in France and Spain and amassed over 300 caps spanning 12 years for her home country of Great Britain.

Upon arriving in NZ Angie secured a role in sports management at Diocesan where she led the school Water Polo. Over the last few years Angie has occupied the Director of Sport Role. Over the years Angie has secured many National and Regional titles - ranging from the AIMs Games to NZSS titles and National Club competitions. Recently Angie was selected for the HPSNZ Te Hapaitanga women in sport program where she sits alongside fellow female HP coaches.

Head Coach of the National Women since 2017, Angie has helped grow overseas opportunities for the kiwi athletes and slowly moving up the World Rankings the NZ Women are respected by the top polo nations.

Assistant Coach / Team Leader - Megan Thompson

Megan's commitment and dedication to our sport can not be challenged.

She has played for Hutt in all age groups and for New Zealand for many years. She has coached all age groups and is the current NZ Senior Womens assistant coach and Hutts Womens League coach. She has always been a great role model to those she works with.

Megan fulfilled a dream to attend University in the USA at Hartwick and was an All Star University player. She followed her studies with coaching at University in the USA.

Not only does she strive for excellence in sport she is now completing her MBA.

Assistant Coach - Eelco Uri

Manager - Polly Powrie

Performance Coach - Barbara Kendall

Massage Therapist - Simon Breen

Senior Men's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Joseph Kayes

Joseph had a career in Europe spanning over a decade, playing for Szeged and OSC Budapest in Hungary, as well as Pro Recco in Italy. He has also represented Fremantle and Cronulla in the Australian NL, and the Australian men’s team at the highest level competing in the Rio Olympics in 2016.  He has extensive international experience with 106 international caps for Australia. Highlights include World Cup Silver in 2018, World League Bronze in 2019 and multiple Intercontinental titles.

Assistant Coach - Nemo Radjen

Managers - Crystal Barnard & Rachel Cade

Under 25 Women's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Megan Thomson

Assistant Coach - Rachel Roset

Under 20 Women's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Facundo Policarpo

Assistant Coach - TBC

Under 20 Men's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Lachie Griffiths

Assistant Coach - Davor Carevic

Team Manager - Dave Bone

Under 18 Women's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Zoli Boros

Assistant Coach - Rachel Roset

Under 18 (born 2006) Men's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Josh Potaka

Assistant Coach - Davor Carevic

Team Manager - James Ross

Under 16 (Born 2008) Women's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Gabby Oloapu

Assistant Coach - TBC

Under 16 (Born 2008) Men's Team/Squad

Head Coach - Rahiti Teokotai-White

Rahiti first began coaching at Hamilton Boys’ High School as a Year 12 student in 2010 after being asked to help out with the school's Junior team. Over the years his passion and dedication to coaching became apparent, coaching several schools in Hamilton as well as various age group teams for the Waikato club. After being taken on initially as an apprentice coach with the NZ U20 squad, he has gone from strength to strength with the National Team Programme, attending World Championships with the Junior and Youth teams in 2017 and 2018, as well as coaching the New Zealand Secondary Schools team across three separate campaigns, winning the Trans-Tasman and Tri Nations trophies and retaining the Trans-Tasman shield in each campaign.  

He has been involved in the sport across a range of capacities including as a Player, Manager, Teacher in Charge, Club Chairman, Committee Member, Referee and Coach earning a NZWP service award in 2021. He also leads the Hamilton Boys’ High School programme, taking the team from playing in the B Division to three consecutive NZSS finals, winning the Championship for the first time in 2021. He continues to be active in the Waikato Club across several age groups on the boy's side, coaching the U18 Men to Bronze at the 2022 National Championships.

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Assistant Coach - Tim Chambers

Team Manager - James Ross

James played Water Polo for Hutt Club as a teenager, before the sport took a backseat for a number of years. That changed in 2007 when a group of Palmerston North Boys' High School students wanted to play at Nationals. Since that time, James has had a big involvement with coaching, managing and administration of water polo for PNBHS and Manawatu Water Polo. This includes coaching everything from U12's through to Senior Men's.

He was the Manager for the New Zealand Secondary Schoolboys team from 2013-2015, the Manager for the Born 2003 squad and the Manager for NZ Youth Men's team in 2022.

Development Coaches:

• Casie Bowry

• James Catlin

• Sarah Chambers

• Chelsea Geary

• Lachlan Griffiths

• Thomas Jones

• Roana Paterson

• Justin Pickering

• Joshua Potaka