The History of Womens Water Polo

An Impressive, Recent History

The Evolution of Womens Water Polo

Junior and Senior National Teams

An Impressive, Recent History

Women's water polo owes much of its early development to the Dutch. In 1906, the first women's game was played in Harlem, Holland. American women's early interest in the sport proved to be short-lived. Following the Los Angeles Athletic Club's victory at the 1926 Nationals, the sport was considered too brutal and barbaric for women. The women's nationals were discontinued for the next 35 years.

Rose Mary Dawson, coach of the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Swim Club, revived the sport in the early 1960s. Led by goalie Micki King, Dawson's teams captured the rejuvenated Nationals in 1961-63. King would later seek international fame as an Olympic gold medalist in diving.

Coach Vaune Kadlubek reviews strategy with Team USA women.

Athletes in other aquatic sports, such as King, were beginning to see the benefits of playing the game to supplement their training. The Santa Clara Swim Club captured the indoor national titles behind the efforts of Pokey Watson Richardson and Claudia Kolb Thomas, both Olympic gold medalists in swimming. Led by Olympic swimmers Deena Deardurff and Jenny Kemp, the Cincinnati Marlins won the indoor title in 1974.

In 1978, the U.S, Australia, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands were invited to compete in exhibition matches at the World Championships in West Berlin. The U.S. won the bronze medal.

The first FINA World Cup for women was organized in 1979. The U.S. team won the goal medal. In 1986, women's water polo gained full status as an official World Championships sport.

Jump to top

The Evolution of Womens Water Polo

Although women's water polo has not yet gained Olympic status, women compete at the international levels (except at the Pan American Games). Women's water polo is represented on five continents and in 40 countries, meeting IOC requirements (35 countries for three continents) for a "new event" as an Olympic sport. The aquatics community is hopeful that women's participation will be included at the 2000 Games.

Women's participation has continued to grow in the U.S., especially at the collegiate and national club level.

Women and girls participate in a variety of programs. Age group programs give young players the opportunity to develop skills in a learning environment. The highlight of the age group program is the national Junior Olympics held each summer.

A number of high school programs are scattered throughout the U.S. Girls who are unable to participate on an all-female team are offered the opportunity to play on the boy's squad. Although not an officially recognized NCAA varsity sport, women's water polo thrives on college campuses in the form of college club teams.

Jump to top

Junior and Senior National Teams

U.S. Water Polo Junior A and B team members are chosen from four different areas of the country: North, South, East and West. The top 13 players from each area are selected by coaches and sent to a training camp where the team is chosen. The junior team competes nationally and internationally.

At the top of the pyramid sits the Women's Senior National A Team. This team is selected by the national coaching staff based on the players' performances in national tournaments. The B team is chosen in a similar fashion. The U.S. National Team competes in a variety of international competitions including the FINA World Cup and the World Championships.

Jump to top