History of water polo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The history of water polo as a team sport began as a demonstration of strength and swimming skill in late 19th century England and Scotland, where water sports and racing exhibitions were a feature of county fairs and festivals.[1] [2] Men's water polo was the among the first team sports introduced at the modern Olympic games in 1900. Water polo is now popular in many countries around the world, notably Europe (particularly in Hungary, Greece, Italy, Russia and the former Yugoslavia), the United States, Canada and Australia. The present-day game involves teams of seven players (plus up to six substitutes), with a water polo ball similar in size to a soccer ball but constructed of waterproof nylon.
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[edit] Development of the game
Although modern water polo was invented in the late nineteenth century in Great Britain by William Wilson, the game resembles an early African rite of passage into manhood played in rivers (often at the end the river was stained red with blood).[citation needed] The modern game originated as a form of rugby football played in rivers and lakes in England and Scotland with a ball constructed of Indian rubber. This "water rugby" came to be called "water polo" based on the English pronunciation of the Balti word for ball, pulu. Early play allowed brute strength, wrestling and holding opposing players underwater to recover the ball; the goalie stood outside the playing area and defended the goal by jumping in on any opponent attempting to score by placing the ball on the deck.
By the 1880's, the game evolved to include fast-paced team play with a soccer-sized ball that emphasized swimming, passing, and scoring by shooting into a goal net; players could only be tackled when holding the ball and could not be taken under water. To deal with variations in regional rules, in 1888, the London Water Polo League was founded and approved a set of rules to allow team competition, forming the basis of the present game. The first English championships were played in 1888. In 1890, the first international water polo game was played; Scotland defeated England, 4-0. [3]
Between 1890 and 1900, the game developed in Europe, with teams competing in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Hungary and Italy, using British rules. A different game was being played in the United States, characterized by rough play, holding, diving underwater, and soft, semi-inflated ball that could be gripped tightly and carried underwater. As a result, European teams did not compete in the 1904 Olympic championships in St. Louis. By 1914, most US teams agreed to conform to international rules. [4] An international water polo committee was formed in 1929, consisting of representatives from Great Britain and the International Amateur Swimming Federation (FINA). Rules were developed for international matches and put into effect in 1930; FINA has been the international governing body for the sport since that time.
Over the years, both technical and rule changes affected the character of the game. In 1928, Hungarian water polo coach Bela Komjadi invented the "air pass," or "dry pass", a technique in which a player directly passes the ball through the air to another player, who receives it without the ball hitting the water. Previously, players would let the ball drop in the water first and then reach out for it, but the dry pass made the offensive game more dynamic, and contributed to Hungarian dominance of water polo for 60 years. [5] In 1936, James R. ("Jimmy") Smith, California water polo coach and author of several books on water polo mechanics, developed a water polo ball made with an inflatable bladder and a rubber fabric cover, which improved performance. The previous leather ball absorbed water and became heavier during the game. In 1949, rule changes allowed play to continue uninterrupted after a referee whistled an ordinary foul, speeding up play. In the 1970's, the exclusion foul replaced a point system for major fouls; players guilty of this foul were excluded for a 1 minute penalty and their team forced to play with fewer players. Possession of the ball was limited to 45 seconds before a scoring attempt. Time of penalties and possession have been reduced since then. The direct shot on goal from the seven (7) meter line after a free throw was allowed in 1994, and changed to a five meter throw in 2005.
[edit] Olympic competition
Men's water polo at the Olympics was the among the first team sports introduced at the 1900 games (along with cricket, rugby, football (soccer), polo (with horses), rowing and tug of war).[6] Women's water polo became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games after political protests from the Australian women's team. Such protests were rewarded when Australia won the gold medal match against the United States with a "buzzer-beater" last-minute goal, taken from outside the seven meter line.
Some of the best ever include Spain's Manuel Estiarte who played in a record six Olympics and led in scoring for four of them. Dezső Gyarmati of Hungary won water polo medals at five successive Olympic Games (gold 1952, 1956, 1964; silver 1948; bronze 1960), a record that has never been matched in any Olympic sport.[7] Another major figure in the sport was Tamas Farago [8], who led Hungary to Olympic Medals in 1972, 1976 and 1980. The play of American Terry Schroeder [9] led the United States to its first Olympic silver medals in 1984 and 1988.
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- Main article: Blood In The Water match
The most famous water polo match in history is probably the 1956 Summer Olympics semi-final match between Hungary and the Soviet Union. As the athletes left for the games, the 1956 Hungarian revolution began, and a 200,000 strong Soviet army crushed a small uprising of Hungarian insurgents. Many of the Hungarian athletes vowed never to return home, and felt their only means of fighting back was by victory in the pool. The confrontation was the most bloody and violent water polo game in history, in which the pool reputedly turned red from blood. The Hungarians defeated the Soviets 4-0 before the game was called off in the final minute to prevent angry Hungarians in the crowd reacting to Valentin Prokopov punching Ervin Zador's eye open. The Hungarians went on to win the Olympic gold medal by defeating Yugoslavia 2-1 in the final. Half of the Hungarian Olympic delegation defected after the games. A documentary by Lucy Liu, Freedom's Fury, premiered in April 2006, recounting the events of the 1956 Hungarian uprising and climaxing with this politicized game.
[edit] International play
Every 2 to 4 years since 1973, a men's Water Polo World Championship is played together with the World Swimming Championship, under the auspices of FINA. Women's water polo was added in 1986. A second tournament series, the FINA Water Polo World Cup, has been held every other year since 1979. In 2002, FINA organized the sport's first international league, the FINA Water Polo World League, in which the best national teams compete against one another in an annual season format with nearly half a million dollar purse.
Internationally, the biggest water polo competition in the world is played in the Netherlands. Prince William of England was the captain of his collegiate water polo team at St Andrew's University, Scotland. The annual Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities is the sport's longest running rivalry, first played in 1891. [10]
[edit] US colleges and clubs
Today club water polo is gaining popularity in the United States. Though the majority of domestic club teams are based in California, Florida, Illinois, and Texas, New England and Missouri preparatory high schools also often field teams. Club water polo teams in the United States often compete in national championships such as Junior Olympics, National Club Championships, and the Speedo Cup. Club teams from Washington, Oregon, Utah, and Michigan were entered at the 2005 USWP Junior Olympics. Water polo club coaches such as Johnny Bega and Rich Corso often lead age group athletes to win gold, silver, and bronze medals at such prestigious tournaments.
Aniko Pelle (Hungary) and Sofia Konoukh (Russia) were among the first of an increasing number of international players competing in U.S. collegiate women's water polo. Because of water polo's increased popularity globally, the influence of international coaches like USC's Jovan Vavic from the former Yugoslavia, and the perks of attending an American college, international players are attracted to the premier US colleges. The 2005 Hawaii women's water polo team, coached by Canadian Michel Roy, has nine international players, the most of any team in the nation.
Teams from California dominate at the collegiate level. In the United States, water polo players tend to have prestigious academic backgrounds as well. A number of players, including former USA team captain Wolf Wigo, who retired after Athens 2004, Jacqueline Frank DeLuca, bronze medal Olympic goalie, and international phenom Tony Azevedo attended Stanford University. The sport's most notable balancing act to date includes Omar Amr [11], who played on the US National Team while attending Harvard Medical School and recovering from a near career ending knee injury in 2001.
- College championships
In the 2006 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship, UCLA beat USC 9-8, defending their championship title after beating Stanford in 2005. In the 2006 Men's NCAA Finals, the UC Berkeley Golden Bears defeated the USC Trojans 7-6. In 1999, the Peter J. Cutino Award was established by the San Francisco Olympic Club, and is presented annually to the top American male and female collegiate water polo player. Two USC players, Juraj Zatovic and Lauren Wenger won the 2006 Cutino awards.
[edit] Leading international water polo teams
[edit] Olympic Games
- Olympic medals in men's water polo
- Olympic medals in women's water polo
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2000 Sydney |  Australia |
 United States |
 Russia |
| 2004 Athens |  Italy |
 Greece |
United States |
[edit] Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) Championships
Water polo at the FINA World Aquatics Championships
- Men
- (Source: FINA Men's Water Polo Records)
| Year and City | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1973 Belgrade, Yugoslavia |  Hungary |
 USSR |
 Yugoslavia |
| 1975 Cali, Colombia | USSR |
Hungary |
Italy |
| 1978 Berlin, Germany | Italy |
Hungary |
Yugoslavia |
| 1982 Guayaquil, Ecuador | USSR |
Hungary |
 Germany |
| 1986 Madrid, Spain | Yugoslavia |
Italy |
USSR |
| 1991 Perth, Australia | Yugoslavia |
 Spain |
Hungary |
| 1994 Rome, Italy | Italy |
Spain |
Russia |
| 1998 Perth, Australia | Spain |
Hungary |
 Yugoslavia |
| 2001 Fukuoka, Japan | Spain |
Yugoslavia |
Russia |
| 2003 Barcelona, Spain | Hungary |
Italy |
 Serbia and Montenegro |
| 2005 Montreal, Canada | Serbia and Montenegro |
Hungary |
Greece |
| 2007 Melbourne, Australia | |||
| 2009 Rome, Italy |
- Women
- (Source: FINA Women's Water Polo Records)
| Year and City | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1986 Madrid, Spain | Australia |
 Netherlands |
United States |
| 1991 Perth, Australia | Netherlands |
 Canada |
United States |
| 1994 Rome, Italy | Hungary |
Netherlands |
Italy |
| 1998 Perth, Australia | Italy |
Netherlands |
Australia |
| 2001 Fukuoka, Japan | Italy |
Hungary |
Canada |
| 2003 Barcelona, Spain | United States |
Italy |
Russia |
| 2005 Montreal, Canada | Hungary |
United States |
Canada |
| 2007 Melbourne, Australia | |||
| 2009 Rome, Italy |
FINA Water Polo World Cup
- Men
- (Source: FINA Men's Water Polo Records)
| Year and City | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1979 Belgrade, Yugoslavia | Hungary |
United States |
Yugoslavia |
| 1981 Long Beach, California | USSR |
Yugoslavia |
 Cuba |
| 1983 Malibu, California | USSR |
Germany |
Italy |
| 1985 Duisburg, Germany | Germany |
United States |
Spain |
| 1987 Thessaloniki, Greece | Yugoslavia |
USSR |
Germany |
| 1989 Berlin | Yugoslavia |
Italy |
Hungary |
| 1991 Barcelona, Spain | United States |
Yugoslavia |
Spain |
| 1993 Athens, Greece | Italy |
Hungary |
Australia |
| 1995 Atlanta, Georgia | Hungary |
Italy |
Russia |
| 1997 Athens, Greece | United States |
Greece |
Hungary |
| 1999 Sydney, Australia | Hungary |
Italy |
Spain |
| 2002 Belgrade, Serbia | Russia |
Hungary |
Yugoslavia |
| 2006 Budapest, Hungary | Serbia and Montenegro |
Hungary |
Spain |
- Women
- (Source: FINA Women's Water Polo Records)
| Year and City | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1979 Merced, California | United States |
Netherlands |
Australia |
| 1980 Breda, Netherlands | Netherlands |
United States |
Canada |
| 1981 Brisbane, Australia | Canada |
Netherlands |
Australia |
| 1983 Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada | Netherlands |
United States |
Australia |
| 1984 Irvine, California | Australia |
United States |
Netherlands |
| 1988 Christchurch, New Zealand | Netherlands |
Hungary |
Canada |
| 1989 Eindhoven, Netherlands | Netherlands |
United States |
Hungary |
| 1991 Long Beach, California | Netherlands |
Australia |
United States |
| 1993 Catania, Italy | Netherlands |
Italy |
Hungary |
| 1995 Sydney, Australia | Australia |
Netherlands |
Hungary |
| 1997 Nancy, France | Netherlands |
Russia |
Australia |
| 1999 Winnipeg, Canada | Netherlands |
Australia |
Italy |
| 2002 Perth, Australia | Hungary |
United States |
Canada |
| 2006 Tianjin, China | Australia |
Italy |
Russia |
[edit] FINA Water Polo World League
- Men
| Year and City | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2002 Patras, Greece | Russia |
Spain |
Hungary |
| 2003 New York | Hungary |
Italy |
United States |
| 2004 Long Beach, California | Hungary |
Serbia and Montenegro |
Greece |
| 2005 Belgrade, Serbia | Serbia and Montenegro |
Hungary |
Germany |
| 2006 Athens | Serbia and Montenegro |
Spain |
Greece |
- Women
| Year and City | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2004 Long Beach, California | United States |
Hungary |
Italy |
| 2005 Kirishi, Russia | Greece |
Russia |
Australia |
| 2006 Athens | United States |
Italy |
Russia |
(Source: FINA)
[edit] Trivia
- Dancehall musician Sean Paul is a former member of Jamaica's national water polo team.
- Former Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen played the sport competitively.
- Former major league baseball commissioner and US Olympic Committee chair Peter Ueberroth was a water polo player at San Jose State.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 11th Edition (1911): "Water Polo" Retrieved 7 August 2006
- ^ Barr, David (1981). A Guide to Water Polo. Sterling Publishing (London). ISBN 0-8069-9164-X.
- ^ Pro Water Polo.com: History and Development of Water Polo, by Yiannis Giannouris Retrieved 4 September 2006
- ^ USA Water Polo: History of Water Polo Retrieved 4 September 2006
- ^ International Swimming Hall of Fame: Bela Komjadi
- ^ International Olympic Committee Water Polo Site
- ^ International Olympic Committee Athlete Profile: Deszo Gyarmati
- ^ Tamas Farago Biography at International Swimming Hall of Fame
- ^ Terry Schroeder Biography at International Swimming Hall of Fame
- ^ Oxford-Cambridge Water Polo: Varsity Match History
- ^ US Olympic Team Biography of Omar Amr
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