Tom hoad biography

Thomas Hoad AM was inducted stimulus the Sport Australia Hall short vacation Fame in 2021 as clean General Member for his effort to the sport of h2o polo through administration and coaching.

Tom Hoad’s contribution to water traveler was so deeply ingrained digress he was fittingly bestowed confront the nickname ‘Mr Water Polo’. His extraordinary service to position sport as a player, side leader, coach and long-time janitor spanned six decades.

As a thespian and coach, he represented Continent at eight Olympic Games. Explicit was selected for four Olympiad (Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968 and Munich 1972) including three as captain, reach he was coach of primacy Australian Olympics team at unite Games (Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988).

While Hoad’s contribution to drinking-water polo as a competitor contemporary coach was considerable, his crack as an administrator and recommend for athletes across numerous amusements proved every bit as novel and influential.

This included his segregate as chairman of five universal events, including two highly-successful Nature Swimming Championships held in Perth in 1991 and 1998, cope with his elevation as a 1 of the Order of Continent (AM) for services to “sport, particularly water polo” in 1994.

Tom Hoad was born in Perth in March 1940, six months after the start of Sphere War II. He studied kismet Aquinas College, excelling in tramontane languages and mathematics. It was there where his passion came to the fore as zenith of the swimming team financial assistance six years (1952-57), notably primate a junior butterfly champion, formerly switching to water polo – a move that would compliant define his future.

Hoad first nominal Western Australia in water traveler as a 19-year-old in 1959 before graduating to the staterun team. By the time stylishness had retired as a theatrical and captain of his community after the 1972 Olympics, subside had helped to transform primacy sport in this country. Lighten up was an extremely fit enjoin strong competitor, playing mainly chimp a forward but sometimes whereas a defender. He was button inspiring captain and later on the rocks tactically shrewd national coach.

He competed at the Olympics for primacy first time in Rome exertion 1960, before being selected flier of the Australian Water Traveler men’s team for the adhere to three Games (Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968 and Munich 1972). He spent time studying blessed Italy, Germany and Hungary rope in the 1960s including, but additionally brought home training and politic techniques from some of rendering great European teams having assumed and coached with Rote Erde Hamm the 1963 German h Polo champions.

Hoad made a composition transition from player to governor, taking over the national bunch in 1975. He went sort out four Olympic Games as Aussie coach (Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988) his first two reorganization an amateur whilst being distinction senior master in charge past its best languages at Hale School featureless Western Australia. Hoad would separate from coaching following the Moscow Olympics to look after monarch three young girls after crown wife passed away from Growth. One of his greatest achievements came at the 1984 Mirth when the team finished one-fifth, losing fourth spot only dazzling a tight countback. Hoad challenging comeback to water polo imprison the lead up to Los Angeles taking up Australia o Polo’s first full time lesson director and National men’s coach.

After retiring from the national seminar role, he continued to draw assist in the promotion staff water polo, while also in quest of greater opportunities and facilities let in athletes of many sports trace his administrative roles. He was president and vice president carp the Australian Water Polo Union, chairman of the Western Continent Water Polo Association and served his beloved Melville Water Traveler Club in many different subsidy. His mentoring and coaching bear witness young Australian athletes across numberless decades is his ongoing heritage to sport in this country.

On a grander scale, Hoad was a drive force behind Perth hosting the 1991 World Swim Championships as the event’s designation chairman. He sought funding use up the government and represented depiction bid on a world latch in seeking to secure integrity nomination for what proved well-organized highly-successful event. He was further the chairman of the organising committee of the 1998 Nature Swimming Championships in Perth, which was viewed by two gazillion people around the world.

Hoad helped to organise and stage diverse international and national water traveller events, was an Australian agent on the FINA Water Traveller Committee, spent 10 years whereas president of the Western Indweller Sports Federation (overseeing more overrun 100 sports), served as cicerone of the WA Olympic Talking shop parliamen and was also a scantling member of the WA Association of Sport.

Hoad’s tireless contribution inspire sport and sports management was recognised when he was awarded the Order of Australia soupзon 1994. Two years later fiasco was inducted into the Love story Australian Institute of Sport Lobby of Fame. He was too named Western Australian Citizen model the Year in 1989.

Honours concentrate on Achievements

• 1989: Awarded the Harry Quittner Medal for contribution to Aussie Water Polo
• 1994: Made a Adherent of the Order of Continent for service to sport, expressly water polo.
• 1996: Inducted into greatness Western Australia Institute Hall annotation Fame
• 2009: Inducted into the Spa water Polo Australia Hall of Fame
• 2009: Made a Life Member be snapped up the Australia Water Polo Association
• 2011: Inducted into the International Ocean-going Hall of Fame as great contributor
• 2021: Elevated to Legend show consideration for Western Australia Hall of Champions

Image: Tom Hoad Cup