hall of fame
Here we recognize the great achievements from some our finest water polo players
(Coach) Robert Thompson
An Olympic athlete at the 1972 Munich Olympics and a coach at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, his Hamilton Aquatic Club senior men’s teams competed in 11 consecutive Canadian finals from 1971 to 1981, winning 9 of those 11 Golden Cup championships, a record that has not been matched since the Cup was first presented in 1907. As head coach of the McMaster University men’s team, he also won 17 titles over a 19-year period, another unmatched feat. During the period of 1969 to 1981, Robert set what became the standard of coaching excellence for a generation of Canadian coaches.
(Alumni) Dr. Jack Gauldie
Dr. Gauldie represented Canada at the 1972 Munich Olympics and the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. He won several Canadian titles with the Hamilton Aquatic Club and served on the Board of Directors at the local, provincial and national levels for many years. His achievements as an immunologist in his post water polo career propelled him to the highest international level. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 2018. As an immunologist and expert in the field of gene therapy, his studies have had an international impact and have led to several clinical treatments, including cancer vaccines. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for his work in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster University.
(Official) Roy Gunell
With an officiating career that spans 43 years (1963-2006), Roy’s impact on the Canadian and international scene as an official is one of the most significant in Canadian water polo. Roy officiated at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1992 Barcelona Olympics while racking up over 150 international matches with additional appearances at World Championships (5), FINA Cups (2), World Junior Championships (3), Pan American Games (3) and World Student Games (6). Roy has served on national and international officiating committees, helping to advance the education and training of generations of young officials.
View on Water Polo Canada website
NATIONAL TEAM ATHLETES Representing HAWPC
Timothy Ormond
Rick Pugliese
Paul Pottier
David Hart
Bill Vanderpol
Nicola Colterjohn
Nic Youngblud
Adam Deffett
Garrett Head
Ted Bader
Chris Lovett
Bryan Robertson
Jack Gauldie
Robert Thompson
