USA Water Polo Announces Technical Committee Appointments

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California, September 29. USA Water Polo announced appointments for its newly-formed Technical Committee, which as its principal mission will oversee the consistent interpretation and application of water polo rules at all USA Water Polo sanctioned events.

The USAWP Technical Committee will work closely with the National Referee Committee toward the standardization of a comprehensive training, certification, and evaluation program while developing a plan for the improved recruitment, education, and retention of referees. The group will also be charged with providing open and regular communication about these programs to all members of USA Water Polo.

Members of the Technical Committee have been appointed to two-year terms by USA Water Polo Chief Executive Officer Christopher Ramsey. Certain members, such as USA Water Polo national team coaches, are appointed ex-officio by virtue of their position, and as such are not subject to term limits.

The appointees to the USA Water Polo Technical Committee are:
Guy Baker+ (Women's National Team Head Coach)
Baker has been the head coach of the Women's National Team since 1998. In eight years time, Baker turned the national team program into one of the most decorated women's water polo program in the world. His accomplishments include a two World Championship titles (2007 & 2003), silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Loren Bertocci
Bertocci has been involved with water polo for more than 30 years, having been a player, coach, referee, and administrator. At the level of the national governing body, he has been a Region and Zone Head Referee, a Region Chair and a Zone Chair, a member of the Board of Governors and Board of Directors, Chair of the Finance Committee and Chair of the National Referees Committee, and was the founding Chair (in 2005) of the USA Technical Water Polo Committee. Bertocci has whistled more than 150 international matches including the 2001 World Championships. He created content for the first Referees Manual published by USA Water Polo in 2000, and is currently the referee and event administrator for the Northeast Zone.

Robert Corb
Corb is a current FINA referee who has been officiating for over thirty years. Corb is a former chair of the National Rating and Listing Sub-Committee for USA Water Polo and he has also served as the sports psychologist for the Women's National Team.

Jim Cullingham+ (National Referee Committee Chair)
Cullingham is chairman of the National Referees Committee. A former FINA referee, Cullingham has been involved with water polo for 30 years as a player, official and administrator.

Bill Frady+ (USA Representative, FINA TWPC, Chair ASUA TWPC)
Frady, a former Olympic and World Championship referee and member of the U.S. Water Polo Hall of Fame, is currently involved in the administration of the sport at the international level. He is a member of the FINA Technical Water Polo Committee, where he also serves on the three-person FINA Water Polo Referees School Committee. He is also the Chair of the UANA Technical Water Polo Committee, which is responsible for all international competition in the Americas.

Megan Hernandez+ (USA Representation, UANA TWPC)
Hernandez currently represents USA Water Polo as a member of the UANA TWPC. A former National Team player and past chair of the Women's International/National Committee, Hernandez has been involved with water polo as a player, coach, official and administrator for over 25 years.

Ken Lindgren
Lindgren comes to the TWPC with years of experience as a coach, mentor, and administrator with both Collegiate and USA Water Polo National Team programs. He has been on the coaching staffs of both the Men's and Women's National Teams and most recently was on the staff of the Silver Medal Women's Team in 2000. Lindgren has been invaluable in the education and training of not only numerous athletes, but coaches and referees as well.

Ed Reed
Reed has been involved in the sport for 37+ years as a coach and administrator. He has served as President of the American Water Polo Coaches Association and as a member of the NCAA Rules Committee. Ed was on the Men's National Team Staff from 1993 through the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Rachel Ruano
Ruano is the current athlete representative on the USA Water Polo Board of Directors. She is a former National team athlete and assistant coach. Ruano has been involved with water polo for 18 years as a player, coach and administrator.

Terry Schroeder+ (Men's National Team Head Coach)
Schroeder was named Head Coach of the Men's National Team this past June. He has previously served as an assistant coach since 2006. Dr. Schroeder is considered one of water polo's all-time stand-out players. He captained the National Team from 1983-1992 and has coached Pepperdine University's men's team for 20 years. Schroeder was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 1998 and was recently inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Andy Takata
Takata is a retired FINA Referee who was selected to officiate at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. He has been active for over 30 years not only as a referee, but he has also been instrumental in the training and education of referees. Takata continues to serve as an administrator at the collegiate level.

+ ex-officio position

The Technical Committee's first order of business is to establish governance guidelines, elect a chairperson, and review current USA Water Polo Referee instructional and training materials.

Special thanks to USA Water Polo for contributing this report.

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