Australian Tom Hoad holds a special place on the topography of the Water Polo Australia Ltd landscape, being its patron, life member, legend and hall of fame inductee.

He is also at the pinnacle of aquatics, having been inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 2011 as a contributor and helped run two FINA World Championships (1991 and 1998).

He has contributed much to the sport since initially being selected for the 1960 Rome Olympics as a player, moving into a coaching role for the four Olympics after his playing years and then coaching all manner of teams to the current day as he looks after school kids in their development.

Just known as “Tom” by youngsters and peers alike, the multi-linguist has seen it all and been involved in the development of the rules at one stage. He has been consulted often by FINA and international coaches and referees on what he thinks about the rules.

Current Rules

Scoring Goals asked him what he thought of the current batch of rules.

“With regard to the new changes, which were instigated controversially, I think they are better than the old rules.

“The shortening the pool is an improvement, allowing more goals. It does away with transition time. (With the 30m pool) television cameras focused on the goalkeeper holding the ball. There was no activity on the ball and the goalkeeper would hold the ball for five-six seconds before making the release pass. It’s more television appropriate now.

“In Australia, we’ve played those rules (25 seconds possession and 15 seconds for the corner restart) and it’s made the extra-man (situation) much shorter and means they have to shoot quicker. More turnovers and much faster. Both teams have more opportunities to score goals, which means more players have to be more proficient at shooting.

“The Australian-New Zealand (World Aquatics Championships Oceania qualification series for men in April) games were very exciting. Shooting and ball handling are far more valuable than ever before,” Hoad said.

Rule Evolution

Two sets of rules were considered post-World War II with a South American version and a European set, with Europe winning the debate. Former United States of America Water Polo and former ISHOF CEO Bruce Wigo is an ardent fan of changing rules for the better and has stated in the past that the South American version should have held precedence.

Hoad said that these rules meant players could have five ordinary fouls before being sent from the match, much like basketball, meaning no-one wanted to foul, thus reducing referee whistles. It made the game far more less contact, which I think is an important factor.

Debate in FINA at the time decided between how the Europeans were playing it and how the Americans were playing it.

As the sport was more popular in Europe in places like Sweden, France, Belgium and England where it began, Europe decided it was its decision, which Wigo maintains was the wrong decision.

“His logic makes sense to me,” Hoad said.

1950s And Beyond

“One of the major changes was that on the referee’s whistle you had to stop. That was then replaced with the game becoming much more mobile.

“There were a few limitations that the FINA Bureau gradually changed. One was with some logic behind it. Throw the ball over halfway. Before that you couldn’t. You played a two-two-two and because the goalkeeper couldn’t go over halfway, we had designated backs and designated forwards.”

Hoad travelled to Budapest in 1962, and enthused over the development of the sport there because of the thermal water.

“The Csaszar-Komjadi Sportuszoda pool was not chlorinated or filtered but was warm all year round. It was the first water polo-specific built pool in 1927. They built the indoor pool at Margaret Island in 1930 and the outdoor pool was filled with thermal water. Green thermal water. It was a huge advantage.”

He spoke also of the three main Hungarian pools in Szentes, Szeged, and Szolnok while many other towns received a lot of thermal baths.

“It was one of the reasons Hungary, a landlocked country, became so proficient in water polo.

“When a Croatian, Bata Orlic, who hailed from Dubrovnik, saw what was available in Hungary, he insisted that Yugoslavia played all-year round when he returned as director of Yugoslav water polo.

“The Hungarians always beat Yugoslavia even though there was a lot of water polo played along the coast.

“The rules in first division in Yugoslavia stated that unless you had access to an indoor pool all year round, you could not play in first division. The idea was so they could beat the Hungarians, which they eventually did.

“Korcula had only an outdoor pool and won the Yugoslav premiership that year, including (Olympic silver medallist) Bobo Trifunovic, who coached in Perth.

“Korcula maintained it was a Serbian plot to get them out of the competition, which it wasn’t. That was the beginning of playing 12 months a year,” Hoad said. “Bit by bit, Yugoslavia improved their world status.”

FINA slowly made changes with the biggest following the European Championships in Utrecht in 1967. The public did not like seeing six playing on five. They introduced a foul after a foul. If you had three penalty points you were excluded. It was introduced without trialling. I said we should trial it first. It ended up being a disaster punishment that did not fit the crime. (You accumulated three points and then you got a penalty).

“You could stop a certain goal (by pulling the leg of a counter-attacker) and only gained a third of a point penalty,” Hoad said.

“This rule was thrown out at the first opportunity and there was a lot of debate about it. There was nobody who was vehement that it should remain.”

Speeding forward to current times, Hoad said that “dead time” is reduced and swimming reduced.

The recent introduction of the shorter pool length and possession times for men have been greeted warmly by Hoad and laments that European competitions have not had a chance to play these rules. Only European men’s teams contesting the 2025 World Cup had a chance to play these new rules.

He pointed to the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Singapore where the rules have been defined further with a 28-second possession time for men and women, plus an 18-second re-possession time.

“We’ll see after the World Championships how this turns out as no teams have had the chance to play these in competition.”

World Aquatics Technical Water Polo Committee Chair Tamas Molnar confirmed the rule change this week, stating that the 25m pool and 28-18-second combination would be played by both genders.

Hoad champions the recent Australian league finals in which the men’s gold-medal final finished 22-20 with USA import Hannes Daube scoring 12 goals, only two of which were penalty goals. Aussie Shark Luke Pavillard scored 10 goals in a finals encounter, four of which were penalty goals.

“I thought it was an improvement. Closer to basketball. The elimination of referees’ whistles is very difficult to achieve. I have listened to Bruce Wigo’s arguments and I think they have traction,” Hoad said.

Editor’s Note: Tom Hoad has been inducted to the Western Australia Sporting Hall of Champions (1996), Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame (2009), the International Swimming Hall of Fame (2011), and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2021).

On April 8, Stanford announced to investigation participants that an external investigator had been hired to conduct an investigation into men’s water polo head coach Brian Flacks for alleged retaliation against his players following an initial investigation that closed in February, clearing Flacks of emotional abuse allegations.

Letters to the University sent between August and May by parents of players raised concerns about Flacks’ abusive behaviors, intimidation and retaliation. One letter considered by the University as a part of the first investigation, which was reviewed by The Daily, alleged that Flacks’ punishments included “public shaming and belittling, vicious and intense shouting, manipulative psychological mind games, and limiting playtime.”

Families and players now accuse Flacks of retaliation against the players who participated in the initial abuse investigation.

In a public statement made in April, Flacks’ attorney wrote, “He has been fully exonerated and this matter is appropriately closed. Any allegations of retaliation against players are as preposterous as they are false. It is unfortunate that such a false cloud should continue to hang over both the coach and Stanford as they both deserve better.”

Flacks — a UCLA water polo walk-on — served as head coach at Harvard Westlake High School’s Water Polo from 2011 until he was hired by Stanford in 2022. The Daily reached out to Flacks for comment but was told that he could not provide comment due to the ongoing investigation.

“When [my son] enrolled at Stanford and joined the Stanford water polo team, we entrusted both the University and the team with his physical and psychological well-being. We were profoundly disappointed,” a family formerly associated with the team wrote in a statement to The Daily. They chose to be anonymous for fear of retaliation against their family.

In April, two former and 13 current players wrote letters of support for Flacks following the launch of the second investigation. Water polo team captain CJ Indart ’25 wrote in a statement to The Daily that the letter “was written and signed without any involvement or pressure from the coaching staff. The individuals who signed said statement did so on their own volition.” 

30 parents of players also wrote and signed a letter of support for Flacks, writing that “a supermajority of parents support Brian Flacks.”

Danielle Pittman, whose son Riley Pittman ’25 was the team’s 2024 senior captain, labeled Flacks’ treatment as a case of “tough love” and likened him to former Alabama football coach Nick Saban.

“I don’t think it’s accurate to say [Flacks is] unfair. I’m not gonna say that kids didn’t get upset because I think athletes in all programs across the nation and in other countries get upset too. I just think it’s the nature of the beast,” Pittman said. 

The first investigation began in the fall following letters written to the University by parents of current and former players on the team. In one of the letters sent in September, which was reviewed by The Daily, parents alleged that “Flacks clearly does not believe in any ‘positive coaching’ and has said to the team he doesn’t believe in positive feedback. He does believe in practicing under constant and immense pressure, with only negative or critical feedback, and has demonstrated limited patience for any behaviors other than strict obedience to his authoritarian practices.” 

In a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle, a University spokesperson said that Flacks received a letter at the conclusion of the investigation, which “did not substantiate the claims that were raised” in the initial investigation.

The second investigation into alleged retaliation against players for sparking the first investigation came amid a wave of athletic staff turnover across sports departments. Just two weeks after the close of the first investigation, former athletic director Bernard Muir resigned. One month later, former head football coach Troy Taylor was fired due to an investigation into his bullying of female athletic staffers. 

Another participant in the investigation who chose to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation raised questions about the independence of the investigators hired for both investigations. The initial abuse investigation was conducted by a law school friend of Stanford’s Deputy General Counsel. The ongoing investigation is being conducted a former attorney at Stanford’s Office of the General Counsel until 2024.

“It is difficult to think of an independent investigator that could be less independent than one who was a senior internal lawyer in Stanford’s Office of General Counsel until last year and worked for Stanford for five of the last 10 years,” the investigation participant said.

According to a parent letter written to the University, Flacks allegedly obtained confidential information from the first investigation’s reports, including information about which players took part in the first investigation. These players were promised confidentiality by the University.

The University and Flacks’ attorney denied this claim. In a statement to The Daily, the University wrote  that they “did not provide a copy of the report” to Flacks.

In a letter to the University used in the first investigation, parents also accused Flacks instructing the players to take the 2023 Anonymous Annual Survey, where athletes provide feedback on their athletic experience, in the presence of the coach. The letter further alleged that players were warned not to give negative feedback and were told to conduct the survey with Flacks in the room. 

A source close to Flacks who chose to remain anonymous due to the ongoing investigation called the claim “absolutely false.”

“In at least one [call with a parent], Coach Flacks represented that the Athletic Director told him his job was secure as long as the student-athletes were happy [sic]. To assure the parents that the student-athletes were happy, Coach Flacks further represented that the most recent Annual Survey of feedback from the student-athletes was the best one in 22 years,” a parent of a player wrote in a letter to the University. 

In an email to a parent reviewed by The Daily, Stanford’s assistant vice president for employee and labor relations Phung Truong wrote that she did not believe the survey would be conducted in 2024.

At least one player removed himself from the team due to the alleged hostile environment created by Flacks, according to March 30 letters to University administration and athletic directors that have been reviewed by The Daily. The University denied comment on this matter, citing the ongoing investigation.

“How many more need to be driven out, silenced, or retaliated against before Stanford takes action? These high achieving student-athletes deserve better. It’s time to acknowledge the hiring mistake — no one gets it right 100% of the time. It’s time for real accountability and leadership that reflects the values of Stanford: integrity, experience, and respect. These student-athletes deserve a coach who meets the highest standard — not one who undermines their well-being,” one of the investigation participants wrote in an email to The Daily.

Players and their families are still participating in interviews for the ongoing investigation.

This article has been updated to reflect that in addition to the student letters of support, 30 parents of players also signed a letter of support for Flacks.

This article has been updated to better reflect the content and the dates of the letters sent by parents to the University, as well as the timeline of the University’s second investigation. It has also been updated to include the timing of the Anonymous Annual Survey and to better reflect the information allegedly distributed regarding the initial investigation.

GENEVA, OHIO – The #20 Rowan Women’s Track & Field team finished day one of the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

UPDATED RESULTS

Nyla Jones qualified for the 400 meter hurdles finals after the freshman placed ninth (1:02.36) in the preliminaries.

Izzy Deal was 12th in the javelin with a top mark of 38.92 meters.

Other action on Thursday saw the 4×400 relay disqualified in the prelims.

On Friday, Deal will be back at it as the graduate student competes in the shot put.

 

 

Hope College’s Liam Danitz will sprint after a national title for the second time this track and field season.

The junior from West Branch, Michigan (Ogemaw Heights HS) qualified for the 200-meter finals at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, near Cleveland, on Thursday.

Danitz crossed the finish line in 21.19 seconds during prelims to finish second in his heat and fourth overall.

The fastest nine of 22 entrants qualified for the championship race on Saturday, May 24, at 3:40 p.m.

Defending national champion Sam Blakowski topped the field during prelims. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior recorded a time of 20.93 seconds.

Saint Johns University (Minnesota) senior Kevin Arthur was the second-fastest at 21.07. Rowan University (New Jersey) freshman Rajahn Dixon was third at 21.13.

Danitz, a two-sport athlete who is also a starting defensive end on the Flying Dutchmen football team, seeks his second All-America honor on the track and field season.

In March, Danitz claimed All-America First Team accolades with a fifth-place effort at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in Rochester, New York.

GENEVA, OH (May 22, 2025) — On Thursday afternoon, King’s College junior thrower Brandy Varner competed in the discus throw at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH.

Varner posted a throw of 38.53 meters on her first attempt to finish in the top 20 in the event. Augustana’s Charlotte Frere finished as the National Champion with a mark of 48.35 meters.

Varner was the first King’s National Qualifier since Justin Le Cadre reached the championship meet during the indoor season in 2021-22 in the men’s shot put and the first women’s qualifier since Cayle Spencer made the championship meet in the javelin throw in 2019. Varner represents the program’s 12th National Qualifier appearance and seventh individual since the program began varsity competition in 2015-16.

–MONARCHS–