OVAtions

Olympian – John Whitehouse

John was added to the St Virgil’s Heritage Roll of Honour in 2008.

 

The following is the archival material collected about that award being made. 

 

JOHN WHITEHOUSE  OAM (SVC 1957 – 66) 

Born:  26 August 1948 in Hobart 

Family:

  • Partner Sue 
  • Two sons - Sam (b.1989) and Ned (b.1992) (both attended SVC) 

Education 

St Mary’s College (1954 – 56)

St Virgil’s College (1957 – 66) 

  • Prefect (1966)
  • Swimming Captain (1966)
  • Tennis Captain (1966) 

University of Tasmania (1967 – 71) 

  • BSc 1970 
  • DipEd 1971  

Career 

  • Teacher (Mathematics & Science) Warrane High School (1972-78) 
  • Senior Master Warrane High School (1978-87)
  • Assistant Principal Warrane High School (1988)  
  • Assistant Principal Bridgewater High School (1989-90) 
  • Secretary General Australian Water Polo Inc (1991-Current)

Sporting Involvements  

Water Polo Player

State 

  • Member Tasmanian Water Polo Team (1968-71)
  • Coach & Captain Tasmanian Water Polo Team (1972-75) 

National 

  • Member Australian Water Polo Squad (1971)

Water Polo Administrator 

State 

  • Board Member Tasmanian Water Polo Association (1969-92)
  • Schools Water Polo Coordinator Tasmanian Water Polo Inc (1979-92)
  • President Tasmanian Water Polo Inc. (2000-08)
  • Schools Coordinator Tasmanian Water Polo Inc. (2004-06)

National 

  • Hon Secretary Australian Amateur Water Polo Committee (1977-82) 
  • Hon Secretary Australian Amateur Water Polo Association  (1982-85)
  • Secretary General Australian Amateur Water Polo Assoc. (1985-91)
  • Secretary General Australian Water Polo Inc (1991 - )

International 

  • Member FINA Technical Water Polo Committee (1992-96) 
  • Honorary Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee (1996- )

Official 

International 

  • Referee I FINA World Championships Belgrade (1973)
  • Referee II FINA World Championships Cali (1975)
  • Referee Montreal Olympic Games (1975)
  • Team Manager Australian Water Polo Team III FINA World Championships West Berlin (1978)
  • Team Manager Australian Water Polo Team to Moscow Olympic Games (1980)
  • Referee Los Angeles Olympic Games (1984)
  • Referee Seoul Olympic Games (1988) (including referee of Gold Medal Game USA v YUG) 
  • Referee VI FINA World Championships Perth (1991) (including referee of Gold Medal Game ESP v YUG) 
  • Referee Barcelona Olympic Games (1992) (including referee of Bronze Medal Game CIS v USA) 
  • Official VII FINA World Championships Rome (1994) (Member FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official Atlanta Olympic Games (1996)(Member FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official VIII FINA World Championships Perth (1998) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official Sydney Olympic Games (2000) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official IX FINA World Championships Fukuoka (2001) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official X FINA World Championships Barcelona (2003) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official Athens Olympic Games (2004) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official XI FINA World Championships Montreal (2005) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official XII FINA World Championships Melbourne (2007) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 
  • Official Beijing Olympic Games (2008) (Hon. Secretary FINA Technical Water Polo Committee) 

 

N.B. FINA is the Technical Water Polo Committee which has the responsibility  

for the conduct and management of water polo competitions. 

 

Swimming 

  • State Swimming Champion

-Freestyle (110 – 1650 yds) (1966)

-Butterfly (110 – 220 yds) (1966)

  • State Surf Life Saving Team (Captain 1969) (1968 – 69)

 

Community Involvement 

  • Club Captain Clifton Beach SLSC (1969 – 72)
  • Honorary Secretary Clifton Beach SLSC (1973 – 75) 
  • Committee Member Sandy Bay Football Club (1972 – 73)
  • Honorary Treasurer Sandy Bay Football Club (1973 – 80)
  • Vice President Sandy Bay Football Club (1981)
  • President Clifton Beach SLSC (1981 – 91)

Life Memberships 

  • Tasmanian Water Polo Inc  (1978)
  • Clifton Beach Surf Life Saving Club (1980)
  • Surf Life Saving Tasmania (2004)

 

Honours 

  • World Life Saving Citation of Merit (1988) 
  • Medal of the Order of Australia (1995)
  • Australian Water Polo Hall of Fame (2009) 

The following  citation on the Water Polo Australia Website