Coach coup for talent pool

WATER POLO has pulled off a heist, signing a director of coaching with a resume long enough to impress the harshest of critics.

Tasmanian John Whitehouse, who has played, coached or refereed water polo since 1967 and officiated at five Olympic Games — including the 1988 men’s gold medal game between Yugoslavia and the US — will fill the new position, and has a host of talent to work with.

This week, Tom Franks, 19, and Toby Verrier, 22, have been selected in the Australian Country squad to compete in Thailand while Lily Zeeman, 18, is in the women’s squad.

St Virgil’s student, Hunter Wright, 14, has been picked for the 15 and under Australian National Training Squad from which 15 athletes will be selected to play in tournaments in Montenegro and Serbia later this year.

Whitehouse said the challenge was turning juniors into top seniors. “It’s an exciting appointment, hopefully I can assist the local coaches develop a program so that the basics of water polo are learned from the earliest age group so when they get to older ages they come with the basics,” Whitehouse said.

“Traditionally Water Polo Tasmania has run a very good schools competition with something like 64 teams participating this year.

“It is the transition from schools to club we’ve got to work on.”

Franks, who is studying paramedicine at university and is also a lifeguard, said it was a big win to have Whitehouse come on board.

“It is awesome to have John, his level of experience is crazy,” Franks said. “He’s been in the sport for 50 years or so, so it is really good to have him as coach.”

Franks said his dream was to play in the national league, a dream not achievable in Tasmania.

“It is hard to do in Tassie because there is no Tasmanian national league team,” he said.

“Once I’ve done uni, I’ll probably move interstate and join one of those teams.”