BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) looks back at Episode 006 of the PoloCAST Podcast with George Gross, Jr., posted on November 24, 2020. In his podcast, Gross discusses his history in the game on the collegiate, Olympic and media levels.
A series highlighting some of water polo’s best minds and athletes over the past 50+ years, PoloCAST is available on Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Anchor and Spotify.
Hosted by Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Hall of Fame inductee and former Team Canada Olympian Gross, the podcast provides listeners with more than just an X’s and O’s conversation about water polo – but a dialogue about what helped good players, coaches and administrators reach the top of the game.
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About George Gross: The only announcer in the history of the sport to handle the announcing duties at the women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship, the National Collegiate Club Championship (both men and women), the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship, the CWPA Division III Championship and the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC), George Gross has seen and done it all in the sport of water polo.
One of the best players in the history of Canadian water polo, in 2017 he was named General Manager for the Water Polo Canada Men’s National Team that competed at the 29th Summer Universiade, also known as FISU Games, in Taipei City (Chinese Taipei) from August 18-30. Earlier in the year, Gross announced the CWPA Division III Championship at Macalester College, the CWPA Championship at Indiana University, the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship at the University of Pittsburgh and the NCAA Women’s National Varsity Championship in Indianapolis over four consecutive weekends becoming the first announcer in CWPA and NCAA history to announce both National Championships (club and varsity).
Among the leading voices in the game today, Gross starred at goaltender for an exceptional Yale University men’s water polo team from 1971-1973, earning All-East honors all three years. Yale ruled the East during that time, posting a 39-0 record versus eastern opponents, winning the Eastern (now CWPA) Championship three times, and competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship in 1972. In honor of his success, Gross was named first member of the Yale Water Polo Hall of Fame.
After graduating from Yale in 1974, Gross played for the University of Toronto men’s team for two seasons, earning the team Most Valuable Player award and leading the university league in scoring as a field player both years.
With his return home to Canada to play for UofT, Gross earned a roster spot on the Canadian Men’s National Team and enjoyed a long and successful career as an international player. He played in two Olympic Games (1976 and 1984), scoring the longest goal in Olympic water polo history (versus China in 1984); five Pan Am Games (1975, 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1995), winning two bronze medals and enjoying a six-goal game; three World Aquatics Games (1975, 1978, 1986), serving as Canada’s flag-bearer at the 1986 games; and two World Student Games (1977 and 1979). All told, Gross scored 162 goals in 170 international matches.
After the conclusion of his international playing career, Gross served as Head Coach of the Canadian Men’s National Team twice, from 1987-1991 and 1994-1996. He led the unit to two World Aquatic Games, one Pan Am Games and through qualification tournaments for two Olympic Games.
In 1980, Gross founded the Toronto City Golden Jets water polo club and served as head coach/player from 1980-84 and 1986-1991. He was named a first team All-Star at the National Championships eleven times, was awarded both Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Coach honors in 1982 and was again named Most Valuable Player in 1986. Under his guidance, the club grew from 12 initial members to 125 members in men’s, women’s, junior and senior levels of play. The Men’s team won the 1982 and 1986 National Championships, five silver medals, bronze medals and numerous provincial titles. From 2010-2017, led by his coaching, the team appeared in the gold medal game at the Canadian National Championships every year, winning four times including 2017 when he was named Outstanding Coach as he was in 2015.
On the pool deck, he served as the University of Toronto’s men’s water polo coach from 1987 to 1990 and guided the team to consistently impressive records. For the next 10 years, he assumed general manager duties for both the Blues men’s and women’s water polo teams, playing a key role in recruiting and fundraising. He also keeps the Blues competitive year-round by recruiting them to compete with his club team outside of the intercollegiate season.
Gross assumed the role of head coach of the Varsity Blues women’s water polo program in 2008 and quickly put the program back on the map. The Toronto native guided the Blues from two winless seasons to OUA championship titles in 2008 and 2011 along with silver medals in 2009, 2010 and 2012. Then, in 2013, his Blues team began a string of five consecutive perfect seasons in winning the OUA and NCWP championships. Gross was one of two key figures in the creation of Canada’s National Collegiate Water Polo (NCWP) league and championship, the first time Canada has put in a national structure for women’s university water polo.
Administratively, Gross is a member of Water Polo Canada’s National Competition Committee in addition to serving as Vice President on Ontario Water Polo’s Board of Directors.
Besides the CWPA and Yale Water Polo Halls of Fame, Gross is a member of the Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame, the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame and the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame, all as both Athlete and Builder.
Off the pool deck, George is the president of G Squared Licensing and resides in Toronto with wife, Veronica.
