{{short description|Australian water polo player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2014}} {{Infobox person | name = Tom Hoad<br />{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}}}} | image = Tom Hoad, February 2026.jpg | image_size = | caption = Hoad in 2026 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|03|22|df=yes}} | birth_place = Perth, Western Australia | death_date = | death_place = | education = Aquinas College, Perth<ref name="Wes">[http://www.owca.org.au/news/gfx/Wesleyan%20Original.pdf The Wesleyan - Edition #1 2005] (accessed:15-03-2007)</ref> | occupation = Water polo player/coach | title = Left Handed Lightning | spouse = | parents = | children = | website = }}
'''Thomas Hoad''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} (born 22 March 1940) is an Australian water polo coach and former player. In 1968, he was appointed to International Swimming Federation (FINA), the world governing body for swimming and was chairman of the 1998 World Swimming Championships held in Perth, Western Australia.<ref name="THC">[http://www.tomhoadcup.com/static_page.php?id=12 Tom Hoad Cup Homepage] (accessed:15-03-2007)</ref> He is currently a director of the national controlling body Australian Water Polo.<ref>[http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/ Australian Waterpolo (Inc) website]</ref> He currently coaches juniors at Melville and at a state level in WA.
Hoad represented Australia in water polo at the Olympic Games four times, in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972, as well as being captain from 1964 to 1972. He was the Australian water polo coach at the 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988 games.
Hoad coached the 'Fremantle Mariners' to three Australian National League titles out of an unprecedented nine consecutive grand final appearances.<ref name="UWA">[http://www.sport.uwa.edu.au/sports_alumni_and_friends/uwa_sports_foundation?f=85642 UWA Sports Foundation] (accessed:15-03-2007)</ref>
He was a University of Western Australia sports star in 1964. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 1994 Australia Day Honours for "service to sport, particularly water polo".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/886230|title=Thomas Henry Hoad|website=honours.pmc.gov.au|access-date=2019-07-13}}</ref>
The Tom Hoad Cup is an international water polo cup named in his honour.<ref name="THC"/> First held in 2003, it is played annually in Perth.<ref name="THC"/>
In 2009, Hoad was inducted into the Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame - Water Polo Australia |url=https://www.waterpoloaustralia.com.au/about-us/hall-of-fame/ |website=waterpoloaustralia.com.au |publisher=Water Polo Australia |accessdate=12 October 2020 }}</ref> In 2011, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |title=Thomas Hoad (AUS) |url=https://ishof.org/thomas-hoad-(aus).html |website=ishof.org |publisher=International Swimming Hall of Fame |accessdate=12 October 2020 }}</ref> In 2021, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as general member.<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 November 2021|title=Thomas Hoad|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/thomas-hoad/|access-date=14 November 2021|website=Sport Australia Hall of Fame}}</ref>
In February 2026, Hoad was honoured as a May Campbell Medallist at the 2025 WA Sports Awards for his distinguished service to sport.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netball's Gaye Teede, water polo's Tom Hoad and rower Brett Woollfitt to receive 2026 May Campbell Medals |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/sports-awards/netballs-gaye-teede-water-polos-tom-hoad-and-rower-brett-woollfitt-to-receive-2026-may-campbell-medals-c-21400376 |access-date=27 February 2026 |work=The West Australian |date=24 January 2026 |language=en |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=May Campbell Medallists confirmed after almost 200 combined years of service to WA sport |url=https://www.sportwest.com.au/may-campbell-medallists-confirmed-after-almost-200-combined-years-of-service-to-wa-sport/ |access-date=27 February 2026 |work=SportWest |date=25 January 2026 |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==See also== * List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * {{Sports links}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoad, Tom}} Category:Living people Category:1940 births Category:People educated at Aquinas College, Perth Category:Water polo players from Perth, Western Australia Category:Australian water polo coaches Category:Australian male water polo players Category:Olympic coaches for Australia Category:Olympic water polo players for Australia Category:Water polo players at the 1960 Summer Olympics Category:Water polo players at the 1964 Summer Olympics Category:Water polo players at the 1972 Summer Olympics Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen