Jim Cullingham & Takeshi Inoue Appointed To UANA TWPC Through 2015; Lynn Wittstock & Amber Drury To Lead Female Referee Development
11/10/2011 12:00:00 AM
Huntington Beach, Calif. – November 10, 2011 – Jim Cullingham, USA Water Polo Director of Referees, and Takeshi Inoue, USA Water Polo's Chief International Delegate, were appointed by the Union Americana de Natación to serve on its Technical Water Polo Committee in October at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Cullingham and Inoue replace Andy Takata and Lynn Wittstock whose terms expired following the recently completed Pan American Games. Wittstock has been tabbed along with Associate Director of Referees, Domestic Development, Amber Drury to spearhead a new initiative to develop and advance more female referees within the USA Water Polo federation.
"UANA has selected two outstanding individuals to serve on its Technical Water Polo Committee; both are well-qualified and committed to excellence, fairness and to the development of our sport beyond our own border,” said Christopher Ramsey, CEO of USA Water Polo. "We are grateful to Lynn Wittstock and Andy Takata for their volunteer service to UANA on the TWPC; they made important contributions toward our sport in this hemisphere. I am particularly pleased that Lynn has accepted the challenge of working with Amber to encourage more women to referee water polo. I think they will make an important difference and we are lucky to have their commitment.”
"USA Water Polo has taken a huge step in seeing the continued need for women to become involved in the governing, growth and mentoring for Female Referees and Coaches,” said Sandy Nitta, USA Water Polo Board Member and longtime Women's National Team Coach. “Amber Drury and Lynn Wittstock are great choices to head the referee initiative for women. They are both professional, responsible and will do what is best for water polo."
The initiative will focus on the advancement of careers for women and girls in water polo. Anchored by Wittstock and Drury, two pioneers of the Women's National Team in the 1980s and 1990s, the duo has spent the last two decades climbing the international ranks. Drury is a FINA level referee, who was recently given the honor of whistling the Gold Medal match when she worked the 2011 FINA Women's Junior World Championship final in Trieste, Italy. Wittstock served a two year term as a United States representative to the UANA TWPC and has been a longtime advocate for women's masters water polo both domestically and abroad.
"USA Water Polo has always been a big supporter of promoting women within the sport of water polo, and it was the organization's vision to begin a focus on female referees with the main goal of the group being to guide women into the often daunting field of refereeing,” Wittstock said. “I think this group has the potential to vastly grow the field of female referees as it can piggyback the huge growth in women's water polo in the past 15 years. After serving on UANA for the past two years, and seeing the very small number of female referees at the international level, I believe that USA Water Polo can be a leader in developing and promoting women as referees, as well as allowing women a greater voice in the continued shaping of our sport."
"I am thrilled to be working with water polo legend Lynn Wittstock to assemble an initiative for female water polo referees,” said Drury. “It is our hope to provide support, education and recognition for all women who choose to don whistles and wear white. We look forward to working closely with National Referee Chair, Jim Cullingham as we get our program up and running."
"I am excited about adding another facet to Amber's administrative role as Associate Director of Referees, Domestic Development within the USA Water Polo Referees Association. I am especially looking forward to her focusing on the concerted effort of development and recruitment of female referees, along with the help and expertise of Lynn Wittstock," said Cullingham.
United States of America representatives to the UANA TWPC, Cullingham and Inoue will serve as key constituents in the aquatic governing body overseeing all of the Americas. Cullingham is a retired FINA Official and veteran collegiate official who is USA Water Polo Director of Referees. He assists with officiating schedules, assignments, and training at every level from age group to National Team competition. Inoue, named USA Water Polo's Chief International Delegate in July, was a longtime member of the Japanese National Team and Japanese Water Polo Committee as well as an honorary member of the International Referees Association. He founded the United Water Polo Club in 2007.
About USA Water Polo
USA Water Polo, Inc. is the national governing body for water polo in America, overseeing our United States Olympic program as well as 20 different championship events annually, such as Junior Olympics and Masters National Championships. With more than 40,000 members, USAWP is also the sanctioning authority for more than 500 Member Clubs and more than 400 tournaments nationwide. USAWP is committed to the development of the sport nationwide. It fosters grass-roots expansion of the sport, providing a national system of affiliated clubs, certified coaches and officials.
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