The 1982–1986 water polo teams won five straight AAU Indoor National Championships and three Hawaiian Invitationals, while competing against the best collegiate teams. These OC teams reinstated a long tradition of water polo excellence at the Club, and set a bright course for the future.
In 1980, Bill Purcell had the idea to recreate a Club water polo team. He wanted a place for his friends, two brothers, and himself to compete now that they were out of college. Bill, serving as a player/coach/commissioner, built a team of veterans and existing Club members. Within a year, the team established itself on the local and national stages. The team finished fourth at Nationals in both 1980 and 1981, winning their first major tournament, the Northern California Invitational, in 1981.
As the squad welcomed new members, the team still remained significantly older than their competition — and the “old men” were the surprise winners of the 1982 Indoor National Championships. The next summer was the turning point for the program. The team won their first Hawaiian Invitational, an international tournament. But it was the summer play at the Outdoor National Championships that was significant, with a comeback win over Pepperdine after a derisive remark from their coach about how “you old guys” did not belong. That game became the impetus for taking the program to the next level, and they used the momentum to win a second National Indoor title in the fall.
The team’s reputation grew and, in 1984, they brought home another Hawaiian Invitational and their third Indoor National Championship. The Club also hosted the U.S. Water Polo Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The growing rivalry between the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) and the OC led to the creation of the “Corporate Cup,” named so because NYAC and the OC were the only teams fielding businessmen instead of college students. The Cup was a perpetual trophy giving bragging rights to whichever team won the most recent match. The OC won the first match, so NYAC had to buy the trophy and have it engraved with the OC name. The tradition continues today.
The teams continued their dominance with national indoor championship titles in 1985 and 1986, as well as winning their third straight Hawaiian title in 1985. The team now fielded All- Americans, collegiate champions, and national team members. The legacy of these teams shines on today — the Club now has six competitive teams, mens and womens, Open and Masters, that have won numerous national and world championships, as well as a growing junior program.
