A Tale of Two Continents: Why Do Eastern European Males and American Females Excel at Water Polo?

In the sport of water polo, taller players are better offensively and defensively. A survey of the dominant male and female Olympic teams reveals that the best male players come from and play for Eastern Europe and the best female players tend to come from or play for the United States. In both cases, the question of access to the sport is pivotal. A brief history of the development of water polo is included.