William Wilson (aquatics)

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"A successful teacher of the art of swimming ought to devote as much thought, application, hard work
and constant practice as almost any branch of education or science" (Photo courtesy of the International
Swimming Hall of Fame)

William Wilson (13 November 1844 – 1 June 1912) was a late 19th-century British journalist, swimming
instructor and coach, contributor to the scientific techniques behind competitive swimming, and
originator of the game of water polo.[1] In 1883, Wilson published "The Swimming Instructor," one of
the first books on swimming to define modern concepts of stroke efficiency, training, racing turns and
water safety.

Contents

1 Contributions to swimming

2 Water polo

3 Lifesaving

4 References

5 External links

Contributions to swimming

Described and illustrated the racing start and turn.[1]

Improved the mechanics of several strokes.

Developed the first life-saving drill.

Pioneered training methods, both dry-land and in the water, including tapering.

First newspaper journalist for the sport of swimming.

Innovator in indoor swimming pool design.

Water polo

In 1877, Wilson drew up a set of rules for a team water ball game, which he called "aquatic football".[1]
The first game took place between the banks of the River Dee at the Bon Accord Festival in Aberdeen,
Scotland. Flags were placed eight or ten feet apart on the shore and players used a soft ball of Indian
rubber, called a pulu. The game was a wrestling match from end to end of the field of play, but was
popular with the spectators of the aquatic festivals of the era. Wilson had developed the sport while
Baths Master at the Arlington Baths Club in Glasgow.

In 1885, the Swimming Association of Great Britain, recognized the game, now called water polo, and
formulated a set of rules expanding on Wilson's rulebook. These eventually became the basis of FINA
international rules, as the sport spread to Europe, America and Australia.