Charles McIlroy

Chick McIlroy
Personal information
Full nameCharles Raymond McIlroy
National teamUSA
Born (1938-08-01) August 1, 1938
Minot, North Dakota
OccupationsSchoolteacher
High School Water Polo Coach
Lifeguard
Sport
CountryUSA
SportWater polo
PositionAttacker/perimeter player (WP)
College teamEl Camino
Long Beach State
ClubEl Segundo Swim Club
Lynwood Water Polo Club
Coached byUrho Saari
(El Segundo High, 60, 64 Olympics)

Charles Raymond "Chick" McIlroy (born August 1, 1938) is an American water polo player who competed for Long Beach State University in greater Los Angeles, and participated in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome as an alternate and in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo where the U.S. team placed ninth overall. After his elite athletic career ended, he had a 39 year career as a school teacher and water polo coach in the Palos Verdes School District, and worked as a Redondo Beach life guard after retiring as a schoolteacher.[1][2]

Early life

He was born in Minot, North Dakota, on August 1, 1938 and moved with his family to El Segundo, California when he was one. Charles was one of ten children born to Kenneth McIlroy and Helen (Vadnais) McIlroy. He was the fifth son of eight boys, having two sisters.[3][4]

McIlroy swam and played water polo at El Segundo High School where he was managed and trained by coach Urho Saari, a USA Water Polo Hall of Fame member.[5]

Collegiate years

Prior to college, around the age of 18, Mcilroy practiced with the 1956 U.S. Water Polo team as they trained for the Melbourne Olympics, which greatly improved his game, and his level of skill.[1] After High School, beginning around the fall of 1956, Charles swam and played water polo at El Camino Jr. College, where he swam for Coach Harry Perry, and competed in the Individual Medley and the backstroke. By 1957, he had been honored as a first team All-Metro water polo player.[6][7][8] McIlroy transferred to play for the strong program at Long Beach State University.[9]

Olympics

1960 Rome Olympics

He joined the nearby Lynwood Water Polo Club to train for the 1960 Olympics and was part of the Lynwood club when they won the Olympic qualifying tournament. However, as he was an alternate on the 1960 team, he remained on the bench, and was unable to participate in the Olympic games, and there were no substitutions allowed in 1960.[1]

As an alternate, McIlroy travelled to Rome as a member of the American water polo team,[10] which finished seventh in the water polo competition in Rome, though as noted, he did not participate. With sixteen teams participating, pre-games favorite Italy took the gold medal, the team from the Soviet Union took the silver, and Hungary took the bronze.[11][12]

1964 Tokyo Olympics

Four years later at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, managed again by Olympic Coach Urho Saari, the United States water polo team was eliminated in the first round, and later placed ninth overall. In the 1964 Olympic tournament, McIlroy played three matches. In their first game, the U.S. team lost to a strong, tall and dominant team from Yugoslavia 2-1, where water polo was a major sport. In their second game, they defeated the team from Brazil 7-1, but were defeated by the team from the Netherlands, losing their chance to advance to the semi-finals.[13] After semi-final play, pre-games favorite Hungary took the gold medal, Yugoslavia took the silver, and the Soviet Union took the bronze. Charles's two brothers, Paul McIlroy and Ned McIlroy were also on the 1964 U.S. water polo team, though Paul did not play in competition.[10][14][2]

In non-Olympic international competition, McIlroy won a team gold medal in water polo at the 1959 Pan American championships in Chicago IL, and a silver medal at the 1963 Pan American championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil.[2]

Post athletic life and careers

McIlroy married and had children. After his Olympic career, he worked as a schoolteacher and water polo coach in the Palos Verdes School District for just under 40 years.[1] After retiring from his career as a teacher, he worked as a Lifeguard part-time in the Redondo Beach area.[2][15]

In 2008 at the age of 70, Charles was a member of the Tri Valley Water polo Club that competed in the World Masters Water polo Tournament in Perth Australia.[1] The team Charles played on won all seven of their games in the 60+ division, earning them the gold medal in their age group.[1]

Honors

In 1980, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame. Honored during his water polo career, he was a 1959, 1960, and 1964 All American in outdoor water polo, and a 1958-59 Most Valuable Player nominee.[16][17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Chick McIlroy - Living the Water Polo Life". USA Water Polo. 2013-03-06. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Olypedia Biography, Charles McIlroy". Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ned Leroy McIlroy Biography". Olympics. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "EL SEGUNDO TAKES WATER POLO TITLE". The New York Times. 1964-08-31. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  5. ↑ "USA Water Polo Hall of Fame, Urho Saari". Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  6. ↑ "College Swim Team, El Camino, Competes in March Debut", Hermosa Beach Review, Hermosa Beach, California, February 7, 1957, pg. 1". Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  7. ↑ ""Three Warriors on Water Polo Team", The Daily Breeze, December 16, 1958, pg. 12". Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  8. ↑ "USA Water Polo Hall of Fame, Urho Saari". Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Charles McIlroy (1980) - Hall of Fame". USA Water Polo. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  10. 1 2 "Charles Raymond MCILROY". Olympics.com. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  11. ↑ "History". USA Water Polo. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  12. ↑ "Rome 1960 water polo men Results". Olympics.com. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  13. ↑ ""Coach Urho Saari and the U.S. Water Polo Team"". Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Water Polo Articles by Rich Foster". www.waterpoloplanet.com. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  15. ↑ ""Saari Heads Team", The Daily Breeze, Torrance, California, October 8, 1964, pg. 43". Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Charles McIlroy (1980)". usawaterpolo.org. USA Water Polo. Archived from the original on 2020-04-04. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  17. ↑ "Hall of Fame Inductees". usawaterpolo.org. USA Water Polo. Archived from the original on 2019-05-31. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
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