Heather Moody

Heather Moody (born August 21, 1973 in Rexburg, Idaho) is an American water polo player, who won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She was team captain of the US Women's National Team that captured the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and the only member of the team not from California. Her position is center forward.

In 1999 and 2001, Heather was United States Water Polo Player of the Year.

In September 2001, Moody became the first American woman water polo player to play professionally, when she signed with top European club Voulagmeni in Greece. She had been approached by a number of international club teams, but chose the Greek club after consulting with women’s national team coaches Guy Baker and Kyle Kopp, the latter of whom played in the Greek professional league for four years before retiring in 2001.

In June 2005, Bill Barnett resigned as coach of the U.S. women's water polo team because he couldn't come to terms on a contract. Heather Moody, serving as assistant coach, became interim head coach at the FINA World Championships in Montreal one month later. The rookie coach guided the United States to the championship game in women's water polo in July 2005, but lost to Hungary 10-7 in two overtimes. In September, Guy Baker replaced Heather Moody as head coach of the U.S. women's water polo team, leaving his positions as national team director and head coach of the U.S. men. Moody resumed the role of assistant coach. She now lives in Long Beach, California , where she coaches water polo at Golden West College in addition to her work with the US Women’s National Team.

In February 2007, Moody was inducted into the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) Hall of Fame with fellow Olympic medalists Natalie Golda and Nicolle Payne. The three women were members of the bronze medal 2004 U.S. Olympic team in Athens, and are the first women added to the NYAC Hall of Fame.

In March 2007, Heather Moody served as an assistant coach of the USA Women's National Water Polo Team, which defeated Australia to win the gold medal at the FINA Water Polo Championships.

External links

* [http://www.usoc.org/26_1254.htm Heather Moody's U.S. Olympic Team bio]
* [http://usawaterpolo.org/media/bios_moody.pdf Heather Moody's U.S. Water Polo player biography]
* [http://gwc.info/athletics/wwaterpolo/coaches.html Heather Moody's Golden West College coach bio]
*USA Water Polo: [http://usawaterpolo.org/index.php?customernumber=614341366530566&pr=020907_NYACHOF Water Polo Olympic Medalists to be inducted into NYAC Hall of Fame.]