Rowena Webster

{{Infobox sportsperson

| headercolor =

| name = Rowena Webster

| image = Rowena Webster.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Webster in 2012

| birth_name =

| fullname = Rowena Evelyn Webster

| nickname = Rowie

| nationality = Australian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|12|27|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{convert|177|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|81|kg}}

| website =

| country = Australia

| sport = Water polo

| event = Women's team

| collegeteam = Arizona State University

| club = Richmond Tigers

| team = Balmain Water Polo Club

| turnedpro = 2008

| coach =

| retired =

| coaching =

| worlds =

| regionals =

| nationals =

| olympics = London 2012, Rio 2016

| paralympics =

| highestranking =

| pb =

|medaltemplates=

}}

Rowena Evelyn Webster (born 27 December 1987), known as Rowie Webster, is an Australian water polo centre back and a three-time Olympian. She is one of three Australian players to play more than 300 international games for Australia. She has represented Australia as a member of Australia women's national water polo team on both the junior and senior level. Webster is a London Olympic bronze medalist, Junior World Champion, and was rated in the top 3 players in the world two years in a row (2013, 2014). Webster was the Australian Women's Water Polo Captain at the 2020 Olympics.

Personal life

Webster was born on 27 December 1987 in Melbourne, Victoria.{{cite web |url=http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/high-performance/senior-women-profiles/profiles/brown-victoria/ |title=Australian Water Polo Inc.: Webster, Rowena |publisher=Australian Water Polo |location=Sydney, Australia |access-date=1 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318204218/http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/high-performance/senior-women-profiles/profiles/brown-victoria/ |archive-date=18 March 2012 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/story_468283_aussie_stingers_finish_canada_cup_undefeated_after_claiming_gold_over_china |title=Aussie Stingers finish Canada Cup undefeated after claiming gold over China : News Centre : Australian Sports Commission |publisher=Australian Sport Commission |location=Bruce, Australian Capital Territory |date=20 December 2011 |access-date=17 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121175027/http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/story_468283_aussie_stingers_finish_canada_cup_undefeated_after_claiming_gold_over_china |archive-date=21 January 2012 }}{{cite web|url=http://london2012.olympics.com.au/news/stingers-announce-2012-senior-squad |title=London 2012 – Stingers announce 2012 senior squad |date=9 September 2011 |access-date=21 February 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/293300/20120206/final-aussie-stingers-olympic<-train-squad-announced.htm |title=Final Aussie Stingers Olympic train on Squad Announced |work=International Business Times |date=6 February 2012 |access-date=17 February 2012}} Her grandfather was Warwick Wathen, who competed in the Davis Cup as a junior. Her mother is a physiotherapist, her father a builder. Webster is the youngest of four children and her oldest sister Larissa Webster also played water polo for Australia.

Webster is {{convert|177|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}} tall, weighs {{convert|81|kg}} and is right handed.{{cite news|title=Feisty young gun isn't one for treading water – OLYMPIC DREAMS 2011|first=Chris|last=Johnston|page=7|id=20110917000034681694|access-date=3 March 2012|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:ASAB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=139CE18B44CE50F0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} She has five tattoos and loves how she can express herself through body image and art.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

Webster attended Korowa Anglican Girls' School and used to play Australian rules football as a youngster. She has always been extremely competitive in basketball and surf life saving, and iub 2012 was the vice-captain of the National women's water polo team.{{cite news|access-date=3 March 2012|title=Sacrifices for success|newspaper=Leader – Progress Press|location=Melbourne, Australia|date=14 June 2005|page=17|id=PPV_T-20050614-1-017-303828|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:VICB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10AB17020259B27E&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} She took up surf lifesaving as a seven-year-old at the Anglesea Surf life saving club. She studied for her Victorian Certificate of Education in 2005. She spent a year studying at Arizona State University on scholarship where she studied physical education secondary teaching and completed her degree in Melbourne at Deakin University.{{cite news|access-date=3 March 2012|title=Surging to major goals|newspaper=Leader – Progress Press|location=Melbourne, Australia|date=21 October 2003|first=Chloe|last=Adams|page=6|id=PPV_T-20031021-1-006-069713|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:VICB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10AB17020259B27E&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} She is currently on scholarship at the Victorian Institute of Sport.{{Update inline|date=June 2017}} She completed a Bachelor of physical education in secondary teaching, and is living in Balwyn North, Victoria.

Her Stingers teammates say she is a fierce competitor and loves to win. She has a huge Nike shoe collection and adds to it on every international tour. She is openly lesbian.{{Cite web|date=2018-08-16|title='You'd have to chop my leg off' by Rowie Webster|url=https://www.athletesvoice.com.au/rowie-webster-youd-have-to-chop-my-leg-off/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=AthletesVoice|language=en-US}}

Water polo

File:Test 3 Aus v GB at AIS 0016.JPG, then Zoe Arancini, Melissa Rippon, Hannah Buckling, Rowena Webster.]]

Webster started playing water polo as a ten-year-old, and more seriously as a twelve-year-old in Melbourne, Australia acting as a fill-in for her older sister's team at that age.{{Cite news|title=Big sis the catalyst for career|newspaper=Leader – Progress Press|location=Melbourne, Australia|date=1 February 2005|access-date=3 March 2012|first=Peter|last=Rolfe|page=20|id=PPV_T-20050201-1-020-957212|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:VICB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12514A81472D3438&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} In 2010 and 2011, she had a water polo scholarship from the Victorian Institute of Sport.{{cite news|title=Southern makes Stingers|newspaper=Innisfail Advocate|location=Australia|date=18 August 2010|page=16}}{{cite news|title=Canberra Times: SCOREBOARD|newspaper=The Canberra Times|location=Canberra, Australia|date=15 May 2010|publisher=Financial Times Limited – Asia Africa Intelligence Wire|access-date=19 February 2012|id=WCTS78802884|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:ATMB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12FB8AF01539A3B8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}}{{cite news|title=AAP News: Water Polo Team Australian Women|newspaper=AAP News|location=Australia|date=14 May 2010|publisher=Financial Times Limited – Asia Africa Intelligence Wire|id= WAAP78793873|access-date=1 March 2012|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:WAAP&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12FB8AF01539A3B8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}} She prefers to wear cap number seven and is a utility player who can be found in the centre back position. She has scars on her back from opposition players biting her there during games. She feels a need to wear a mouth guard during every game she plays. Her water polo club is the Richmond Tigers. In 2003, she played for the club at State League Level 1, the highest ability league open to players of all ages. She first represented the state of Victoria in 2000. In 2003, she was Victorian team captain. In 2003, she woke up at "4.40 am twice a week for training and swimming three afternoons a week". In 2005, she was putting in "three gym sessions, three swimming drills, [and] six rounds of water polo practice" a week. That year, she represented the state of Victoria at the Australian Water Polo Championships. She also represented the state in 2005 at the National Schoolgirls Water Polo Competition held Noosa, Queensland.

=Club water polo=

Webster currently plays for the Balmain Water Polo Club National Team and captains the side. She played for the Victorian Tigers of the National Water Polo League in 2004 during the team's first year of existence.{{cite web|url=http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2007-nwpl-season/2007-nwpl-clubs/vic-w/|access-date=1 March 2012|year=2008|author=Australian Water Polo Inc.|title=Vic w|location=Sydney, Australia|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424124919/http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2007-nwpl-season/2007-nwpl-clubs/vic-w/|archive-date=24 April 2014}} She also played for the team in 2005, 2007, 2009,{{cite web|url=http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2009-nwpl-season/2009-nwpl-clubs/2009-victorian-tigers-women/|access-date=1 March 2012|year=2009|author=Australian Water Polo Inc.|title=Victorian Tigers|location=Sydney, Australia|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424124923/http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2009-nwpl-season/2009-nwpl-clubs/2009-victorian-tigers-women/|archive-date=24 April 2014}} 2010,{{Cite web|url=http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2010-nwpl-season/2010-nwpl-clubs/vic-tigers-women/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231000047/http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2010-nwpl-season/2010-nwpl-clubs/vic-tigers-women/|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 December 2012|access-date=1 March 2012|year=2010|author=Australian Water Polo Inc.|title=Vic Tigers|location=Sydney, Australia}} 2011{{Cite web|url=http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2011-nwpl-clubs/2011-victorian-tigers-women/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121230070504/http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2011-nwpl-clubs/2011-victorian-tigers-women/|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 December 2012|access-date=1 March 2012|year=2011|author=Australian Water Polo Inc.|title=Vic Tigers|location=Sydney, Australia}} and 2012.{{Cite web|access-date=2 March 2012|url=http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2012-nwpl-clubs/2012-victorian-tigers-women/|author=Australian Water Polo Inc.|title=2012 Victorian Tigers Women|location=Sydney, New South Wales|year=2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208134130/http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/no_cache/nwpl/2012-nwpl-clubs/2012-victorian-tigers-women/|archive-date=8 December 2012}}

=University water polo=

Webster attended Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona on a water polo scholarship when she was an eighteen-year-old but only spent a year with the team.{{cite news|access-date=3 March 2012|title=YOUNG ACHIEVERS|newspaper=The Sunday Age|location=Melbourne, Australia|date=14 December 2008|first=Michael|last=Sharkie|page=23|id=20081214000030643200|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AUNB:ASAB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12514A81472D3438&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1053B823C33F21F9}}

=Professional water polo=

As a nineteen-year-old, Webster played for a professional team in Greece for five months in 2008. While playing in Greece, she had to deal with a culture of water polo that tolerated biting of other players during games. She left Greece to concentrate on making Australia's national team for the Olympics.

=Senior national team=

Webster is the captain and a member of the Australia women's national water polo team and has played over 300 games for Australia. She was a member of the London Olympic Team that won bronze in 2012 and has been an integral part of the 2013 World Championships team that won silver and the 2014 World Cup team that also won silver. Webster was the highest goal scorer for Team Australia at the 2012 London Olympics. Webster holds the Australian record for most goals in a National League Season (99 goals).{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} She has also played over 250 games in the league.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

Webster was the captain of the Australian Stingrays squad that competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. By finishing second in their pool, the Aussie Stingers went through to the quarterfinals. They were beaten 8-9 by Russia and therefore did not compete for an Olympic medal.{{Cite web |title=Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021 |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/olympics/australian-olympic-team/ |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=The Roar |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Australia |first=Water Polo |title=Aussie Stingers – Rowie Webster |url=https://www.waterpoloaustralia.com.au/national-teams/rowie-webster/ |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=waterpoloaustralia.com.au |language=en}}