Water polo’s Nicola Johnson named the first female Australian to referee at an Olympic Games

Nicola Johnson, the founder of the most successful junior water polo club in Australia, has been named the first female Australian to referee at an Olympic Games.

Nicola Johnson, the founder of the most successful junior water polo club in Australia, has been named the first female Australian to referee at an Olympic Games.

Johnson will officiate next year in Tokyo, an appointment which floored the former Australian and Queensland representative.

“I am over the moon,’’ Johnson said. “I am still probably stunned by the appointment.

“I am honoured and privileged to be put into that position. I am very humbled by the whole thing.’’

PINK MERMAIDS WIN LOCAL SPORTS STAR TEAM OF THE YEAR

Johnson has been refereeing internationally since 1990 when she was still playing for Australia, but she concentrated on officiating after retiring from the pool in 1993.

Chelsea and Nicola Johnson last month’s Local Sports Stars Awards. Photography: J&A Photography

At the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Johnson was appointed a technical official and watching Australia win gold at that tournament inspired her.

“Since watching Australia win gold, seeing everything that went on, that (the Olympics) was my goal,’’ Johnson said.

Johnson has been swept up by the support of wellwishers in the tightly knit community, including her players at the Mermaids Club.

Mermaids coach Nicola Johnson congratulates a St Rita's College player after one of the grand finals at the BWPL decider earlier this year.

“It is great to see others share in the excitement as well,’’ Johnson said.

It has been an extraordinary 12 months for Johnson.

In January Mermaids’ under 12, 14s and 18s won the girls’ national titles, while the under 16s were runners-up.

HOW THE MERMAIDS WERE STARTED

It was also a year which saw four players progress from outside of their age groups into the Queensland Thunder junior squad.

Nicola Johnson umpiring.

In 2013-14, Johnson started the Mermaids club after the parents of some competitive swimmers and netballers approached her about their children wanting to try another sport.

The initial intake or six to 10 children were merely trained by Johnson.

Nicola Johnson, pink cap, addresses her Mermaids under 18 water polo team.

“The idea was to development their skills and then they were to go on and play with other clubs,’’ Johnson said.

But as numbers grew, Johnson made a decision to start a club.

Now Mermaids draws players from north, south, east and west to the Yeronga Pool where Mermaids are based.

Johnson works for the Queensland Academy of Sport as assist water polo coach and high performance co-ordinator for softball.

Last month Andrew Dawson reported on another Queensland sporting official, hockey’s Aleisha Neumann, being appointed as a referee for the Tokyo Olympics