Few people have been more dedicated to water polo than David Alberstein, who has spent more than 60 years in the game. He was first introduced to water polo as an athlete at Mt. Whitney High School. He went on to compete at the College of the Sequoias and Stanford University. In 1967, he found his true calling, on the deck, as a water polo official.

Since then, Alberstein has refereed more than 6,000 games – and still calls about 50 contests a year. Throughout his career, he has refereed multiple high-level competitions including the USA Water Polo National Championships, Olympic Festivals, and NCAA Conference Championships. In 1989, he was the first referee from the United States to be selected as a neutral official for a European Aquatics (LEN)-sanctioned tournament.

When he wasn't using his whistle, Alberstein worked hard to build structure and create opportunities for referees. He helped establish referee associations and training programs in San Diego, New Mexico and the Central Valley of California. He has trained or mentored hundreds of referees. He also played a critical role as an evaluator for USA Water Polo and, since 2021, has been the NCAA's Water Polo Secretary-Rules Editor/Interpreter.

He has also served multiple roles within USA Water Polo's national and zone governance, and was its Vice President in the 1980s. On top of that, he spent 50 years as a nuclear engineer. Although he recently retired from that, he remains engaged in an equally challenging profession: water polo referee.