Some things just get better over time—and that includes water polo player, coach and volunteer Russ Hafferkamp. After an All-American career at UC Santa Barbara and time with Team USA leading up to the 1980 Olympic boycott, Hafferkamp never strayed far from the game. A perennial All-American selection and award winner that spans a 40-year-plus playing career internationally and at the US open and masters division, Hafferkamp has been a key part of more than 25 U.S. national championship teams and five FINA Masters world championships, competing largely with The Olympic Club and Santa Barbara Masters.

Hafferkamp has always found time to be more than an athlete. He has coached more than 20 years with a variety of programs, including UC Santa Barbara (men), UC San Diego (men), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (men), UC Berkeley (men and women), The Olympic Club (men and women) and internationally in Australia (Tasmanian men). He has also coached extensively with five separate men's and women's age-group and masters programs.

Hafferkamp has long been a leading pioneer and advocate for athletes within water polo, serving more than 12 years in governance of USA Water Polo in a variety of roles. He was instrumental in authoring legislation and funding for the formation of masters water polo and fast-tracking athletes into officiating. A 2008 International Swimming Hall of Fame honor recipient for water polo and member of The Olympic Club Hall of Fame, he has also served as a researcher and statistician for NBC Olympics during each of the Olympic broadcasts since Sydney 2000.

A longtime advocate and counselor in helping athletes transition from sports to the working world, Hafferkamp authored the book CareerBall: The Sport Athletes Play When They're Through Playing Sports. To honor 120 years of water polo commitment, he published Water Polo at The Olympic Club: A Century of Excellence. His latest project, a children's book covering the COVID-19 pandemic, titled Fuzzy the Virus, was released in 2020. Hafferkamp remains active in the game today, coaching, playing and volunteering within water polo.