Pat Jones is the true champion of Olympic Women’s Water Polo (world wide) and should  be recognised as such and honoured by Australian Water Polo Incorporated
Pat Jones has delivered exceptional service to the sport of Water Polo at local, state, national and international levels. Throughout her life Pat has been a dedicated supporter of Water Polo and a passionate advocate for women to fully participate in and share the “spirit of the game”. Pat consistently identified and tirelessly pursued the greatest opportunities, overcame significant blocks and barriers and succeeded in effecting significant cultural change and gender equality in our sport both in Australia and throughout the world.
 
Highly involved at the grass roots level, Pat was  initially involved in the development of Club Water Polo in NSW; first at Bondi and then in the St George, Cronulla Sutherland and Port Hacking areas of Sydney. A stalwart of what is now known as the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks, Pat participated as a player; as a coach; as an exceptional Team and Tour Manager; and as an advocate for change and development.
 
At all times Pat has acted with the big picture in mind but in a way that brought together, maintained and enhanced grass roots participation whilst navigating a course through the complexities of local rivalries and for the progression of talented athletes from identification and development along the emerging elite and elite pathways.
 
In 1969, Pat managed to take 5 Junior teams representing the then St George &
Sutherland Shire Amateur Water Polo Club to New Zealand and was instrumental in building the St George & Sutherland Shire Ladies First Grade Team who went on to win the first ever Sydney Metropolitan First Grade Ladies Premiership that same year. Pat then advocated for the women to be included in the Australian Interstate Championships and finally convinced the ASU to include the Women's event in the National
Championships in Perth in 1975. Pat then became the first Manager of the NSW Women’s Team - a position she held for 5 years and went on to become active in the administration of the NSWAWPA.
 
In 1976 Pat managed the first Australian Women's team to compete in the National USA Championships in Hawaii (Silver Medal) and during the “eighties” Pat became a selector for the NSW State team and a board member of NSWAWPA. In 1989 Pat became the Manager of the Australian Women's Team, a position she maintained for the next five years. 
 
In 1990 Pat convened the Gender Equity Committee for Women's Water Polo, working with the Women's Sport Unit of the Australian Sport’s Commission. This was the beginning of a concerted effort to have the women's event included in the Olympics.
 
In the 1992-1993 Season, Pat won the Cronulla Sutherland Water Polo Club President’s Award for her outstanding contribution to the Club that year and on every stage; at home and abroad; Pat grasped the opportunity to demonstrate the unfairness of FINA's attitude to women in water polo.
 
In the lead up to the Sydney Olympic Games Pat organized many
demonstrations; captured the media’s attention and most importantly orchestrated the political forces and processes required to secure Women’s equity.  Finally, in 1997 Women's Water Polo was accepted as an event on the Olympic program.
 
Pat Jones is a visionary and courageous leader; one who has pursued the promotion and progression of Water Polo with great integrity, insight, strength of character, and grace.
 
Awards received.
 
CSWPCI President’s Award (1992 -1993)
 
Harry Quittner Medal (AWPI President’s Award)
 
Prime Ministerial Award (Contribution to Women's Sport 1995)
 
Award of Merit (FINA World Cup Sydney 1995)
 
Catching Olympic Bouquet from Bridgette Gusterson Sydney 2000