Sociogenesis of Water Polo

I've always been awed by the athleticism of different athletes in the field of sport that they play.  Although, water polo has grabbed my attention the most.  Its incredible to watch how this sport resembles a mixture of sports like soccer, football and rugby while treading water in a pool.  There is little information on the origin of this sport but it is known that the sport began playing in rivers and lakes sometime in the 19th century in England and Scotland.  The first set of rules was originally created in Great Britain by a swimming coach, William Wilson.  In 1890, the first international water polo game was played; Scotland defeated England, 4-0. Water polo developed in Europe, with teams competing in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Hungary and Italy, using British rules. The US played it differently from the other countries by adding diving under water, playing aggressively, and playing with a softer ball with better grip to be carried under the water. In result of the American style of play, European teams did not compete in the 1904 Olympic championships in St. Louis.  Around 1914 US teams began  agreeing to conform to international rules. The international water polo committee was formed in 1929, consisting of representatives from Great Britain and the International Amateur Swimming Federation. Rules were developed for international matches and put into effect in 1930. Today's rules differ from back then with less rules eliminating the violence within the sport. Only men began playing the sport, then women's water polo became an Olympic sport in 2000. Men still wear team speedoes or a form of it and women have to wear team bathing suites, but now it is required for both to wear colored bathing caps with individual numbers and ear protectors.