MEMBER PROFILE
As a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club from a young age, Duplanty’s path as an athlete began early. “I grew up there—I surfed, paddled, played volleyball on the Baby Court. I did a little bit of everything,” he recalls. “It's just left an indelible mark on my life, and I believe it is in no small part responsible for what I’ve been able to achieve.” Outrigger Canoe Club has long been a center of athletic excellence. In its early history, it was a premier swimming club, with many Olympic and AAU champions among its members. The Castle Swim, the club’s oldest ongoing competitive event, has been a tradition since 1917. Duplanty remembers those early experiences well. “I swam in the Castle Swim,” he recalls. “That’s just another example of how special Outrigger is because there are all the volunteers who, year after year, are there to put on those events for kids like me. You form relationships with all these people. You think about them when, ultimately in my case, I realize a dream of going to the Olympics and competing.” But as much as he was immersed in a world of diverse activities, it was the values of hard work, dedication, and the pursuit of mastery that took root in him. These were the same principles that guided Duplanty’s commitment to honing his craft
in water polo. “When you see people following their passion, certainly achieving excellence, whether it was at the Outrigger from these great athletes or watermen, I learned and modeled off of what I saw.” Duplanty reflects on his Olympic and water polo career as just a few chapters in his larger story. Today, his dedication to personal growth has come full circle as a father, watching his two sons grow up at the very same Club that shaped him. “I felt as though there were people at the Club who relished and cheered for the next generation and their success, just as I do now for what I see at the Club,” he shares. “When you truly believe that and feel that, it makes it a really special place for growth, development, and mastery.”
Duplanty in action for Team USA, defending the net with precision and skill. Photo courtesy of Chris Duplanty
From athlete to coach—Duplanty not only competed in the Olympics, but also helped guide the U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team as an assistant coach. Photo courtesy of Chris Duplanty
MARCH / APRIL 2025 | AMA 21
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