Sean Kern

Sean Kern (born July 11, 1978) was an American swimmer and water polo player who has played primarily in the position of center forward (two-meter offense) and represented the United States Men's Water Polo team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. During his water polo career, Kern was a four-time All-American, two-time National Player of the Year, two-time NCAA champion and three-time UCLA scoring leader. After his 1999 season, Kern was honored as the first-ever male recipient to receive the Peter J. Cutino Award.

Kern was born July 11, 1978, in Honolulu, Hawaii to Nancy Kern and husband. During his High School water polo career, he led Honolulu's Punahou School to three consecutive league titles and personally earned three Interscholastic League of Honolulu player of the year awards. Kern was the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (ILH) Player of the Year at Punahou, and led the school to city-wide ILH titles three times. He was an outstanding varsity swimmer, and used his state-championship backstroke in his water polo competitions, giving him the ability to focus on the ball continuously while maintaining his speed. In his Senior year, he received the C. Dudley Pratt award for his 100-yard backstroke state record.

He set the state record in the 100-yard backstroke as a senior, when he also received the C. Dudley Pratt Award.

2000 Sydney Olympics Often playing in the utility position, rather than his standard center-forward, Kern played for the United States Water Polo Team under Olympic Coach John Vargas in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, helping to lead the team to an overall sixth-place finish, losing their last match 10–8 to Italy. At 22, Kern was one of the youngest members of the team. He scored three goals in Olympic play, usually working in the utility position where he could play multiple positions. Kern considered his focus on strength training and squats to have aided him in Olympic play, and recognized international water polo as a more brutal physical game at times than collegiate water polo.

Kern has more recently played for the New York Athletic Club in the USA Water Polo Premier League.

Honors In 2016, Kern was inducted into the Punahou School Hall of Fame, and became a member of the UCLA Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.