Anybody out there play water polo?

Question

if you do, can you tell me basically how the game is played and any tips or things i should know? thanks!

Answer 1

First of all your first practice will be tough!  I wasn't a swimmer and I went to a clinic/zone team try out it was tough but it does get better.  This is the best site to explain how to play http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_polo.  Definately start swimming.  Good luck

Answer 2

water polo has 6 players on field and one goalie and is really a mixture of many sports all in the water.  it's like soccer in the fact that there are two goals and a goalie, when a goal is scored you start at the middle of the pool and the team that was scored on starts with the ball. if a player is inside the 2 meter mark and the ball isn't inside the 2 it's a turnover, where the defensive team goes on offense just like offsides.  the defense is like basket ball, all the players have to be on each other,  and there are fouls and stuff.  if you get fouled you get a free pass, but you have to get it live menaing someone on your team has to touch it before you shoot.  you can put it in play if you move with it,  and the defensive player can try and get the ball from you.  and you can get ejected just like in hockey, the team then plays a 6 on 5.  you need to be able to swim long distances if you want to play, and also have good hand to eye coordination and a will to play.  it's a hard sport and you need the mindset and stamina to beable to play.  if someone fouls you while you are taking a shot, you get a five meter.  it's like a penalty shot. you are at the 5 meter mark, and the goalie's head is inside the posts of the goal.  when the whistle is blown, you have to shoot right away with no hesistation or it won't count.  also if you are fouled outside five you can pick it up right away and shoot from there but also with no hesitation or it willl not count.  depending on which team you play on the quarters have different times. if you play in high school the quarters are most likely 6 minutes, with 2 minutes in between and a 4 minute half time.  the more you play, the more you learn and the more this will all make sense.  that's how i learned.  it's a really fun sport to play, and if you work hard it all pays off in the end.  it's also a physical and agressive sport. so if you aren't really a physical person i'm not sure if it's right for you.

Answer 3

Strategy-wise it's kind of like basketball.  Each team has 6 field players and 1 goalie.  All players but hte goalie play both ways.  There are basically three types of field players: hole set, hole D, and driver.  Hole set is kind of like the center in basketball, except he only plays there on offense.  On defense, the positions rotate so the hole D is at center.  the drivers are like perimeter players. In order to play water polo, you have to be a good swimmer.  And not just good like you can swim one length, you have to be able to swim 100s of yards and still have enough left to play shoot and pass well, etc.  If you're not a really good swimmer, you're like a basketball player that can't run for long distances.  You don;t need to be amazingly fast, although that definitely gives you an advantage, but you need to be able to swim long distances.  Also, you need to be relaly good at eggbeater kick, which is kind of like breaststroke.

   For more info, go to waterpoloplanet.com

Answer 4

Water polo is a great sport. However, most people who have not been on a competitive swim team will find it frustrating. The two most important skills to learn early on are the heads-up freestyle type of swimming and the eggbeater treading. After that, worry about the various fouls, positions, and ball skills. The swimming and treading are the most important things for a beginner to learn. They are the fundamentals on which water polo is built.