The unmatched skills of Water Polo players
The game of Water Polo is a fast-paced, contact sport in which two teams of seven players attempt to score goals into the opponents net. First played in 1870, Water Polo is now an integral part of aquatic sport in the Olympic Games with both men’s and women’s
teams since Olympics 1900.
A typical game today comprises of two teams. Each team has six players who attempt to score goals as well as defend the opponents from advancing towards their goal. The seventh player is the goalie, whose job is to protect the goal from the opponent’s scoring
attempts. Water polo game play involves swimming, passing past defenders to other teammates, and throwing the ball into the net guarded by the goalie to score a point. It is quite similar to the land-based game of handball. Frequent “man-up’s” and “power plays”
also strike a resemblance to Ice hockey.
A Water Polo player requires some basic skills to become an established player. The player must be a good swimmer and has to stay afloat for their entire playing time, without touching the bottom of the pool. The player has to play both offense and defence,
so they swim towards the goal about 20-25 meters during offense, and then back to protect their own goal in defensive positions. Players have different swimming styles based on position, although all players keep their heads above water to track the ball.
The player must also develop the ability to catch and throw the ball with one hand, since the rules of the game state that the player may touch the ball with only one hand at a time. More experienced players are able to catch and throw the ball in a single,
swift motion.
The player must also have stamina and endurance, as he will be treading water or swimming continuously. The most popular form of treading water is known as the “egg-beater.” In this form, the circular motions of the players’ legs resemble the movement of
an egg-beater. Since players are not allowed to touch the bottom of the pool, egg-beater is used to keep the player afloat, as it uses less energy than other forms of treading water such as the scissor kick. The scissor kick causes players to bob in water,
while an egg-beater keeps them at a relative height in the water. Horizontal egg-beater is used to move slowly forward, or if done more aggressively, can stop the oncoming attacker, while a vertical egg-beater is used to propel the player out of the water
to block, pass, catch or shoot the ball. By kicking faster, experienced players are able to get high out of the water, usually up to the waistline or thighs.
Awareness and reflexes must also be properly honed for an aspiring player, as “field sense” can give an advantage to the player, even if their swimming is not up to speed. As the game progresses, the pace of play rapidly increases, which requires both mental
and physical preparation to score goals, and defend your own. Players must also be able to handle the ball, whether they play offense or defence. There are various different shots to take in an attempt to score, comprising of either “wet” or “dry” shots. A
wet shot is one where the ball touches or bounces off of the water towards the goal, while a dry shot stays above the water.
Other forms of Water Polo are similar to professional polo, although they are easier to play. They are more alluring to casual players who do not go through the intense conditioning that professional polo players do. Inner tube Water Polo is a recent form
of Water Polo in which all players, except for the goalie, float on inner tubes. This makes the game easier and not as tiring to play, since players do not have to tread water. Surf Polo, another style of water polo, was first played on the beaches of Waikiki
in Hawaii during the 1930s and 1940s. Credited to Louis Kahanamoku, brother of Olympic gold medallist Duke Kahanamoku, Surf Polo is played on surfboards. Another form of Water Polo is Canoe or Kayak Polo. Canoe Polo requires skill in both ball handling and
paddling to form an exciting contact game. Simply referred to as “polo” by its keen players, it is one of eight disciplines of canoeing and kayaking pursued in the UK. In polo, positional play and strategy are just as important as the vigour and agility of
the players.
Although professional Water Polo players require conditioning and hard work to become top players, normal enthusiasts can also enjoy the game with altered rules, or even a different form of polo, such as inner tube water polo. After almost 150 years of Water
Polo, the sport is still going strong and is enjoyed by many people every day.
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