Water Polo Skills

Water polo is a team-based sport that is played in a pool and requires the ability to swim to play. There are six players on each team in waterpolo, and one goal keeper per team, making a total of seven players in play at a given time. There are a maximum of six substitutes per game and the winner of the game is the team that scores the most goals on the opposing player’s side. Waterpolo is played by swimming, passing of the game ball, and scoring goals by sending the ball past the goalie of the opposing team. Waterpolo has similar characteristics of sports that are played on land, such as soccer and hockey. It is currently the oldest team sport still played in the Olympics.

The Basic Skills of a Water Polo Player:
There are a number of skills that a water polo player must possess to effectively play the game. A lot of these skills are useful and overlap with other sports and activities, while many of them are specific to just water polo.

Swimming:
A water polo player must have the ability to swim to play the sport. During a game of water polo, players are required to be able to swim from end to end in a pool measuring 30 meters in length many times during the course of a game, and they are not allowed to touch the sides or bottom of the pool. As a result, the players must also have exceptional swimming skills and enough stamina to play an entire game.

Players in waterpolo use specific swimming techniques in order to play the game, called the front crawl stroke. This swimming technique allows for players to peak their head above the surface of the water so that they are able to see the playing field and maintain awareness during the course of a game. The arm stroke used by water polo players is also a lot quicker than usual, a technique done to help keep the ball defended. Also, a backstroke is used mostly by defending players so that they are able to move up into position as they are tracking the ball. This backstroke is different from a traditional backstroke because the player sits upright in the water and rely almost entirely on the motion of their legs to propel them.

Ball Handling:
Players of water polo are only able to use one hand at a time when clutching the ball. Skilled players are able to catch the ball and fire a pass and shot all in one quick motion. Clutching the ball can be quite hard for a younger player, which makes waterpolo a sport for older people or children.

Treading Water:
Treading water generally involves a motion from the legs called an “eggbeater motion”. This is done to keep players in an active position so that they can adjust easily and because they are not allowed to touch the bottom of the pool. The eggbeater motion also requires less energy than other forms of treading water and allows players to keep a steady position.