Understanding High School Water Polo
Water Polo is a physically demanding water sport that non-players have a very difficult time understanding. Now imagine running as fast as you can for an hour but only being able to breathe half as many times as you would have liked. Now imagine all of the above but at the same time there is a person running next to you and kicking you in the gut every few minutes. Now you might begin to understand what it is like to play a game of water polo.
The basic game consists of the players sprinting up and down the length of the pool for an hour while trying to throw the polo ball into the goal. Furthermore players are not allowed to use the bottom of the pool to their advantage and hence most players simply choose to tread water the entire game instead of risking a penalty.
Because half of the game is taking place underwater the high level of contact in the sport can get out of hand quickly. It is not uncommon to be guarding another player who is kicking you underwater during the entire duration of the game. Also there are many common tactics that most coaches encourage that involving pushing off your opponents or twisting their arm in such a manner as to gain an edge in sprinting away from them.
After taking several blows to the stomach or groin even the most even tempered player will begin to look for opportunities to elbow their opponent in the face. This is one of the easiest hits to get away with as it looks very similar to a basic arm stroke if done correctly.
There is one position that gets particularly physical and that is the Hole-Set and the opposing Hole-Set defender. The Hole-Set is positioned right in front of the goal, similar to a center position in basketball. With their close proximity to the goal the opposing team guards this player closely. Not only are they close to the goal, but they are the key playmaker.
Lastly, the game gets vicious when shots are taken on the goalie. Goalies must have exceptional treading water skills because they must be able to remain out of the water from waist up for a period of several seconds. If they are unable to tread waist high out of the water for several seconds they will sink back down into the pool and at that time the shooter will have a wide open opportunity to score. The goalies often do not have enough time to get their hands out of the water if a unsuspected shot is taken, and as a result it is not uncommon for goalies to get hit in the face.
Tags: High School, Water Polo, Water Sport