Walking onto the Westmont Aquatics pool deck and facing the barrage of piercing whistles and shouts from opposing coaches can quickly become overstimulating and overwhelming. The game of water polo is riveting and difficult, requiring great strength and skill, in addition to a tough outer shell. To an outsider, water polo may appear to be a game in which boys or girls throw a ball around and drown each other while the referees randomly blow their shrieking whistles and blaring buzzers every few seconds. Others, who have never seen a game of water polo played, may assume it is volleyball in the water, because a ball resembling a volleyball is used in water polo. While all great theories, I am here to explain the actual rules and gameplay of water polo so you can explain it to all of your friends when you attend your next game.
To start, water polo is a fast-paced and physical sport. The objective of each team (sixfield players and the goalie) is to score more goals than the opposing team. To score, the ball must get into the goal, or “cage” as the water polo community calls it. The players also must pay attention to the red and yellow cones set up two and five meters away from the goal-line, as going too close to the goalcan result in a penalty. To get the ball into the goal, teammates must pass to each other and swim down the pool to get as close to the cage as possible, creating a better angle for the shot. Each quarter of a water polo game starts off with a sprint, where two players swim as fast as they can to the middle of the pool and whoever gets to the ball first gains the first possession for their team. There is one basic offensive formation in water polo, usually referred to as the “Umbrella” formation. In this formation, five people set up in a sort of pyramid around the opposing cage, and one player, usually called the “Set” is set up right in the center of the cage at the two-meter line, two meters away from the goal-line. On the perimeter, two “wing” players set up in line with the set at the two-meter line, and distanced about three meters away from the goal posts. The two “flats” are set up about five meters away from the opposing lane line on the 5-meter line, and at each of the goal posts. Finally, the “point” player is set up at about six meters from the opposing lane line, and right in the center of the cage. The most used defensive formation is called a “Man-To-Man Press,” and is used in the majority of play during a water polo game. In this formation, each defensive team member matches up with an offensive player and sets up between them and either the ball or the goal, depending on the specific strategy being used at the time. The defense’s main goal is to steal the ball or stop the shot.
Now that you know the basics of water polo play, it is important to understand the many kinds of whistles used in water polo. There are different patterns of whistles used in water polo to signify different penalties or changes in play. One short whistle is used most often, and signifies an ordinary foul. Usually, this foul is given when a player has the ball and their forward progress is being impeded by their defender. Put simply, this foul is for when a player is drowned while they have the ball. After this whistle, the defender must back away a little bit, and the offensive player receives a free pass. However, if the offensive player does not put the ball in play by passing, shooting, or “popping” the ball– tossing it up and catching it in their hand– they recieve a turnover. A turnover is usually signified by two whistles, one short, one longer, and the referee points their arm in the opposite direction to show a possession change. If a turnover occurs, the offensive player must set the ball down, and the defender then receives a free pass. Another whistle used often is the ejection whistle. This whistle usually occurs when a player is being overly aggressive or completely ignoring foul whistles and continuing the play. When this whistle is blown, the player the foul is against must leave the play and swim to the corner of the pool by their team’s bench. That player must wait 20 in-game seconds until returning to the play. In that time, the other team usually sets up in a different formation for “six on five” offense, and the defense moves to combat the change. This play is incredibly important for the game, as many goals can be generated from this offensive move.
There you go! You are now an expert in the sport of water polo and can show off your vast knowledge of rules and strategies to your friends when you attend one of the Westmont water polo games this season! Yay water polo!