41 Water Polo Facts: Learn All About This Amazing Aquatic Sport!

Water polo is a competitive sport that requires top players to be in excellent physical condition.

The sport consists of four quarters, each quarter consisting of 10 minutes. The game starts with a 'face-off' where the ball is thrown into the water, and two players jump after it at either end of the pool with their heads down to gain possession.

The goaltender is the player who shoots at the opponents' goal while guarding their own. Water polo is a trendy summertime sport that offers an excellent cardiovascular workout, challenges your reflexes, and offers great fun and fellowship.

Water polo players are required to be proficient swimmers, as they need to swim considerable distances during a game. In addition to speed and endurance, a game of water polo requires the players to have strength, agility, and flexibility.

Did you know that Prince William made news after being part of a water polo game? Let's learn some more fun facts!

Rules And Regulations In Water Polo

Water polo is among the common team sports that many people know about. Water polo is played in a rectangular pool, with two teams of seven players each.

• One team plays in the water, and the opposing team plays on land.
• The field measures 55-60 yd (50.3 - 54.9 m) long by 25 yds (22.9 m) wide.
• The playing field is divided into 262 yds (239.6 m) long, 15 yds (13.7 m) wide goal lanes, which run lengthwise down the middle of the pool.
• The rules of water polo, the team water sport, are quite simple.
• All players play at once, and only one player may be in possession of the ball at one time during a game.
• If a player possesses the ball, they must be in the water.
• The ball may not be touched with any part of the body except your hands or arms.
• If a player touches the ball with their hands (except while holding it), they will be penalized by being forced to 'sit on the sideline' for 30 seconds from when they touched it.
• If a water polo team has possession of the ball and it touches any player who is in the water, that team loses possession and must exit the playing field.
• A game lasts for 30 minutes and is divided into four quarters of 10 minutes each.
• During a game, a goal is worth five points. The team with the most points wins the game. If a tie occurs, the winner will be decided by penalty shots.
• Team formation varies by competition level, but there are certain characteristics that must be considered when selecting a roster for your team.
• In a recreational division, all seven players on the court will play in each game.
• In a competitive division, all players do not have to play, but there is a minimum of seven who must be selected to play in each game.
• In addition to the minimum of seven, an additional three players must be selected by their coach. Only these three (plus two alternates) can be on the court at any one time.
• Positional play is an important strategy.
• Arc, Umbrella and Mushroom are some strategies used by professional teams to see the perimeter.
• For an offensive set, which is a double hole, two center forward offensive players are placed in front of the goal to play water polo successfully.
• The defensive team cannot change the whole set until a free throw is made.
• Speaking of offensive positions, the right-wing is often occupied by left-handed players.

Career Growth: Water Polo

Here is what you should learn for substantial career growth in water polo.

• There are various strokes used in water polo, including the straight arm pull, pike, scissor, and butterfly.
• Some of these strokes are designed for speed, while others are designed for power.
• Apart from swimming, utility players tend to focus on ball-handling skills for a water polo tournament. Such skills are vital if you want to play in the International League.
• You may want to learn about treading water, different variations of ball handling, dealing with an offensive player and a defensive player, and particular positions allowing teams with perimeter players to win.
• If you want to be in a team of casual players working with a semi inflated ball, you can try learning inner tube water polo.
• Other variations of polo include inner tube water polo, canoe polo, surf polo (played on surfboards), kayak polo, and so on.
• You can also advance as a water polo referee with the right experience.

Top Winners Of All Times

Here are some of the top winners of all time in the sport.

• Manel Estiarte Duocastella, one of the most popular and greatest polo players of all time, is presently a part of Pep Guardiola's technical staff at Manchester City FC.
• He is usually deemed as one of the two most outstanding water poloists of all time, with a record of competing in six Olympic games.
• While Manel represented Spain, Paul Radmilovic represented Great Britain.
• Paul was the first water polo player to compete in the five Olympics (1908-1928).
• Manuel, Salvador Gomez, Jesús, and Jordi Sans were all members of Spain’s National Team for Water Polo.
• Similarly, Tony Azevedo from the US is the first-ever non-European player to have participated in five Olympics games.

History Of Water Polo

Let us learn some details about the history of water polo.

• Water polo is one of the most popular sports in Australia and was a demonstration sport at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.
• It has since been included as a full medal sport at all subsequent editions of the games (except the 1992 Olympics), but not since 1960.
• In 1900, the first official worldwide rules of water polo were drafted at the international YMCA conference.
• In the mid 19th century, when William Wilson created the game, the sport was more like water rugby. William Wilson was a British journalist and swimming instructor.
• The initial game has been slightly altered in today's sport, played by professionals. Today, the water polo ball is similar to a soccer ball.
• The representatives from Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) and Great America form the International Water Polo Committee.
• Water polo was originally developed as the first team sport to demonstrate strength and swimming skills.
• Men's water polo became a modern game as an Olympic sport in 1900.