WATER POLO HISTORY
& RULES
A HISTORIC
PERSPECTIVE:
The game of water polo that we see played internationally these days is a far cry from the game in its early stages. Yellow ball has definitely come a long way since its humble and health-hazardous beginnings overseas. THE ORIGIN OF WATER POLO There is little documentation as to the origins of water polo. In the 1860s, and possibly before that, primitive games of Òwater footballÓ were played in rivers and lakes in Great Britain. But it wasnÕt until 1870 that the London Swimming Association drew up official rules to govern the game. The first recorded description of Òaquatic footballÓ concerned a match played in the open water outside London on July 13, 1876. By 1879, keen observers of the game realized that if it were developed under proper conditions, it would prove of immense value as a pastime among swimmers. Early games were generally exhibitions of brute strength and aquatic wrestling. Passing and dribbling were scarcely practiced and only infrequently attempted. Games were fought on individual lines; that is to say, each player considered it his sole duty, without regard to position, to score goals. A goal was scored by placing the ball, with two hands, on the top end of the tank. A favorite trick of these early games was to place the small India rubber ball (which ranged from 5 to 9 inches in diameter) inside the swimsuit, dive under the water and then ÒappearÓ again as near the goal as possible. ÒAppearÓ is the proper word, for in those days, the water in pools had no filtration systems, and was typically cloudy. But this mode of scoring had its disadvantages, as the goalkeeper was permitted to stand on the pool deck and protect his goal as he saw fit. Should the forward come up too near the goal, he was promptly jumped on by the goalie. In the mid-1880s, the game was revolutionized by the introduction of the ÒTrudgeon Stroke.Ó This new swimming technique enabled the game to be a faster-moving, more open game that involved more swimming. Rules moved away from rugby to a soccer style of play. Goals became a cage of 10x3 feet and a player could score by throwing the ball into the cage. Players could only be tackled when they ÒheldÓ the ball, and the ball could no longer be taken underwater. A leather soccer ball replaced the small rubber ball. The term polo comes from the vulcanized, India rubber ball, which was used in early games. In Hindi, the word ÒpuluÓ — mispronounced by the English — was the word for ball.
In 1888,
the United States became the first ÒforeignÓ country to play water polo when
Englishman John Robinson, a professional swimming instructor hired by the
Boston Athletic Association, introduced the old European ÒrugbyÓ style to
America. It soon took on the characteristics of American football, and
ÒAmerican styleÓ water polo became instantly popular with swimmers and spectators
alike. By the late 1890s it was played in venues like Madison Square Garden and
BostonÕs MechanicÕs Hall, attracting over 14,000 spectators to national
championship games. The first published rules for the new ÒAmerican styleÓ
water polo were published on February 28, 1891, in HarperÕs Weekly Magazine. It
was not the game of water polo we know today, but was instead a game of close
formations and fierce scrimmages. They played the game with a small, partially
inflated rubber ball that could be taken under water. In many underwater
battles, men let go of one another only when one was no longer able to endure
without air, and victims often floated to the surface in need of resuscitation.
The object was to touch the ball to a 4 x 1-foot goal board that was a foot
above the surface of the water. ÒAmerican styleÓ water polo was perhaps the
roughest game ever played. Not only were holding, sinking and pulling back
legal, but so were the Òjujitsu toe hold,Ó Òback strangle holdÓ and Òleg
scissors hold.Ó (shown left) While
the main attraction for spectators was violence and mayhem, it was a
spectacular game that featured plays like the Òflying salmonÓ — where the
player with the ball could leap 15 feet through the air, from the backs of his
teammates, to score a goal over top of the defenders. At the same time water
polo was spreading throughout the USA, the same wave of popularity was sweeping
Europe. First to France, then to Belgium, Germany, Hungary and the rest. These
countries followed the soccer style of water polo, a style known in the USA as
the ÒEnglish rules.Ó By 1900, water polo had become so popular that it earned
the distinction of becoming the first team sport added to the Olympic program.
AN INTRODUCTION TO
RULES AND STRATEGY IN WATERPOLO:
Water polo can be a confusing game for
spectators. The whistle is constantly blowing and the play never stops, even
when someone is excluded for a penalty. In addition, there are several
misconceptions about the game, including how the players keep their horses swimming.
Well hang in there, because the following information should help to make the
picture much clearer. The standard course for a water polo game is 30 x 20
meters, but non-championship games may be played in a pool not less than 20 x
10 meters. The pool should be all deep, with championship games played in a
minimum depth of two meters. Goals are positioned at each end of the course.
Each team has seven players. Six are field players and one goalkeeper, who
guards a 0.9 meter high by 3 meter wide (approximately three feet by 10 feet)
goal at the end of the field of play. The object of the game is to throw a ball
into the opponentÕs goal and to prevent members of the opposing team from
scoring on your goal. The ball is advanced by throwing it or swimming with it.
The major restrictions are that a player cannot touch the ball with both hands
at the same time (the goalkeeper is an exception to this rule) or strike the
ball with a closed fist. Each contest consists of four seven-minute quarters.
The offensive team has 35 seconds of actual playing time to take a shot at the
goal, or else it loses possession of the ball. Shot clocks indicate the number
of seconds remaining before a team can lose possession. The two-meter line,
visible on each side of the pool, delineates the distance from the goal. The
offensive team may not pass this line unless preceded by or accompanied by the
ball. The four-meter line is a second mark visible along the side of the pool.
Should an offensive player who has possession of the ball and is moving toward
the goal be fouled inside this line, he/she may be awarded a penalty shot from
the four-meter line.
A penalty shot is awarded by the referee. The offensive player faces the goalkeeper across four meters of water. When the whistle sounds and the referee makes a hand signal, the player takes a shot at the goal.
The seven-meter line marks a point when fouls are committed beyond seven meters, the player fouled may either take a free throw or a direct shot on goal if taken immediately, without faking.
The midfield mark indicates the center of the field of play. To start each quarter, the ball is placed on the center line and the teams race from their respective goal lines for possession.
After a goal, the teams line up on the center line, each in their respective sides, to restart play.
Fouls play an important part in the strategy of water polo. Much of a teamÕs effort will often go into inducing its opponents to commit fouls. There are three kinds of fouls: ordinary, exclusion and penalty.
Ordinary
Fouls are assessed for:
á
touching
the ball with two hands (field players outside of four meters)
á
taking
the ball underwater when tackled
á
impeding
the progress of an opponent without the ball
á
pushing
off an opponent
For
ordinary fouls, the opposing team receives the ball at the point of the foul or
at the spot of the ball or from the location of the ball if it is further from
the defending teams goal. If the foul was committed inside the two meter line,
the free throw must be taken from the two meter line. The player taking the
free throw has approximately 3 seconds to put the ball into play. If the ball
is not put in play with this amount of time, the team may be charged with delay
of game and the opposing team may be awarded the ball.
Exclusion
Fouls are assessed for:
á
intentional
kicking or striking an opponent or making disproportionate movements with that
intent
á
interfering
with a free throw
á
impeding
or pushing off of an opponent before a free throw, goal throw, corner throw or
penalty throw is taken
á
committing
an act of misconduct by using foul language or violent or persistent foul play
that is unacceptable within the Spirit of the Rules and that is likely to bring
the game into disrepute
á
intentionally
splashing an opponent
á
refusing
obedience or showing disrespect to an official or referee
á
holding,
sinking or pulling back an opponent not holding the ball
á
committing
an overly aggressive ordinary foul
An
exclusion foul is punished by the award of a free throw to the opposing team
and the exclusion of the player who committed the foul. The excluded player
must move to the re-entry area, located out of bounds nearest to the players
own goal line (located near the team bench side of the pool), without leaving
the pool or interfering with play. The excluded player, or a substitution,
shall be permitted to return after 20 seconds of actual playing time, from the
time of the foul, after a goal has been scored, or after a change of
possession, whichever is shortest. A player is removed from the remainder of
the game with substitution after committing three exclusion fouls. An act of
brutality is defined as kicking or striking or attempting to strike or kick an
opponent or official with malicious intent. The offending player is removed
from the remainder of the game without substitution, leaving the team of the
offending player with one less player than the opponent. An exclusion leaves
one team short-handed, seven players to six. Many goals are scored during
ejections. The game strategy of most teams is to induce the defensive team to
commit exclusion fouls. Rather than taking shots on the goal, some teams will
patiently work for an exclusion, so as to be able to attack the goal with a
one-man advantage. When that
happens, most teams will go into a Òzone defense,Ó whereby each player covers a
pre-assigned section of water rather than a particular offensive player.
Penalty
Fouls are assessed for:
á
a
defending player committing any foul within the four-meter area but for which a
goal would probably have resulted
á
a
defending player committing an act of brutality within the four-meter area
á
an
excluded player to intentionally interfering with play
á
an
excluded player or a substitute reentering improperly during the last minute of
the game
A penalty
foul is punished by the award of a penalty throw to the offended team. A
penalty throw is a direct shot at the goal and shall be taken by any player of
the team to which it is awarded, except the goalkeeper, from any point on the
opponentÕs four meter line. Much of the action in front of the goal consists of
the offensive team passing the ball to the center forward, who plays a position
between the two goal posts and the opponents two and four meter lines. The
object is to draw exclusion fouls that will give the offensive team a
six-on-five advantage. Most goals in water polo are scored in this situation.
A
ÒcounterattackÓ occurs when a team receives the ball and springs down the pool
at top speed, hoping to score before the defenders can get organized and set up
their front court defense. Counterattacks also tend to produce exclusion
penalties. When facing a advantage or with a scoring threat, many defenders
will simply pull back the offensive player by the legs or swimsuit.
Goals are
scored when the ball completely passes between the front of the goal posts. It
need not slam into the back of the net, although the usual shot sails into the
goal at tremendous speeds, sometimes exceeding 50 mph.
ADVANTAGE
RULE:A rule permitting the referee to refrain from declaring a foul if, in
his/her judgment, such a declaration would give the advantage to the defending
team.
COUNTERATTACK:
A term used to describe fast-break transition play. Generally it is used to set
up a half-court offense or to exploit a man advantage over the opponentÕs
defense for a high-percentage
shot.
CORNER
THROW: A corner throw is awarded to the offense when a defensive player is the
last to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds at either end of the pool.
The offensive player puts the ball into play at the two-meter mark on the side
nearest to where the ball went out of play. DRIBBLE: The method a player uses
to swim with the ball.
DRIVER/ATTACKER:
A player who normally tries to get away from his defender in the front court by
quick, explosive swimming. Drivers are field players who specialize in driving
skills and quick shooting techniques. Drivers must be extremely fast swimmers
and have above average hand-eye coordination. They also are responsible for
considerable defensive pressure.
DRY PASS:A
pass made from one player to another where the ball is caught without touching
the water.
EGGBEATER:
The alternating leg kick that enables players to lift themselves vertically out
of the water.
EJECTION
(ALSO EXCLUSION): A foul that results in the offending player being excluded
from the game for 20 seconds.
FACE-OFF:
A neutral throw awarded by the referee. Face-offs generally occur when two
players commit a foul at the same time. The referee will award a face-off by
requiring two players from opposing teams to face each other, at which point
he/she blows the whistle and throws the ball between them.
FREE
THROW: When a player is fouled by a defender, he receives a free throw. This is
a pass that the defender may not block or interfere with in any manner. The
player receiving a free throw has three seconds to put the ball in play, either
by passing to a teammate, dribbling the ball or popping it in the air to
himself/herself.
FRONT
COURT:The area of the pool in front of the goal.
GAME
CLOCK:The clock that displays the time remaining in the period.
GOALIE
(ALSO GOALKEEPER):A player whose primary responsibility is to defend the goal.
He/she may use two hands to defend against shots by the opposing team.
HOLE:The
area in front of the goal between the two- and four-meter lines. Thus the
center forward who plays in this position is generally called the Òhole set.Ó
Shots taken by this player are called Òhole shotsÓ and the defender is called
the Òhole guard.Ó
IMPEDING:
It is an ordinary foul to push, push off from or hamper the free limb movement
of, or to impede in any way, an opponent who has not gained an offensive
advantage and who is not holding the ball.
INSIDE
WATER: An offensive advantage that exists when an offensive player is
positioned between the goal he/she is attacking and the defender. A four-meter
foul should be called if the offensive player is held, sunk or pulled back when
he is in control of the ball and is maintaining inside water while on or inside
the four-meter line. It is a major foul if the offensive player is held, sunk
or pulled back when he/she has inside water outside the four-meter line whether
in control of the ball or not.
LOB SHOT:A
deceptive, high-arching shot that is intended to pass over the goalieÕs hands
and under the crossbar.
MAN-DOWN
(ALSO PLAYER-DOWN): The time of play in which a defending team has one less
player, normally due to an ejection.
MAN-UP
(ALSO PLAYER-UP):The time of play in which the offensive team has a player
advantage, most often a six player on five situation following a defensive
playerÕs exclusion (also called 6 on 5).
PENALTY
AREA:The location of the pool behind each goal line, where a penalized player
must await re-entry after an ejection.
PERSONAL
FOUL:A foul that results in exclusion and/or a penalty shot. Any player
committing three personal fouls is excluded from the remainder of the game.
PENALTY
SHOT:A shot awarded to the offense when a defender commits a major foul within
four meters of his/her own goal. Any offensive player currently in the pool
(with the exception of goalies) may take a free shot at the goal when the
referee blows the whistle. The selected player may shoot from no closer than
four meters and may NOT fake or delay. The defending goalie may not move to
block the shot until the referee blows the whistle. PICK: This term describes
the method for an offensive player to free himself/herself momentarily from
his/her defender. This is accomplished by swimming so close to another
offensive player, that the defender swims into the offensive teammate by
mistake, allowing the attacking player to be open for an instant.
PRESS:A
type of defense in which everyone is covered tightly.
RED: The
period of time immediately prior to the expiration of the shot clock or game
clock. Some teams yell ÒREDÓ when either of these clocks indicates 10 seconds
or less.
SHOT
CLOCK: The clock that displays the time of possession in which a team must take
a shot (also called possession clock or 35-second clock).
SKIP
SHOT:A shot designed to skip off the water into the goal. Because of water
turbulence, the angle of the shot is somewhat unpredictable and difficult to
stop by the goalkeeper.
SLOUGH
(ALSO DROP):The action taken by a defender when he/she moves away from his/her
opponent to help defend in another area.
SPRINT:The
manner in which a water polo game begins each quarter. Each team lines up at
the end-line or at the two-meter line to start. When the referee blows his
whistle, the two players closest to the referee sprint toward the ball, which
is dropped on the halfway line. When possible, the ball will be placed in a
pull-start ring at the center of the pool, for two players to sprint
toward.
STRONG
SIDE: The side of the pool in which the ball is located.
TACKLING:Holding,
sinking, grabbing and pulling back a player who is Òholding the ballÓ is not a
foul as long as it is not done in a manner likely to injure the offensive
player.
TWO-METER
PLAYER: A name given to the player who is located on or about the two-meter
line in front of the opposing teamÕs goal. This individual is also called a
hole set or center forward.
WEAK SIDE:
The side of the pool opposite of where the ball is located.
WET PASS:A
pass from one player to another that lands on the water, within the reach of
the receiving player.
WET SHOT:A
shot that originates with the ball on the water.
ZONE
DEFENSE:A type of defense in which players are assigned an area to defend.
Defensive players must assume responsibility for covering any offensive player
entering that particular zone or area.