Sports involving balls are often thought of as being mostly played on land. However, water polo brings the excitement of the equestrian game of polo to the pool -- with a bit of a twist. Polo is an accessible sport to anyone that can swim. However, it is important to also understand some of the basics of the game before entering the pool.
History
Water polo started as a sport that was played in rivers and lakes instead of the pools seen in modern water polo games. The game started in England, but migrated to the United States in 1888 and quickly gained enough popularity to fill venues such as Madison Square Garden and attract an estimated 14,000 spectators during major championship games. Although water polo is not as popular today as it was back then, the game continues to be played at the high school and college level.
Equipment
Very little equipment is required to play water polo. The playing field is a pool with a goal measuring 10 feet wide placed at both ends. Water polo is played with a special waterproof ball that floats and has additional grip. Players need little more than a swim cap, mouth guard and a bathing suit to play.
Basics
Water polo is played with seven players on each team made up of six field players and a goalie. The goalie is the only player allowed to use two hands on the ball, while the field players can only use one, which is why the polo ball is specially designed to allow more grip. The game is divided into quarters lasting from seven to eight minutes, depending on what division is playing. Although the game can be exhausting, substitutes can only be put in the game when a time out is called, a goal is made or during a play from the ejection area.
Game Play
The goal behind water polo is to make a score by passing the polo ball down the length of the pool using the field players. Field players can move the ball down the pool by swimming or by throwing, but must keep only one hand on the ball and never two. The field players then try to get the ball completely into the goal without the goalie blocking it. Missteps in the game are called fouls, which result in either a penalty shot or loss of possession of the ball. Common fouls include field players using two hands or a players knocking the ball out of bounds. Serious fouls such as playing too rough or disrespecting a referee can also cause penalties, and three major fouls gets a player ejected from the game. The team with the most points at the end of the four quarters wins.
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