Are you new to the game of water polo? Check out these resources for parents who may not be familiar with the game...

 

History of Water Polo

Water polo began as a sport in mid-19th century England & Scotland and was originally referred to as "aquatic football", though the modern-day game more closely resembles basketball in the water. Wikipedia has more details like this surrounding the history of the sport. USA Water Polo, our parent organization, was founded in 1978. You can find more history about that, including their involvement in the Olympics, on the USA Water Polo website.

 

How the game is played

This video is a 4 minute summary of the game from a layperson's view. While it's not an official USA Water Polo video, it covers the basics for a parent or player who's never seen a game of water polo before, so they can appreciate the basics of the game.

 

Whistles and referee hand signals

If you've never seen water polo played before, you'll notice that although the two  referees assigned per game rarely speak, they communicate very frequently with LOTS of whistles and hand signals throughout the game. This video is made by children and helps to explain what the referees are saying in a basic and visual way. For a complete list of referee hand signals, consult the last few pages of the USA Water Polo Parent Handbook.

 

Ordinary Fouls

"What did they do wrong?" is a question parents often ask during a game. The answer may be that the athlete committed an ordinary foul. In this video, a referee from New Zealand explains the basics of ordinary fouls.

 

Fouls in the "Set" position

If you're new to water polo, the "set" position directly in front of the goal typically looks to the lay person like a wrestling match is happening between the attack person and the defender. This video, used to give perspective in collegiate referee training, is helpful in showing both ordinary and exclusion fouls happening in the "set" or center position in slow motion. It provides commentary about the referee's responsibility to either call a foul or not, shedding light on the complexity of the role of the referee as well as the multitude of fouls that may be called within just seconds of each other. While this is not a USA Water Polo created video, it's helpful to provide perspective to a new spectator to the sport about the nuances of a select few fouls within the game.

 

Basic Moves & Drills

This collection of videos by Drew Clute has USAWP high performance techniques explained. Keep in mind that each coach might have added advice or specifics as to the techniques presented in these videos. They are intended to help with a player's basic understanding, so the coaches can take the athletes to the next level. They offer perspective for those new to watching water polo on the importance of practice techniques vs. game play.

 

Nuances about water polo

Feeling savvy now that you've learned a lot about water polo? This collection of videos crafted by USA Water Polo are designed to shed light on and inspire all aspects of the game, both in the water and out.