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On the face of things, water polo seems to be an ill-conceived activity. Surely the water would hinder those big sticks and wouldn't the ponies drown? But the sport's title is really a misnomer - the closest it gets to polo is the lifebelt by the side of the pool.
Swimming became a popular pastime in England during the 1860's and a number of water sports developed that were closely related to traditional soccer, rugby and handball. A form of water polo also developed, where players rode on inflated barrels, painted to look like horses and went after a ball with a stick. However, this sport was more for amusement value than anything else and quickly died out. But the name somehow got attached to water rugby, the precursor of modern water polo and stuck with it to this day.
Old-style water polo was a basically a free-for-all. The object was to score by planting the ball at the end of the pool but this simple aim was often forgotten in the medley of kicking, punching, biting and sweetheart insulting. However, the Scots put manners on the game by introducing the concept of rules in the 1870s.
They introduced goalposts and ruled that the ball couldn't be taken under water. To make sure that this happened, they replaced the small rubber ball with a soccer ball, which couldn't be hidden so easily in the players' bathing suits. This new version of the sport, which emphasised speed, passing and team work developed rapidly, and in 1900 it became the first Olympic Council team water sport.
Modern water polo is essentially football in the water, played with hands. Rather than hopping on a horse, water polo players get into teams of seven and jump into a pool at least 6 feet deep. Play starts with the ball in the centre of the pool and both teams swim for it from their own goal line.
Goalies are the only team members that are allowed to stand on the bottom of the pool and use two hands on the ball. Normal players can only use one hand to pass and 'dribble' the ball and they can't touch the pool sides or the bottom for the duration of the game. They stay afloat using the innovative eggbeater kick, which lets them tread water and also rise up above the surface to throw the ball or to defend.
There are four quarters of seven minutes each in a game, but there are frequent stoppages for time-outs and fouls. Fouls are endemic in water polo and are used as a tactical measure. Since two thirds of the player's body is underwater, the referee is unlikely to see what everyone is up to. This leaves a lot of room dastardly manoeuvres. Kicking, ankle grabbing and the meanest of all, swimsuit snapping, all take place in an average game. However, if the ref does see you pulling that elastic, then there will be a price to pay. Minor offences warrant a free throw to the other team, while more serious rule breaking can bring temporary exclusion from the game or a goal shot for the offended party.
Water polo is a game of endurance and strength. It is also fast-paced - each goal is worth just one point but the score often ends up in the high teens by the end of a game. Before you join a club or a class, it is best to find out what level of swimming ability you will be required to have. In competitive water polo, an individual player may swim up to three miles in a single match.
Water polo is not for the faint-hearted. Your most sensitive regions may be up for grabs, you have to wear a funny hat, you develop an intimate relationship with chlorine. But if you are looking for an exciting sport that will get you toned and fit, then water polo is your only man. If you think that you would like to give it a go for yourself, then check out the links below.
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