All about Water Polo

The complete guide to water polo; how to play; the benefits of the game to your health and more
By M.Hamdhan

Mohamed Hamdhan. All Rights Reserved

Table of Contents
Introduction.2 Health Benefits....3 Equipment needed.......4 Field of play Appearance.5 How to play.....6 Key Rules...7 Water Polo Club at AKAM.....8 References & Acknowledgements.....9

The objective of water polo is very simple: get as many goals as possible in the given time period. The team with the most goals wins. Water polo is a game that is both fun and very healthy as it will give your body a good workout. A workout in water has a huge advantage over a workout on land because the water presses against your body and causes the blood to flow evenly around the muscles which means more oxygen to the muscles resulting in more healthier muscles. I created this book for my Computer Technology product. This book As sports come, water polo will outline the basics of water polo. definitely falls into the endurance
category. It is a fast paced game that combines strength, fitness and endurance, with ball handling skills and exceptional swimming ability. If fitness levels are adequate, the game can be a very enjoyable sport, with teams having a vast array of tactics at their disposal. Teamwork is a key element to any successful team, and it is even more important in a water polo team due to its demanding nature.

- Mr. Amal Hirani

Health Benefits of Water Polo

Water polo is a game which is often referred to as a sport which can give you a whole body workout. The players are constantly treading water which exercises the leg muscles. Players take powerful swings in order to throw the ball and this improves shoulder, waist and thigh muscles. During a water polo game players can burn up to 1000 calories (varies from person to person), usually the more you weigh, the more calories you burn meaning that water polo is a good way to replace fat with muscle. Water polo increases your stamina allowing you to play for longer (endurance), improves the health of your heart as water activities give your heart a good workout, is beneficial for asthmatics because unlike running, swimming is much more easier on the lungs and overtime, its possible that the asthma can wear off. During a game, the increased blood flow results in the enlargment of veins which means better blood (oxygen) transport throughout the body.

Equipment Needed
In water polo, players wear special caps on their heads for identification (colors for teams) and to protect the ears from injury [sometimes fins/flippers are worn and a direct hit can blow an eardrum] (right is the photo of the cap used. Also note the lace to be tied.) Fins/Flippers (Recommended for beginners as treading water becomes much easier with flippers, however, as skill level increases, use of flippers should be discarded as flippers reduce the effectiveness of the waterpolo workout. Mouthguard (Not needed but recommended as water polo involves quite some contact.) Two goals Swimwear A twenty five by fifteen meter (25m x 15m) pool is good enough for a game, but for games with friends, a 15x15 would do too depending on how many players there are and their skill levels.

Did You Know? Water polo players swim up to one and a half miles during the course of a water polo game.
(Gettings and Zurlo, 2007)

How the field of play looks

The above just highlights the main play areas for the game (goals and play area). This is all you need to know to play a casual game. Id suggest consulting http://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/waterpolodimensions for further information on the play area if you intend to go professional with water polo or just want to expand your knowledge.

How the game is played

1. Teams are made, each team has 7 players. 2. Two teams play at one time so 14 players on play, but if there are more than two teams, a round robin can be carried out. 3. The two teams go to the edge of the wall of their side and line up across the side so that each and every player touches the wall/side. 4. The referee blows the whistle and throws the ball into the middle of the pool This marks start of the game. (Sometimes a launching device is used) 5. Both teams race for the ball. 6. Both teams try and score 7. During play, players may only use one hand to throw and catch. Using both hands will result in a foul. (Only the goalkeeper can use both hands) 8. A goal is scored when the ball is hit into the goal. Teamwork is a key to success in water polo. 9. The team which gets the highest score in the given time wins. 10. If there is a tie after 4 periods (see rules), then a sudden death period is carried out. Sudden death has no time limit and first goal wins.

Rules
Water polo is governed by FINA (Fdration Internationale de Natation)

During the game players must catch and throw the ball with one hand only. Only the goalkeepers may use both hands Players cannot swim holding the ball. They must swim using water polo stroke which is basically freestyle with the ball in-between your hands so that the splashes of your hands pushes the ball along with you. The time is divided into four periods. Each period is eight minutes long. Total time = 32 minutes. Professional games are played with a standard pool lengthwise. One end deep and one end shallow. No walking with the ball

For a more detailed overview of the rules of the game, I would recommend you visit www.fina.org. Exact source: http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=85 &Itemid=184

The Water Polo Club at AKAM

Water Polo club at our school is run by Mr. Hirani. The club is suitable for ultimately anyone who knows how to swim and wants to have a great time playing water polo. It doesnt matter if you are a beginner or an advanced player in water polo because in the club, students from all skill levels play and the beginners eventually learn from the advanced. The learning from each other is very effective in water polo due to water polos high level of teamwork. However, if the student wanting to join has no idea of how the game is played, not to worry because at the start of each trimester, the rules of the game are overviewed and throwing/catching practice sessions are conducted on the first club session of the term. Students can feel free to seek help/guidance from fellow members and Mr. Hirani. The club is open to years 10-DP2 and is on Friday clubs time from 2:40pm to 4:00pm.

References & Acknowledgements "Definition of Water Polo." Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. <www.urbandictionary.com/define.php Gettings, J., & Zurlo, M. (n.d.). Olympic Preview: Water Polo Infoplease.com. Infoplease: Encyclopedia,

Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. Infoplease.com. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/summer-olympics-waterpolo.html#ixzz1nTUOvblm Thanks to Zainab Karim (DP2) for the photos of water polo club at AKAM. Mr. Amal Hirani Mr. Kipkemoi Serem