Understanding the Game of Water Polo
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UNDERSTANDING THE GAME OF WATER POLO Water Polo can be a confusing game for spectators. The whistle is constantly blowing and the play never stops, even when someone is ejected for a penalty. In addition, there are many 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. General Information Fouls 1. Each team has six field players and a goalie. When an infraction of the rules occurs, the referee will 2. Field players can only use one hand to touch the ball, point in the direction of the team taking possession, goalies two. while blowing his whistle. The ball is put back into play 3. Games consist of 7-minute quarters for club divisions, with an action called a free throw. This means the player 8-minute quarters for varsity divisions. gets three seconds of free time to throw the ball to an- 4. The object of the game is to score, by placing the ball other teammate or swim it up the pool. A player cannot completely in the goal. Players may move the ball by shoot his free throw unless outside the five-meter line. swimming or passing. If the ball is not put into play within three seconds, the 5. Teams may substitute after a goal is scored, during a other team takes possession. time-out, or during the play from the ejection area. 6. Each team receives three time-outs and one 20-sec- Fouls can be ordinary or major. Ordinary fouls are best ond time-out per game. understood as minor fouls. For example, a defender may 7. Shots blocked out of bounds by defensive players reach over an opponent’s back to get at the ball while result in the defensive team receiving possession. If a facing away from the goal. The penalty for an ordinary defender uses two hands to block a shot, the offensive foul is a free throw for the opposing team. team receives a penalty shot. Major fouls are more severe and are penalized accord- ingly. For example, when a defender fouls an opponent too aggressively, or from behind when the opponent is facing the goal, the defender is ejected for 20 seconds (players may reenter if their team recovers the ball before the ejection time is up, or if the opposing team scores). When the foul occurs within five meters of the goal and the referee believes the player had a high chance of scoring, the opposition shoots a penalty shot. Major fouls can also occur through disrespect to the ref- eree or when a player interferes with an opponent’s free throw. Players may only receive three major fouls before elimination. If all of this has you totally confused, just sit back and enjoy the game. The easiest way to follow the play is by watching the scoreboard. If your team is ahead at the end, great! If not, well consider that you have expanded your horizons. When the game is over, you can at least explain to your friends that the horses never get wet. The COLLEGIATE WATER POLO ASSOCIATION Administration Equipment The Collegiate Water Polo Association is a member of Three free balls for all host sites the NCAA and is comprised of collegiate institutions. The Score sheets for tournament hosts purpose of the Association is to serve its membership NCAA Rules Book for every coach through a variety of ways, including the coordination of a competitive schedule. As a non-profit 501 (c)-3 organiza- Awards tion, it is also a charitable entity, capable of receiving do- Complimentary program for all athletes and coaches nations that are tax deductible. All gifts of this kind may Awards for top two teams in each division be sent to the office, with an acknowledgment returned Awards for top coaches in each division to you for your tax records. All-Star and MVP awards for top athletes Certificates for top student-athletes The Collegiate Water Polo Association provides a number of benefits to its membership including: For more information about the Association or its activities, contact the office at: Services Conference web site Collegiate Water Polo Association Competitive schedule 320 West 5th Street Hotel reservations Bridgeport, PA 19405 Job placement service (610) 277-6787 Administration of Association activities (610) 277-7382 fax Assignment of officials [email protected] Referee training program Check out our web page at: www.collegiatewaterpolo.org Coaching resources Desk official training and support Championship game management Office Staff Schools that become members of one of these organiza- Commissioner.............................................Daniel Sharadin tions agree to abide by the rules and principles estab- [email protected] lished within the organization. The NCAA and NAIA only provide oversight for the varsity teams on campus, not Director of Communications...................................Ed Haas the collegiate clubs. Email....................................haas@collegiatewaterpolo.org In addition to the NCAA and NAIA there are conference Director of Officiating..........................................Tom Tracey structures that operate for the purpose of arranging com- Email...............................officials@collegiatewaterpolo.org petition for their member institutions. Some conferences like the Big East or ACC handle several sports, while oth- Events/Marketing......................................Damon Newman ers like the CWPA handle just one sport. With respect to Email..............................newman@collegiatewaterpolo.org water polo, all collegiate clubs that play competitively are members of either the Big Ten or the CWPA conferences. CWPA Sportsmanship Statement To understand the difference between the conferences The CWPA and the NCAA promote good sportsmanship and the NCAA or NAIA, think of the conferences on a by student-athletes, coaches and spectators. We request smaller scale performing similar functions for their mem- your cooperation by supporting the participants and ber institutions. The conferences work with the NCAA officials in a positive manner. Profanity, racial or sexist and NAIA to help provide competitive opportunities and comments, or other intimidating actions directed at the services, yet they still remain independent organizations officials, student-athletes, coaches or team representa- with their own governing systems and budgets. tives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the site of competition. Also, consumption or pos- Non scholastic organizations include all other entities session of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products is that offer the opportunity for people to be involved in the prohibited. sport outside of an educational institution. These include YMCA’s, Boys & Girls Clubs, township programs, parks Affiliate Organizations and recreation programs, privately organized water polo There are many organizations affiliated with the sport of clubs, and independent organizations like American Wa- water polo and the landscape can be somewhat con- ter Polo. United States Water Polo fits under this category fusing when trying to sort out which entity offers what as well, serving as the National Governing Body for the services. To make matters a little easier to understand, sport. They are also responsible for supporting and train- the organizations can be divided into two basic groups: ing an Olympic Team for men and women. scholastic and non scholastic. The scholastic organi- zations are those that have some affiliation with the For more information about any specific organization, educational system. These include college, high school, contact the CWPA office at 610-277-6787. junior college, and middle school teams, as well as their respective administrative bodies that offer competitive History of the CWPA leagues and support. In this category you would find The Collegiate Water Polo Association originally began state sanctioning organizations, the National Collegiate as the Mid Atlantic Conference, founded by Dick Russell Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association for (Bucknell University swimming & water polo coach) in the Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the collegiate con- 1970’s. Its founding membership included teams from ferences recognized by the NCAA or NAIA. Each organi- Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. zation operates independently with its own governing structure. The leadership and management of the organization relied on volunteer coaches until 1990, when it hired a The NCAA and the NAIA are two organizations that serve commissioner to perform basic scheduling for the 15 a unique position. They each provide a supervisory role member teams. Officiating assignments at the time were for their member schools. The colleges and universi- performed by an independent organization called the ties that are members of each respective organization Eastern Water Polo Referees Association (EWPRA). choose to establish and follow a set of guidelines that govern competition. Specifically, these guidelines include The next major milepost occurred in 1993, when the eligibility, academic progress for their student-athletes, Southern and New England Conferences merged into competitive rules, championship guidelines, recruiting, the Mid Atlantic. The new structure combined all of the and financial aid. varsity teams in the East, along with the few sport clubs in existence at that time. During the 1995 season, the conference received its first 1999 Women’s Pacific Coast Division added. major challenge, as the organization experienced a strike