Sara Week 3: A Beginner’s Guide to Water Polo
This is not an easy sport. I would consider its level of difficulty equivalent to that of wrestling or football. It’s a contact sport, meaning that in order to play, you will be grabbed, punched, kicked, pulled, and subjected to pretty much any other form of physical contact you can think of. Now that we have established that water polo is not for the faint of heart, let’s move on to the next step, arguably the most important one.
2. Learn How to Eggbeater
Yes. You read that right. Eggbeater. It’s the alternating circular leg movement that allows us water polo players to stay above the water without using our hands. Most people refer to this action as “treading” water, but whatever you choose to call it, just remember that this is what will keep you upright and not drowning in the pool.
3. Make Friends
This is a team sport. The harsh reality is, you will not survive without the support of your teammates—who will soon grow into your family. I, for one, have met two of my best friends through this sport. They have guided me every step of the way as I still navigate this difficult sport. They’re the rocks I can lean on when everything feels heavy—in and out of the water. Honestly, if you were to ask me, the lifelong bonds I’ve cultivated through water polo are the greatest gift this sport has ever given me.
4. Start Shooting
Once you’ve (barely) survived all the physical contact, eggbeatering, and arduous practices, you’re ready for the best part—scoring goals. Water polo is played completely with one hand, so you can’t touch the ball with two hands (unless you want a turnover). That means you have to catch, pass, and shoot, all with one hand. When people hear this, they’re taken aback and declare that they can’t play this sport, but achieving this skill isn’t difficult with practice. Once you finally get the courage to take a shot, you’ve got to elevate yourself out of the water and crunch down as you shoot the ball toward the cage. Most times, if you do this right, you’ll score! Other times, your shot will be blocked by an unusually tall goalie (who should probably consider playing basketball). But as you put in more effort, your shots will surely start tripping up even those seven-foot-tall goalies.
5. Have Fun
As we get to the end of my guide, I hope you’ve enjoyed the wisdom I’ve imparted on you. For my final piece of advice: just have fun. Laugh off the bruises and lost games and focus on the memories you create with your team. The chaos of this sport is unmatched—I mean where else will you be able to wrestle someone in the water and get shots swatted down by a goalie who should be in the NBA? It’s ridiculous, but it teaches you to embrace the messy things in life and dive into any situation.
Wow. Waterpolo seems like just a harder version of basketball to me. I’ve never heard “eggbeater” before, it’s an interesting term. I don’t play waterpolo, nor do I ever plan to, but if you saw my “eggbeater” form you would probably think I’m a joke. The physics of how our body moves underwater is something I test every time I swim in a six-foot deep pool. Besides that, going fast in water is truly the hardest thing I’ve ever tried. I think it’s due to the precision required in form, whereas normal running is less particular about form; maybe because it’s natural. I’ve heard about the physicality of waterpolo, which has never failed to leave me shocked—“purple-nurple,” underwater wrestling, choking, and so many other attacks make the sport seem more and more like an oceanic version of Hunger Games to me. I have much admiration for you, being able to play such a rigorous sport. On the flip side, waterpolo must foster such a community! Perhaps the near-death experience underwater is worth it because of the people that you go through it with! The sport always looks frightening in play, but the players seem to love each other so much, which must be the real win!
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