Adapted by Jim, loosely based on http://www.usawaterpolo.org/resources/understanding-the-game.html and https://m.wikihow.com/Understand-the-Rules-of-Water-Polo
Objective
The aim of the game is to score the most by throwing the ball into the opposing team’s goal.
Starting the Game
Each team starts on their side’s wall with 7 players: 6 fielders and one goalkeeper, who wears helmet #1.
To start the game, the referee blows the whistle and throws the ball in at the center. The two teams race each other to be in possession of the ball.
Game Play
There are four quarters, and the teams change sides at the half.
A team has 30 seconds, sometimes more depending on the age group, to score a goal before losing possession of the ball. This is monitored with a shot clock.
At least two players on a team must touch the ball before a goal can be scored.
Either team may substitute players freely after a goal is scored, during a time-out, or between periods.
After each goal is scored, play is re-started at mid-pool.
The Field
The water is deep, touching the bottom is not allowed.
The goalkeepers are not permitted to cross the mid-pool line.
The “2-meter” zone is marked in red, and extends 2 meters from the goal.
No offensive player is allowed in the 2-meter zone unless they have the ball. A side-effect of this rule is that a player cannot pass to another player of his own team in this zone, since one of the two will be without the ball. This is the water polo version of “off-sides.”
The “5-meter zone” is marked in yellow, and extends 5 meters from the goal.
Fouls in this area are more severe. If an attacker is fouled in a way that prevents a would-be goal, the attackers get a free throw, called a “Five Meter.”
Fouls
Fouls in water polo are very common and do not usually stop the game. Many fouls are subjective and the players are skilled at not only hiding their own fouls, but also acting as though they were fouled when they weren’t.
Minor Fouls, or, “What’s that whistle?”
A player who gets a minor foul gets possession of the ball and can pass to a team-mate without interference, or if they are outside of the 5-meter (yellow) zone, score directly. The throw can be blocked after the ball leaves the player’s hands.
Most minor fouls are for blocking a player who is not holding the ball. This is a standard defensive tactic and the majority of the whistles are for impeding. You will often see an offender briefly let go of the ball so the referee grants a free throw, which opens options for the player to throw without interference, including directly into the goal (except within the 5-meter zone.)
Other (less common) minor fouls you’ll hear whistles for:
- Holding the ball underwater so that the opponent cannot play it (“ball under”).
- Touching the ball with two hands, or the fist (does not apply to goalkeeper inside of the 5-meter line).
- Sending the ball out of the field of play
- Failing to take a shot within 30 seconds (letting the shot clock expire)
- Delaying too long before taking a free throw, or just wasting time (most often when a team elects not to shoot the ball and instead throws the ball to a vacant part of the pool and swims away without trying to retain possession).
- Walking on or pushing off the bottom or sides of the pool (does not apply to the goalkeeper inside of the 5-meter line).
- For the goaltender to go past the center line.
Major Fouls
When committed, the attacking team is awarded a free pass and the defending team must temporally play a player down. These fouls are coveted, and exploited when they happen.
In younger games, the defender must swim to the nearest corner and back; in older games, the player must leave the field until 20 seconds pass.
If a player is excluded three times in the game, they must be substituted, and can not play for the rest of the game.
Major Fouls – Simple Exclusion
The most common major exclusion foul is holding, sinking, or pulling back a player who is not holding the ball. Other (less common) exclusion fouls are interference with a free throw or for kicking or striking.
Major Fouls – Exclusion and Substitution
The exclusion with substitution is reserved for violence or disrespect. The offender cannot return to play for the rest of the game.
Major Fouls – Exclusion and Suspension
The brutality foul is when the offending player demonstrates obvious intent to injure another player. As a result of this foul: (1) the offending player is removed from that game and (at least) the next; (2) that team may not substitute for that player for four minutes of game time; and (3) the offended team is awarded a penalty throw.
Major Fouls – Penalty Fouls
A penalty foul is awarded when a player commits any kind of a foul in the penalty area (inside the 5m line) that, in the opinion of the referee, prevented a probable goal. This is most commonly awarded in situations where the attacker turns or gets inside the defenders and is fouled from behind.
Conduct Fouls
When the behavior of participants not in the water is inappropriate, the referees can issue yellow or red cards. The yellow card is given to the head coach and is a warning that the behavior of someone (including the head coach) on the bench is inappropriate. The red card is awarded when the behavior is bad enough that the referee must order that person to leave the bench. Someone who receives the red card may not have any visual, verbal, or electronic communication with any member of the team for the remainder of that game and all (including the pre-game warm-ups) of the next game.
Fun Fact
The word “polo” is an Anglo-Indian noun from Balti, the Tibetan language of the Indus valley, where they call a ball “pulu.” England imported horse polo, an ancient game in Southeast Asia, in 1871, and the “pulu” transferred over to water polo which was developed during the same general time.