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Contributed
by BC Provincial Coach: Ian Goodman
Water Polo -
Skills Inventory
For athlete who
starts polo at 8 years of age.
Quick Links:
Atom
Bantam
Cadet
Juvenile
ATOM
(More focus on technique than playing and tactics)
Swimming (no ball):
Swimming
(with ball) and wet passing:
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Head
up front-crawl.
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Pick
up ball underneath and from the side.
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Go
from horizontal to vertical with the ball.
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Push
shots/passes.
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Tip
shot/passes.
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Laying
out.
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Taking
a foul (using shoulder not back).
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Water
polo backstroke.
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Skipping,
skittering the ball.
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Finishing
with no defender. No fake, standing up is the fake and then skip
the ball.
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Passing
while swimming to a partner ( both wet & dry passes).
Passing
(dry) & shooting:
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Catch
and pass in one motion.
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Arched
passes.
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Focus
on base of support, not the top ( do not work on their throwing
technique until they have a good base of support).
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No
faking, tempo shots from Strong or positive side.
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Shoot
from the top.
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Good
passes are ones that allow the athlete catching to pass or shoot
on tempo (a bad pass takes away this option).
Game
Tactics:
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Have
all athletes play all positions (hole, goalie, driver, 2 meter
guard). This will allow them to get a better understanding of
what each position entails.
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Counter
attack should be the focus at Atom. They need to learn how to
get the ball down the right side of the pool to 2 meters as fast
as possible. Then a ball side drive to the hole to start half
court.
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Defence
should be goal side, press no foul, hole check from the right
side. Ensure that hips are up everywhere.
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Offence
should focus on how to help the ball, drive away and curl to
help.
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Get
athletes to communicate.
BANTAM
(Continue to focus on technical development) Back
to top
Continue
to focus on the above skills learned in Atom, as these are the
basics!! Atoms can do Bantam skills if they have mastered the Atom
skills. It should be skill oriented not age.
Swimming
(no ball):
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Stroke
drill (meaning offence and defence need to learn to take the
first stroke).
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Initiating
contact.
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V-outs.
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RB's.
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Loop
around on eggbeater.
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Picks
and screens should be introduced.
Swimming
(with ball) and wet passing:
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Head
down front-crawl.
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Pick
up ball underneath and from the top, why and when.
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T-formation.
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Lateral
Movement with ball.
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Taking
a foul on stomach.
Passing
(dry) & shooting:
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Catch
and pass in one motion.
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Tempo
shots/passes from cross face or negative side.
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Faking
can be done for strong side (but no faking until tempo is
mastered).
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Base
of support should be strong from Atom so now development of
proper technique on the top can be done.
Game
Tactics:
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Narrow
down positional play to 1 or 2 positions.
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Should
be able to bring ball down to 2 meters from Atom so focus on 4
on 3 and getting first 4 down the pool to 2 meters.
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Defence
should be now be in the passing lanes, with hole check fronting.
Press no foul & foul to steal. Ensure that hips are up
everywhere! Force offence to drive away (don't want offence to
drive ball side). And when to foul on the press should be
taught.
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Offence
should focus on how to help the ball, incorporate V-outs. Begin
teaching off ball drives to score to beat the press.
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Man-up
should be 3 - 3 focusing on the triangle up top and shifting the
triangle to the isolate a shooter.
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Man-down
should be in the Gaps everywhere, trying to force the shot from
1 or 2.
CADET
(Increase game and tactics) Back
to top
Swimming
(no ball):
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Continue
Stroke drill and contact.
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Driving
for inside water (teaching pulling and grabbing).
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How
to defend pulling and grabbing.
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Learning
how to present kick outs better.
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Protecting
open water.
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Blocking
principles and technique.
Swimming
(with ball) and wet passing:
Passing
(dry) & shooting:
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Continue
to work on Tempo shots from both sides.
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Continue
to focus on faking can be done on both sides.
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Work
on breaking/stopping the fake behind your ears, which leads into
the hesi.
Game
Tactics:
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Specific
positions should be developed. Ie. Right side, Left-side, hole,
guard, and goalie.
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Go
into 6 on 5 counter.
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Passing
lanes should be mastered. Press to help should be taught, when
to help.
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Only
2 person zones/gap (ie. 1/2 or 2/3, no 2/3/4 yet). Swimming and
blocking.
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How
to beat the press should be understood so focus on beating the
zone. Driving away to score (teach driver to look for ball) so
that looper and hole get open. This gives passer/shooter 3
options: Hole, looper or shoot. Also introduce 2 Holes.
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Manage
the 35-second shot clock.
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Teach
4 - 2 man-up, just principles no specific positions. Need
everyone to understand all positions and principles of each
position.
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Man-down
should be Storm (anticipate where the ball is going, hips up and
push off the defender, foul is possible and passing lanes), and
stay home (blocking principles/responsibilities and passing
lanes).
JUVENILE
(more focus on tactical and game playing) Back
to top
Swimming
(no ball):
Swimming
(with ball) and wet passing:
Passing
(dry) & shooting:
Game
Tactics:
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Specific
positions should be developed. Ie. Right side, Left-side, hole,
guard, and goalie.
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6
on 5 counter to half court.
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2/3/4
zone and Gap combinations, swimming and blocking.
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Flex/rotate
to beat the zone, slide 5 or 1 in to set whole. Driving away to
score (teach driver to look for ball) so that looper and hole
get open. This gives passer/shooter 3 options: Hole, looper or
shoot.
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Manage
the 35-second shot clock.
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Specific
positions for 4 - 2 man-up and set plays.
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Continue
to work on storm and stay home on man-down and also work on
Gapping.
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