An introduction to the sport of Water Polo...

Water Polo is a great sport.

You can start, via mini-polo, aged as young as 8 and there are many still playing in their 50s.

It is a physically demanding sport but it is also good as a social sport as well.

Games are played between teams which can have seven players in the water at any time and up to six substitutes. The teams wear coloured hats, usually blue and white, and each team has a goal keeper who wears a red hat. The object is simply to score the most goals.

A full length game comprises four (4) "quarters" each of eight (8) minutes of actual play with the watch being stopped while play is not in active progress, for example after a goal has been scored or a free throw has been awarded. This means that a game can last for fifty (50) minutes or so.

The sport is very tiring and so games for younger players are generally much shorter – playing two (2) six-minute "halves" is pretty typical.

The sport does involve some physical contact. Players in front of goal are permitted to jostle for position and this can look pretty rough! Actually, it looks rougher than it really is and injuries are rare. The sport permits mixed teams of boys and girls up to the age of sixteen (16) but beyond this teams are segregated by gender.

At Croydon Amphibians, we have an active and thriving beginners section. Ideally players join aged between eight (8) and twelve (12), but we can cater for older joiners particularly if they are transferring in with a background in competitive swimming.

Once players have learned the basics and are playing well enough they can progress up the ranks. There are plenty of opportunities to progress to county level and above. Indeed, each year, no fewer than twenty (20) Croydon Amphibian members are selected to represent Surrey (County) or Swim England London (Regional) at one age group or another.

Players attending training need to be or become members of Croydon Amphibians Swimming Club and pay a subscription to the Water Polo section. We do offer new starters a couple of weeks of trial membership before we expect them to sign up to continue training/competing.

For further details, please contact the Club Water Polo Coach and Secretary, Chris Martin:

 

(content verified correct as at October 2021)