No one is sure of the exact origins of the game of water polo but one things for sure, teams probably kept things simple when they first started playing. There certainly wasn't the M25 to screw up your travel arrangements and make the opposition late.
My final game to watch (you're thinking this is the fourth you've written, how can it be the final one - it is, I haven't actually written the first one yet, sorry!) takes me to Watford to watch the men's waterpolo team.
It looked however that my first ever game was going to end in dramatic non starting fashion as the opposition only had four, then five and eventually six players. But that was still one too short.So one of the spectators donned a pair of Speedos. As you do. Well it meant they could start.
I've only seen people half mucking around in the pool before so to see an actual game being played was almost a treat. Considering I had been to ice hockey the night before it was practically tropical sat up in the stands by a swimming pool! It's seven a side with six players padding around in the pool and a goalie at each end. Players wear coloured caps with numbers on them with goalies wearing red ones. Well goalies are special of course.
And so the action started. I had no one to explain the rules but I kind of worked on them myself. There seems, like basketball, a certain period of time on each offence so the attacking team need to take a shot within 30 secs (I think!). After a goal is scored or goalie saves (or there is some infringement I couldn't understand) then the players all swim off to the other end of the pool. And that bit I loved. The sound of that rhythmic swimming across the pool was lovely. It was almost hypnotic. Then they'd start after each other again.
The ball would be passed around the team - trying to find someone in an open position to be able to take a shot. It looked, like in defence you could pretty much do anything, really get stuck in and if you get the ball out of their hands, so be it. When you've played a non contact sport all your life, then it comes as a bit of a shock! And we aren't hands off but er this was much, much closer.
And they did swing the ball around, and took some great shots, really tactically opening up the space. And Watford commanded from the start but then Beckenham started to come back into it. Well they needed some time to warm up. But Watford were starting to turn around their fortunes and were looking to get another win under their belts. And they didn't disappoint, taking out the game 13-10.
It was good, easy to watch but actually something I'd love to have a go at myself. With my knees it looks like something that might be easier to play and a heck of a lot of fun. I can certainly do the ball throwing bit ok I guess!
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| In the thick of the action! |
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