FUNDAMENTALS OF WATERPOLO FOR THE FIELD- PLAYER

Transcription

1 FUNDAMENTALS OF WATERPOLO FOR THE FIELD- PLAYER Table of Contents Table of Contents... 1 OFFENSE:... 2 Counter-attack:... 2 Set Offense:... 6 Playing the Two-Metre (set/hole) Position:... 9 Playing as a Driver: Quick Shots in front of the Goal: DEFENSE: Counter-attack: Defense of the Driver: Defense of the Two-Metre Man: EXTRA MAN: Offense: Defense: Counter-attack from 5-on-6: OFF-SEASON TRAINING:

2 OFFENSE: Counter-attack: The counter-attack (or fast break) is an attempt by the offensive team to out number the defensive team in the transition down the pool from defense to offense. A good counter-attack will accomplish one or more of the following: score; move players down the pool quickly (which will allow more time for the set offense); tire the other team out and swing the momentum of the game your way; and, knowing that a team is going to counter at every opportunity, keep the opposition very hesitant in its set offense. General Principles of the Counter-attack: TRY TO COUNTER EVERY TIME YOUR TEAM GAINS POSSESSION OF THE BALL. The best counter opportunities are offensive fouls, bad angle and outside shots, cheating off the weak side, stolen balls, any shot, and always off the 2- metre man. Always be in a good position to counter. Press on the strong side and rotate towards the offense on the weak side. Anticipate what will happen (shot, bad pass, etc.) so you are better able to counter (an immediate reaction to turnover is needed). This requires that you watch the game on the defense: put a hand on your attacker so that you know where he is and what he s doing and WATCH THE GAME. When the ball is shot, release with total effort. The first 5 strokes are the most important as this is where your lead is established. Do not drive over any defensive players for an offensive foul. If you are free, communicate this to your team-mates from the moment you are free until you receive the ball. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THE BALL IS AND WHAT THE SITUATION IS (2-on-1 or 4-on-3, who s to take the shot, who s free, etc.). Communicate the situation to your team-mates. If you are free and in a non-congested area, roll to your back and call for the ball from the goalie. If you are free and the defensive man is catching up to you, cut in front of him to keep him behind you. Stop and go to fake a pull back and draw the kickout. If you are free and dribbling the ball towards the goal, do not be intimidated by the defense. Dribble or walk the ball aggressively towards the goal. Commit the defender. If the defender comes to you, pass the ball up and over to the free man. If the defender stays on his man, it is your shot. When coming out of your half, you should always go as hard as you can all the way down to the front court. This will keep pressure on the defense and possibly create a defensive mix-up. If you do not have a lead, try to move to the right of your defender so you have the possibility of a strong arm ball-side drive when you reach the scoring area. If you don t have a lead, but there is a free man behind you, try to move away from the free man and sucker your defensive man with you so he will not drop on the free man. If your defensive man drops off you to jam the 2

3 counter-attack, you must continue hard down the pool and set up the appropriate extra-man situation. If you are ahead of the free man, go hard all the way to the strike zone and take up the correct counter-attack position as quickly as possible. If the free man is ahead of you, stop at halfway and go defense. Do not allow your defensive man to cockroach for an easy goal. If you hook out to the side, receive the goalie outlet pass, and you are pressed by your defender, try to quickly draw the defensive foul. The best way to do this is to try turning your defender and going to the goal, which will force the defender to foul you. This will stop the clock and give you a free pass. Do not lose control of the ball! If you hook out to the side, receive the goalie outlet pass, and your defender drops into the middle, immediately turn up court with the ball and dribble hard down the side looking for a cross pass to a free man in the middle. If you remain the free man, dribble the ball to the goal for a shot. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A GOOD SHOT AT THE END OF A COUNTER, DO NOT SHOOT THE BALL! Be patient and do not overpass. Use your 30s to your advantage. Do not feed the other team s counter-attack. Counter under control. Ending Counter-Attack Positions in Front of the Goal: One-on-None: o Always drive to the post of your dominant hand so that you can balk across the goal. Shoot from where you are the most comfortable but generally the 4m line is the best place to shoot from. Even if the team has a one-on-none, everyone should move to half-way, so that if the 3

4 goalie blocks the shot out, the team can set up its front court offense quickly. If the shooter misses the shot or the opposition gets the ball, it will take them longer to set up their set offense if their players have been forced to half-way. Watch for cockroaches. Two-on-One: o The man ahead of the counter-attack goes to a position one metre outside the right or left goal post on the 3m line and waits for a pass. A right-hander should be off the left post and a left-hander should be off the right post. The man with the ball should drive centre goal and shoot the ball with a forearm (normal) shot at the 4m line if he has a large lead, shoot the ball at the 2- to 3m line with a drive-in shot if he has a small lead, or kick out away from his team-mate, turn to his back and pass to him if he is dropped upon. Three-on-Two: o The two men ahead of the counter-attack go to a position one metre outside the right and left goal posts on the 3m line and be ready to receive a pass. The man with the ball should drive centre goal and shoot the ball with a forearm shot at the 4m line if he has a large lead, shoot the ball at the 2- to 3m line if he has a small lead, or pass the ball to the man off the post (up and over pass) if he is dropped upon. 4

5 Four-on-Three: o The three men ahead of the counter-attack go to the following positions: two men go one metre outside the right and left goal posts on the 3m line and be ready to receive a pass; the third man stops on the 6m line a half a metre outside the right or left goal post (where possible, a right-hander should go to the left side and a left-hander should go to the right side); the man with the ball should drive the goal halfway between centre-cage and the goal post on the side away from his team-mate on the 6m line. If the outside guard drops on the ball, the outside offensive man should take a half-stroke and penetrate towards the centre of the goal, calling for the ball. The ball should be passed up and over the dropper for the shot. If the man with the ball is not dropped upon by the outside guard, he should continue dribbling the ball towards the goal for a three-on-two situation. 5

6 Outside defender drops on the free man who passes the ball to his open team-mate for the shot. Set Offense: Even though a team counter-attacks every time it gets possession of the ball, it will not very often have a high percentage shot. Therefore a team needs a good set offense to fall back on. General Principles of Set Offense: THE SET OFFENSE SHOULD BE ONE OF AGGRESSIVE PRESSURE AND MOVEMENT. Keep the ball moving and fast. If the defense moves, there will be openings. Once the ball sits, you ve lost. Accurate, quick passing, especially under pressure, is the key to a successful offensive attack. Play outside-in. Do not force the ball down the middle. AN IMPORTANT KEY TO ANY OFFENSE IS MAINTAINING GOOD POOL BALANCE AT ALL TIMES. Use the D set-up with never more than three people in the scoring area. If there are too many players in the same area, the chance is increased that the ball will be stolen by the opponent. In general, the more spread out the defense, the more successful the attack. Proper timing among team-mates. Never give up the ball without a good shot, however, if no shot is on and you decide to dump the ball in the corner, make sure that your team-mates have started going back on defense before you make the pass. Always work for a quick cross pass and goal in the scoring area. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE BALL BEFORE YOU RECEIVE IT!!! One of the biggest mistakes I find with players is that they are happy to call for the ball, but often do not know what to do with it once they have it. DO NOT FAKE KICKOUTS. Swim hard and keep your tail up. Before shooting, make sure someone else does not have a better shot, but do not fail to take the shot if it is there. 6

7 Draw fouls wherever possible. This will stop the clock and give you more time to work your offense, a free pass, and the possibility for a dead-time kickout. DO NOT PUT YOUR HEAD UNDER WATER TO?WHEN DRAWING FOULS! Remember to TAKE THE FREE THROW QUICKLY. You lose the advantage gained by drawing the foul if you wait to take the free throw. Keep the ball in the strike zone (2m area) at all times. KEEP YOUR MAN OCCUPIED. The movement of players off the ball or on the weak side is very important. Do not let your man drop off you or cockroach to offense. ADJUST your style of PLAY to the calls of the REFEREE. A Few Words on Pool Balance: There should be at least one player in the scoring area at all times. Ideally, he should be the 2m man. If he cannot gain a good position, then he should hook out of the scoring area to allow another player to drive in and become the new 2m man. Once a man is set and the ball is close enough to be thrown into the 2m, do not move in on the set man. If you think your defender is going to drop on the hole, drive him through to the wing or call for the ball and pass it in the hole-man yourself. There should never be more than three players in the scoring area at any time. That would leave at least three players back (on the outside line) at all times for defensive balance. Whenever there is a drive from the outside, the wing and fetch on the side of the drive should rotate up and over respectively to the outside line for defensive balance. Diagram illustrating pool balance. Offensive Sequence: Ball-side drive: o At the end of the fast-break, if there is no free man and the ball is on the wing, the driver or 2m man from outside should drive ball side into the strike zone for a possible spot pass and shot or a quick set and shot. If a driver sets and is fouled, unless he has excellent position or a poor defensive player guarding him, he should move out to the wing and a 2m man should drive ball side to set. 7

8 Ball passed into the Hole with a One-on-One Drive: o Before the ball is passed to the 2m man, he must be in a good position to receive the ball and the team should be in proper balance. o On the entry pass to the 2m man, the point driver must drive for inside water. The timing of his drive depends to a great degree on the calls of the referee. When the ball is passed to set, if the referee is allowing the 2m man a chance to work and shoot the ball, the driver must wait until the whistle is blown for the 2m foul before starting his drive. If the referee is blowing the 2m foul just as the ball arrives at set, then the driver should start his drive as the entry pass is in the air. o When the point driver starts his drive, the drive side fetch must immediately move over to the vacated point drive position and the drive side wing moves up to the vacated fetch position. This provides defensive balance by having three players on the outside line as well as moves the fetch and wing defenders away from the shooting area so that they can t drop in on the driver and sets up a new player at point who can drive if the ball is helped back to the 2m man. In general, it does not make any difference which side around his defender the point driver drives to. The most important thing is to beat his defender. However, if the driver has a choice, driving to the side away from the 2m defender will usually prevent them from moving into the passing lane between the 2m man and the driver and intercepting the pass. If the driver does not receive a pass from the 2m man, he must immediately move out to the nearest wing. Help the Ball back to the 2m Man: o If the 2m man does not shoot or pass to the driver on the drive, the ball must be helped immediately back to the 2m man away from the hole-guard, trying to set the hole-man up for a shot or a defensive kickout. If a foul occurs, then another one-on-one drive must take place by the new point driver. THIS 2M FOUL-DRIVE-HELP SEQUENCE SHOULD CONTINUE UNTIL A HIGH PERCENTAGE SHOT OR KICKOUT OCCURS. o All the players not involved in the drive should be ready to help the ball. The help should usually come from the side away from the 2m guard to better enable the 2m man to receive an inside pass for a shot. o An accurate help pass is imperative. The ball should be passed firmly and should land on the water about an arm s length in front of the 2m man in an area away from the 2m guard to prevent him from stealing the ball and for a possible shot by the 2m man. o DO NOT ALLOW THE 2M MAN WHO HAS BEEN FOULED TO SIT WITH THE BALL WITHOUT SOMEONE TO PASS TO. 8

9 Playing the Two-Metre (set/hole) Position: Inside the strike zone the 2m man must always play 100%. The 2m man must be in better shape than anyone in the pool. A good 2m defender will try to counter off the hole-man on every turnover. The 2m man should set in the chair position : back pressed against his defender and his thighs perpendicular to his upper body. He should always know where the 2m guard is and how he is trying to guard him. If the 2m guard tries to move around him, the 2m man should slide in front of him or grab his costume (being careful of the offensive foul) to keep the guard behind him. The 2m man needs to absorb the foul without losing the ball. As the ball arrives, the 2m man should either kick back and up into the hole-guard to keep him from making contact with the ball or move to the ball and shoot or turn in before the defender can foul him. After the foul, the 2m man should always try to block the 2m guard from moving around and blocking the passing lane to the driver by fronting. Outside men have the responsibility to move the ball to the set man. Any time there is an outside foul, the 2m man should immediately move across the cage looking for the inside or dry roll-out pass. If a foul occurs to the left of the hole-man (here assumed to be right-handed), he should pop out and rotate towards the ball for a quick dry pass and shot. Do not push off. NEVER COMPLAIN TO OR GLARE AT THE REFEREE. ADJUST TO HIS CALLS. If the 2m guard fronts the 2m man after the foul, the wing away from the 2m guard should help immediately and pass the ball back to the 2m man. Adjust to a bad pass when the ball is in the air. If the ball is passed high, move quickly away from the 2m guard and meet the ball in the air. Then either roll out for a shot or put the ball on the water and turn across the cage for a shot or a foul. If the ball is passed short, move quickly away from the 2m guard to the ball and either pass it back out, roll out and shoot, or turn and move across the goal for a shot or a foul. Shots from the Two-Metre Position: Sweep shot: o Just as the ball arrives, from your fundamental chair position, quickly straighten up to a vertical position with your shoulder into the guard, pick the ball up underneath, and with a straight elbow, sweep the ball into the goal. This shot will work well if the 2m guard is on your weak shooting side or directly behind you. Backhand shot: o As the ball hits the water, quickly place your hand on top of the ball and press down. As the ball rebounds up, raise your elbow so your entire arm is parallel with the water level and backhand the ball towards the goal. Lead with your elbow and keep it parallel with the water level throughout the shot. Use this shot when the 2m guard overplays you to the side you shoot your sweep to. 9

10 Layout shot: o As the ball hits the water, with a strong kick, move to the ball away form the 2m guard. Pick the ball up underneath, roll to your back and, with a forearm (normal) shot, shoot the ball at the goal. It is very important to maintain a strong eggbeater kick throughout this shot and to use your free arm for support when you are on your back. Use this shot when the 2m guard is not pressing you tight or when the ball is passed to you short or high. Turn in to the left (for a right-handed player): o As the ball hits the water, quickly (before the 2m guard can foul you) and firmly grab the ball from underneath and using your shoulder as a wedge, turn in left towards the goal. You should hold the ball just off the water with a slightly bent elbow. Maintain a slight hips up as you turn (do not lean back into the 2m guard). For added leverage try to hook the 2m guard with your turn side leg and/or grab his costume low with your free hand (being careful of the offensive foul). There are a number of shots that can be executed from this move. After you turn, look for the sweep shot, lob, or forearm shot. If you turn all the way in with the ball in your right hand and face the goal with the 2m guard on your back, try to move the ball across the goal and backhand it to the left corner. If you are being hammered by the 2m guard, put the ball down in front of you for a possible penalty or work for a pop shot (where you flip the ball up with one hand and catch and shoot it with the other). The best time to try this move is if you have side set with the 2m guard rotated to the outside and the ball comes inside or if you are larger and stronger than the 2m guard. Turn in to the right (for a right-handed player): o If the 2m man has good dexterity with his weak hand, he can utilize the same moves and shots as the strong arm turn in. But if he typically has a weak off hand, he should pick the ball up from underneath with his off hand as the ball hits the water and quickly turn 90 o to the right. Utilizing a strong kick, he should let go of the ball and take two hard strokes across the goal. This should bring his hips up to the surface in a layout position. He should now pick the ball up from underneath with his strong arm and roll away from the goal on to his back and shoot a forearm shot. Passing from Two Metres: Always pick the ball up from underneath except on quick push and backhand passes. A good shot is normally preceded by a good pass. Know your drivers particularities: how they drive and where they want the ball. When passing wet to a driver, try to reach out with the ball and place the ball on the water exactly where the driver wants it. 10

11 When passing dry to a driver, try to anticipate when the driver will come free with his shooting arm so he can receive the ball at his optimal shooting position. Your pass should be placed so the driver can immediately shoot the ball. DO NOT EXPECT TO GET THE BALL TO THE DRIVER EVERY TIME. DO NOT FORCE THE PASS. WATCH FOR THE DROP BEHIND THE DRIVER. THE MAN BEHIND THE DRIVER IS USUALLY THE FREE MAN! Come up high on passes to help men. Pass the ball to the help man s outside arm. Whenever you pass to a driver, always move to a position where you can receive a pass right back from the driver. Playing as a Driver: Driving should always be done at 110%. Always try to beat your man. Move over fast and keep your elbows out and HEAD UP. Bear into your man and move him towards the opposite post. This will open more goal to shoot at. Do not duck under or drive over your defender. DO NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE BALL EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE. If you don t receive the ball, look for a possible drive back, a help pass to the hole-man, a pick, or balance quickly to the closest wing. How to beat your defender: o Change of pace. Start moving forward slowly, then explode to drive past your defender. o Anticipation. If guard takes his eyes off you, drive by him. o Quickness and speed. o If your guard hand checks you, grab his wrist and pull by. o Move into your defender, grab the hip of the side you want to drive to, turn around him (not underneath him) and go. You can also, while you re turning him, grab his arm and hold it around you to fake for the kickout. The side of your defender that you drive on depends on several factors: o If your defender over plays you to one side, do not drive over him for an offensive foul. Start your drive to the side the defender gives you, then make a quick rear-back and change direction and drive to the opposite side. o Which side you have your best shot on. Right-handers usually have better shots driving to their right. You should develop competency for both sides. o DO NOT DRIVE INTO A CONGESTED AREA or into an area with potential droppers. o Drive to the side AWAY from the hole guard so he cannot cover the passing lane from the centre forward or switch with your defender if you have a lead. o If the ball is on the wing or fetch position, always try to drive BALL side so the ball does not have to be passed over your defender. 11

12 o Near the end of a game, if your team has the lead, do not force any drives. Always drive to open water around your defender so the referee cannot call an offensive foul. Give and go: any time you pass the ball under pressure and your man presses you hard or if you pass the ball in a forward position with your guard leaning towards you, you should immediately drive after you pass. Any time there is a one-on-one drive and your defender drops in on the driver, you must immediately drive into the strike zone and call for the ball. Any time you are fouled on a drive, before your defender can drop, look to quickly pass the ball to the 2m man dry, on a pop out or layout, or wet and quickly re-drive. Shot selection on the drive depends on the position of your defender: whether you have a lead, are side-by-side, or if your defender is ahead of you. Pass and Shot Selection Options for Right-Handed Drivers (Reverse for Left-Handers): Point drives to the right of the defender: o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender on his back: 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try to reach out and place the ball on the water. The earlier the driver can receive the ball, the better his chance of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (ball is flipped up with one hand and caught and shot with the other hand; the driver should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot); push shot across the goal; or quick pass back to the 2m man on a pop out. o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: 2m man pass the ball should be passed early across the face of the driver and land wet about half an arm s length in front of his shooting arm shoulder. Care must be taken to not pass 12

13 the ball too close to the cage, or the goalie will have an easy steal. Shot options for the driver pop shot; push shot across the goal; quick pass back to the 2m man on a pop out; or turn out from defender and hook or backhand. o The driver and the defender are swimming side-by-side: The driver should bear into the defender and release to the ball after the pass from the 2m man has hit the water. 2m man pass the ball should be passed early across the face of the driver and land wet about 1m in front of and 45 o to the outside of the driver s shooting arm so the driver can use his defender as a springboard to break to the ball. Shot options for the driver wrap-around or rear-back and shoot. o The defender stays between the driver and the goal: There should be a quick rear-back by the driver after a hard drive (watch offensive push off foul). 2m man pass quick and firm dry pass. Try to anticipate the rear back and make the pass so the driver receives the ball just as his arm comes up to a shooting position. Shot options for the driver quick shot; or pass back to 2m man on a roll-out. Point drives to the left of the defender: o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender on his back: 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try reach out and place the ball on the water. The earlier the driver can receive the ball, the better his chance of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (the driver should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot) or turn out and backhand. o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: 13

14 2m man pass dry timing pass (pass thrown to allow a swimming player to receive the ball dry in time with his stroke). Shot options for the driver forearm timing shot (shot executed off a dry pas, timed to the swimming stroke of the shooter). Driver should release 45 o to the side before the passand-shot if the defender is to the inside and close. o The driver and the defender are swimming side-by-side: The driver should bear into the defender and release 90 o out to the side. On the release, the driver should take one stroke on his stomach, then roll to his side for the pass. 2m man pass dry timing pass. Watch for a drop from the wing defender. Try to anticipate the driver s release and pass the ball early so the driver receives the ball just as he rolls to his side. Shot options for the driver quick shot or lob. Do not take a bad angle shot. o The defender stays between the driver and the goal: There should be a quick rear-back by the driver after a hard drive (watch offensive push off foul). 2m man pass quick firm dry pass. Try to anticipate the rear back and place the pass so the driver can catch and shoot the ball immediately. Shot options for the driver quick shot or lob. Left fetch or wing drives to the inside of the defender: o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender on the driver s back: 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try to reach out and place the ball on the water. The earlier the driver can receive the ball, the better his chances of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (the driver should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot) or turn in and backhand. o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: 2m man pass dry timing pass 14

15 Shot options for the driver timing shot or lob. o The driver and the defender are swimming side-by-side: The driver should bear into the defender and rear up out to the side with an eggbeater kick. 2m man pass quick, firm dry pass. Try to anticipate the rear up and place the pass so the driver can catch and shoot the ball immediately. Shot options for the driver quick wrap-around shot. o The defender stays between the driver and the goal: There should be a quick rear-back by the driver after a hard drive (watch offensive push off foul). 2m man pass quick, firm dry pass. Try to anticipate the rearback and place the pass so the driver can catch and shoot the ball immediately. Shot options for the driver quick shot or lob. o The driver drives across and around the 2m man: 2m man pass if the driver has a lead, the ball should be passed early across the face of the driver and land wet about a half a metre in front of his shooting arm shoulder. If possible, the 2m man should always reach out and place the ball on the water. Care must be taken to not pass the ball too close to the cage, or the goalie will have an easy steal. If the driver is sideby-side, the ball should be passed early across the face of the defender and land wet about one metre in front of and about 45 o to the outside of the driver s shooting arm so the driver can bear into the defender and release to the ball. Shot options for the driver with a lead pop shot; push shot across the goal; quick pass back to the 2m man on a pop out; or turn out from the defender and hook or backhand. Shot options for the driver when side-by-side wrap-around or wet rear-back. Left fetch drives to the outside of the defender: 15

16 o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender on his back: 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try to reach out and place the ball on the water. The earlier the driver can receive the ball, the better his chances of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (the driver should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot). o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: 2m man pass dry timing pass. Shot options for the driver timing shot. Driver should release 45 o to the side before the pass-and-shot if the defender is to the inside and close. o The driver and the defender are swimming side-by-side: The driver should bear into the defender and release 90 o out to the side. On the release, the driver should take one stroke on his stomach, then roll to his side for the pass. 2m man pass dry timing pass. Watch for a drop from the wing defender. Try to anticipate the driver s release and pass the ball early so the driver receives the ball just as he rolls to his side. Shot options for the driver quick shot or lob. Do not take a bad angle shot. o The defender stays between the driver and the goal: There should be a quick rear-back by the driver after a hard drive (watch offensive push off foul) or a change of direction to the inside or across the 2m man. 2m man pass quick, firm dry pass. Try to anticipate the rearback and place the pass so the driver can catch and shoot the ball immediately. Shot options for the driver quick shot or lob. Right fetch or wing drives to the inside of the defender: o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender his back: 16

17 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try to reach out and place the ball on the water. The earlier the driver can receive the ball, the better his chances of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (the driver should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot); push shot across the goal; or a quick pass to the 2m man on a pop out. o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: The driver should release hard on a 45 o angle across the 2m man. On the release, the driver should take two or three strokes on his stomach, then roll to his side for the pass. 2m man pass dry timing pass. Time the pass so the driver receives the ball just as he rolls to his side. If there is not enough room for a dry pass, then the ball should be laid out wet in front of the driver as he comes across the 2m man. Shot options for the driver quick shot from a dry pass; roll to a layout with a normal shot; or turn out and backhand from a wet pass. o The driver and the defender are swimming side-by-side: The driver should bear into his defender, then release hard on a 90 o angle across the 2m man. On the release, the driver should take two or three strokes on his stomach, then roll to his side for the pass. 2m man pass dry timing pass. Time the pass so the driver receives the ball just as he rolls to his side. Shot options for the driver quick shot. o The defender stays between the driver and the goal: There should be a quick rear-back by the driver after a hard drive (watch offensive push off foul) or a change of direction to drive outside, working for a wet pass off shooting arm. 2m man pass quick, firm dry pass. Try to anticipate the rearback and make the pass so the driver receives the ball just as his arm comes up to a shooting position. Shot options for the driver quick shot or pass back to the 2m man on a roll out. Right fetch drives to the outside of the defender: 17

18 o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender on his back: 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try to reach out and place the ball on the water. The earlier the driver receives the ball, the better his chances of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (the driver should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot); push shot across the goal; or a quick pass back to the 2m man on a pop out. o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: 2m man pass the ball should be passed early across the face of the driver and land wet about a half a metre in front of his shooting arm shoulder. Care must be taken to not pass the ball too close to the cage, or the goalie will have an easy steal. Shot options for the driver pop shot; push shot across the goal; quick pass back to the 2m man on a pop out; or turn out from defender and lob, hook or backhand. o The driver and the defender are swimming side-by-side: The driver should bear into the defender and release to the ball after the pass from the 2m man has hit the water. 2m man pass the ball should be passed early across the face of the driver and land wet about one metre in front of and about 45 o to the outside of the driver s shooting arm so the driver can use his defender as a springboard to break to the ball. Watch for a drop from the wing defender. Shot options for the driver wrap-around or wet rear-back. o The defender stays between the driver and the goal: There should be a quick rear-back by the driver after a hard drive (watch offensive push off foul) or a change in direction to drive across the 2m man. 2m man pass quick and firm dry pass. Try to anticipate the rear-back and make the pass so the driver receives the ball just as his arm comes up to a shooting position. 18

19 Shot options for the driver quick shot; lob; or pass back to the 2m man on a roll out. Left wing drives to the outside of the defender: o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender on his back: 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try to reach out and place the ball on the water. The earlier the driver can receive the ball, the better his chances of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (the driver should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot). o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: 2m man pass dry timing pass. Shot options for the driver timing shot or lob. Do not take a bad angle shot. o If you do not have a lead on a wing drive, then either release out to the wing for a possible help or rear-back to change direction and drive inside or across the hole-man. Shots from the wing are usually easy pull-downs for the goalie and produce counters for the opposition. Right wing drives to the outside of the defender: o The driver beats the defender, then stops with the defender on his back: 2m man pass the ball should be passed wet in front of the driver. Try to reach out and place the ball on the water. The 19

20 earlier the driver can receive the ball, the better his chances of scoring. Shot options for the driver pop shot (the river should come up and clear the defender off his back before the shot) or a quick pass back to the 2m man on a pop out. o The driver beats the defender and is swimming towards the goal: 2m man pass the ball should be passed early across the face of the driver and land wet about a half a metre in front of his shooting arm shoulder. Care must be taken to not pass the ball too close to the cage, or the goalie will have an easy steal. Shot options for the driver pop shot; push shot across the goal; quick pass back to the 2m man on a pop out; or turn out from defender and hook or backhand. o If you do not have a lead on a wing drive, then either release out to the wing for a possible help or rear-back to change direction and drive inside or across the 2m man. Shots from the wing are usually easy pull-downs for the goalie and produce counters for the opposition. 20

21 Quick Shots in front of the Goal: There are times during a game when there will be another player in the strike zone when a 2m foul occurs. This usually occurs at the end of a counter-attack or when a driver drives early and does not clear immediately to a wing. Since this player is in a good offensive position, the 2m man should try to work the ball to him. The quicker the ball can be passed to the driver, the greater his chances of scoring. Therefore, it is imperative that 2m man know where the receiver is and absorb the foul without losing control of the ball. If the 2m man loses control of the ball, the receiver should wait until the ball is retrieved before he makes his move. If the receiver is not in a good position or if he has driven too early, he should keep moving during the deadtime, working for a better position or the dead-time kick-out but being careful of the offensive foul. The move to get free must be made with total effort. Try to get up as high as possible on your shots. The position of the receiver and his defensive man determines what type of move the receiver should make for the shot. These shot options that follow are for righthanders: If the driver is non-ball side to the 2m man, he should try one of the following moves: o Quick release out to the side if inside the post. The driver should take one stroke on his stomach, then roll to his side for the timing pass and shot. The 2m man must watch for a wing drop and the driver should not take a bad angle shot. o If the drive defender is not watching the ball, the 2m man should quickly pass the ball over the left shoulder of the defender for a quick catch and shot by the driver. 21

22 o The driver should make a quick drive away from the goal and the defender, then quickly change direction and drive inside for ball-side position and a rear-back or timing shot. o If the defender cuts off the driver, the driver could release out to the side as in the first bullet. If the drive defender is between the driver and the goal, the driver s options would be the following: o Quick drive to the inside for a rear-back or a timing shot. If the driver rears back, he should try step out towards the ball for the shot. 22

23 o Quick drive to the outside for a rear-back or side release. The 2m man must watch for a wing drop and the driver should not take a bad angle shot. o If the drive defender is not watching the ball, the 2m man should quickly pass the ball past the left shoulder of the defender for a quick catch and wrap-around shot by the driver. o The driver should drive around the 2m man for a 2m pick. If the driver has ball-side position, he should turn his shoulder into the defender without an offensive foul and kick out towards the ball for a shot. 23

24 If the driver has inside position, he should receive the ball wet for some type of off-the-water shot or kick up high for a timing pass and shot. In all the above options the driver should look for the quick right back pass to the 2m man, especially if he is left-handed. If the 2m defender, after fouling the hole-man, drops off to two-time the receiver, the receiver must make some move to get a free hand up for a quick tap back to the unguarded 2m man. 24

25 If the 2m man is fouled and the ball is knocked away and a driver is close to the ball, the driver should retrieve the ball and put it in play with the 2m man making some move to get free. If the 2m man retrieves the ball, the driver can take the 2m position, receive the ball from the 2m man, and quickly pass it back to him for the shot. 25

26 DEFENSE: Mental Aspects of Defense: Keep your poise at all times. Once you become upset or out of control, you become an easy mark for a poised offensive player. Have the desire and determination to become a good defensive player. Playing good defense requires hard work that does not give a player much personal recognition but it is defense that wins championships. Be alert and concentrate at all times. You should give defense your complete and undivided attention. A good defense is always a talking one. You should try to talk to warn your team-mates of picks and screens, or to help on defense, or to pick up an open man, for encouragement, to disconcert an opponent, and to help your teammates remain alert. Always hustle and keep trying. Never give up. It is often the second or third effort that turns the tide when it seems hopeless. Use good judgement. Know when to take chances and when to bluff. This will vary according to the player you are guarding, the style of offense, the score of the game, your position in the pool, etc. Play within your ability. General Principles of Defense: Go defense before opponents go offense. Anticipate your team losing the ball. NEVER WATCH YOUR SHOT. Go defense as you release the ball. Keep the ball out of the strike zone. Encourage bad angle and long range shots which are easy stops for the goalie and provide excellent counter opportunities. Switch assignments when you are better able to defend the attacking player. The first defensive priority is to pick up the offensive player closest to the goal and the centre. Always try to force bad angle shots and never allow a cross-pass and shot. Do not foul unless to prevent a goal. Stopping the clock gives the offensive team more time to work their offense, a free pass, and a chance for a deadtime kickout. Have patience. Play an opponent s mistakes. Try always to hinder your man s movements, but do not commit needless fouls. Try to force your man to receive any pass going away from the goal and not towards it into a potential shooting area. Play between your man and the goal he is going towards when he has the ball or when he is dangerous as a driver or to receive a pass (bait the ball). Play between your man and the ball (passing lanes) when he is deep near his goal, on the wings, or when the man with the ball is far away or pressed in such a way that it is difficult for him to pass to your man. KEEP YOUR HIPS UP. 26

27 Never turn your back on your man. Always adjust your defense to the referee. Make it difficult for your man to receive the ball or have the ball in the scoring area. THE BEST DEFENSE MUST BE PLAYED BEFORE YOUR MAN RECEIVES THE BALL. KEEP THE BALL AND YOUR MAN WITHIN YOUR SIGHT AT ALL TIMES. Use split vision: with 2/3 of your attention on your man and 1/3 on the ball. Never put your head down on defense. Counter-attack: The best defense of the counter-attack is your own offense. If all the field-players are aggressive on offense and keep their defenders occupied and shoot only high percentage shots, this will severely limit the number of counter opportunities given to the defence. If the defence does generate a counter, the sooner it is stopped, the better. This means the initial outlet pass must be aggressively defended. If the first pass is made successfully, your next line of defense would be to choke off the logical pass to the free man or down court fetch. The longer it takes a counter-attacking team to move the ball into a good shooting position, the greater the defence s chances of stopping the goal. The counter defenders should not forget to counter the counter. Counter-attacking a fast break shot often results in a 1-on-0 or 2-on-1 situation and an easy score. The best defensive strategy is to try to initially stay with your man until you find out if there is a free man and where he is. Always make sure you are in a position to drop in to force the ball out of the middle and/or to switch with the chaser, if necessary. If there is a man free, you can do one of the following: If your man is going to receive the outlet pass, you can stay tight on him, without fouling, when he receives the ball. The down court defensive men must overplay the lead breakers and force them weak side (opposite to ball side) so they cannot hook out and advance the ball. Do not allow the back court release to help the ball. The weak side defenders should either drop into the centre for the possible pass interception or switch with the chaser. This works well if the free man has a small lead and the chaser can catch him or switch with a down court or weak side defender. If your man is going to receive the outlet pass, you can stay tight on him and bait the pass for a possible steal or play in the passing lane so the goalie cannot throw him the ball. This works well when your man is the only hooker that can get the ball to the free man or when the hooker does not hook hard for the ball. If your man is going to receive the outlet pass, you can stay tight on him and foul when he receives the ball (make sure you meet the ball on the foul). As soon as you foul, drop back to cover the free man (remember your man cannot shoot the ball because of the foul) and the chaser should pick up the fouled fetch. This works well if the free man has a large lead and you can reach the free man before the fouled man can recover and throw the ball to 27

28 him. If you cannot drop on the free man after the foul, stay on the fetch with your arm up high so he cannot throw an accurate pass. The weak side defenders should drop into the middle for a possible switch with the chaser or a pass interception. The goalie should also come out for a possible steal. You can drop off immediately into the centre and force the ball to the outside or stay on your man tight and when he hooks out, then drop off. As the ball moves down court, try to make the opposing team throw as many passes as possible to slow them down so the chaser can catch up. Bluff drop on the dribbler to force him to pass the ball. The man who was burned must chase 100% with his head up and look for a possible switch to the outside. If the chaser catches the free man, he should always try to get between the free man and the goal. When a team favours advancing the ball down one particular side, initially press tight on that side and drop from the other side to force the ball away form the favoured side. When the free man reaches the scoring area with the ball, look to drop in on him from behind for a steal or try to double drop across on the ball leaving a man free on the periphery who usually will not be seen by the man with the ball. Defense of the Driver: Protect inside water. Stay between your man and the goal. Do not take your eyes off the man you re defending (especially on the weak side) for very long, yet still know where the ball is. If your man is driving into the strike zone, force him away from his intended direction: to the side, into a congested area, hole man, etc. If the driver grabs your arm and tries to pull by, reverse spin and block his drive lane. If the driver changes direction, do not turn your back on him when you change direction. The closer the driver gets to the goal, the tighter you must guard him so he cannot rear back for a close shot. If the centre driver likes to drive for inside water, overplay him and force him to drive to his strong arm side (right-hander to his left side). Stay ¼ body length in front and force him out of the strike zone. Keep your head up and 28

29 force him to rear up. When the driver reaches the three- to four-metre line, move to a side-by-side position so he can only release out to the side, which will decrease his shooting angle and give the goalie a better chance of stopping the ball. The defender overplays the driver and forces him to drive to his left side. The defender stays one-fourth body length in front of the driver and forces him out of the strike zone. When the driver reaches the three- to four-metre line, the defender moves to a side-by-side position and forces him out to the side. If the centre driver likes to drive for the rear back, overplay him and force him to drive to his weak arm side (right-hander to his right side). Stay ¼ body length in front and force him out of the strike zone. Keep your head up and 29

30 force him to rear back with a draw pass. Never allow your man to get inside you or side-by-side on the wet pass side, unless you have help from the goalie or a dropper. The defender overplays the driver and forces him to drive to his right side. The defender stays one-fourth body length in front of the driver all the way to the two-metre line and forces him out of the strike zone. If in doubt about centre driver s intention, force him to rear back on his weak arm side (see above). Overplay fetches to the inside and force them outside. Stay ¼ body length in front and keep them from changing direction and driving ball side or across the strike zone. As a strong arm side fetch (right-hander on the left side) drives and reaches the three- to four-metre line, move to a side-by-side position so he can only release out to the side. Always stay in front of a weak side fetch driver (right-hander on the right side). Never allow him side-byside position, unless you have help from the goalie or a dropper. 30

31 Overplay wing drivers to the inside and force them outside. Stay ¼ body length in front and keep them from changing direction and driving ball side or across the strike zone. As a strong arm side wing driver reaches the three- to four-metre, move to a side-by-side position so he can only release to the side. Always stay in front of a weak arm side wing driver, never allow him side-by-side position. In front of the goal, force your man out and away from the centre. Play on his inside hip. Keep your head to the inside. Do not give the referee an excuse to kick you out. Overplay your man as much as possible towards the ball, but always be in a position to protect your goal. The farther you are away from the ball, the more in the passing lane you can play. If your man is moving across the strike zone on his back, keep pressing down on his hips as you stroke. Watch the ball for a possible interception. Do not grab the man s arm as he catches the ball as this could be a kickout or penalty throw. Try to block the ball or the man s arm as he shoots the ball. Outside defensive players should drop back to help on potential rear backs. On side-by-side drives and inside water drives, the wing guards, 2m guard, and goalie should all look to steal the ball on the pass to the driver from the 2m man. 31

32 On a wet pass from the 2m man to the driver, the 2m guard, the goalie, and the wing defender should all look to steal the ball. If the driver rears back, the wing and/or fetch defender should drop in and look to steal the ball on the dry pass from the 2m man. Do not go to sleep on the weak side or after your man has passed the ball. Never allow a cross-pass, one-two, or give and go. If you are behind on a driver, move to his strong arm side and force him into the goalie make him the shoot the ball: no 5-metre. Wing or fetch guards should drop in from behind and try to steal the ball from the driver. GO FOR THE BALL, NOT THE MAN. Defense of the Two-Metre Man: Try to keep the ball away from the 2m man as much as possible. Try to force the 2m man to set as far away from the goal as possible. When the ball is outside and under pressure, play in front of the 2m man in the passing lane. The easiest way to front the 2m man is, as he swims in to set, let him go by, then turn and face him with your hips up. Continually watch both the 2m man and the ball and listen to your goalie. Do not commit needless fouls by wrestling too much. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HIPS UP. If you are stuck behind the 2m man when the ball is under pressure, move off his ball side shoulder and, using quick, short strokes, sprint around and in front of him. Never attempt to front the 2m man if the ball is not under pressure. When you start to move around him, the 2m man will roll out away from you for an easy pass and shot. 32

33 If the ball moves cross-court, try to quickly move around the 2m man and continue to front him. If you are unable to front the 2m man, play behind him with your hips up and body rotated to his inside hip or shooting side (left side of a right-hander), depending on the position of the ball. If the 2m man is set to the side of the goal, try to force him farther out, but do not let the ball come inside. Make sure you have help from the goalie. When the ball is under pressure on the outside or wing, the weak side defensive players should drop into the centre and play for a possible interception on the pass to the 2m man if he is set. Fouling the 2m man: as this foul results in the most ejections in any given game, it is extremely important to develop a smooth technique so you will not be kicked out. There are two techniques that could be used by the 2m guard to correctly foul the 2m man or to possibly steal the ball on the entry pass: o Your basic position should be to the shooting side of the 2m man with your hips up at a 45 o angle to his shoulder plane. As the ball comes in, grab his upper arm just above the elbow or his suit with your inside hand and, with an explosive eggbeater or breaststroke kick, move around him and meet the ball. o In the same basic position as above, place your inside hand (palm down) on the 2m man s lower back and push hard. As the entry pass is made, stop pushing and the 2m man should move backward. As he does, slide around him and meet the ball with your outside arm. Keep 33

34 your trailing arm up to show the referee you are not holding the 2m man. If you are small and get caught guarding a large 2m man that you cannot foul effectively, then you should use your quickness to swim around and front him to prevent him from receiving the ball until a team-mate can switch with you. If you cannot front the 2m man, then you should move to his side with your hips up and cut in front of him for the steal as the ball is passed in. After you foul the 2m man, try to rotate quickly to the side the driver is on and be ready to switch or to drop off into the passing lane to help the drive defender. If the drive defender is beat, and a switch is necessary, the 2m guard calls the switch and picks up the driver. The drive defender stays on the driver until the 2m guard arrives, then switches to the 2m man. The 2m guard should never switch if he has to take more than three strokes. If a switch is not possible, the 2m guard should play in the passing lane between the 2m man and the driver. He should be turned sideways with his back arm up high and stay close to the 2m man to prevent a quick one-two. If no help switch is needed, the 2m guard should front the 2m man. After he fouls the 2m man, the 2m defender moves to the side the driver is on. The 2m defender switches with the drive defender. 34

35 The 2m defender, with his back arm up high, plays in the passing lane to the driver. If the ball is passed short or if there is a drop on the 2m man, the 2m guard should not foul and should keep both hands up high. Do not press the 2m man too tight (unless you re much stronger than he is). Keep him guessing where you are. Do not give him anything to grab on to and turn you. Any time the 2m guard fronts the 2m man or helps on the driver, the wing defenders must press tight and not allow a quick wing help and pass back to the 2m man for inside water. On any pass to the 2m man, especially if the guard is out of position, the goalie should try to come out of the goal to steal the ball as it lands on the water. If an outside foul occurs and the 2m man is set, the goalie should come out and steal the pass to the 2m man. Always counter off the 2m man and take him down court to a deep wing. 35

36 EXTRA MAN: Offense: With the large number of ejections being called in water polo today, it is extremely important for a team to have a productive 6-on-5 offense. There are three offensive systems used to attack the five man zone defense: the 4-2; the 3-3; and a combination of the two in which a team shifts from 4-2 into a 3-3 or from a 3-3 into a 4-2. No matter what system a team uses, as soon as the ejection occurs the man with the ball should immediately look for a quick, high percentage shot before the defense can set up (by a quick pass to someone already in a good position who then shoots or passes back for the one-two). If there is no quick shot available, the players must set up as quickly as possible to maximise their attack time. General Concepts of the Extra Man Offense: The absolute key to scoring 6-on-5 is ACCURATE, QUICK PASSING. Try to create 3-on-2 situations. Make the centre defender commit to one side or the other. Move the ball cross court. YOU MUST MAKE THE GOAL KEEPER AND DEFENDERS MOVE. The more the defenders move, the more openings there will be. WATCH the goalie. Watch the defenders. You know where your team is. When balking, make it realistic. Have your chest up and out of the water. Know your passing priorities. DO NOT PASS THE BALL WITHOUT A REASON. KNOW WHAT YOUR ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. Do not be intimidated by the defense. The most effective scoring weapon in water polo is a cross-pass from one side of the goal to the other. 1-3, 6-3, 4-2, and 1-4 passes are best. Basic Strategy of the 4-2 Offense: Go for the high percentage quick shots. If there is enough time, try to work the ball to a post for a shot (5-4 or 6-1 passing combinations). If no post shot is open or if there is only a small amount of time for the offense to attack the five man defense, the ball should be moved to the best shooter on the outside who should rotate into the pocket from 1 or 6 or into the centre from 4 or 5 for a shot. Any time the defence rushes or is out of position, take advantage of its mistake and score. 36

37 Words on Positioning and Play in 4-2: o 1 and 4 should play two to three metres outside the goal posts on the two- to three- metre line. If 1 is on the two-metre line, 4 should be on the three-metre line and vice versa. This allows a clear passing lane between 1 and 4. o 2 should play on the right goal post on the two-metre line. He must watch going inside the two-metre line. If 2 is left-handed, where 2 pops when 1 has the ball depends on where the 2 defender plays him: if the 2 defender plays on 2 s inside shoulder, he should pop straight out; if he plays on 2 s back, 2 should pop on an angle into the centre; if he plays on 2 s outside shoulder, 2 should work for the inside lob. If 2 is right-handed, he should pop out on an angle between 1 and 6 when 1 has the ball. He should shoot cross goal on 1-2 passes. He should be alert for 5-2 and 6-2 passes and not let the defense hang on him. o 3 should play on the left goal post on the two-metre line. He must watch going inside the two-metre line. Where 3 pops when 1 has the ball depends on where the 4 defender plays him: if he plays on 3 s inside shoulder, 3 should pop straight out; if he plays on 3 s back, 3 should pop on an angle into the centre; if he plays on 3 s outside shoulder, 3 should work for the inside lob. If 3 is left-handed, he should pop out on an angle between 4 and 5 when 4 has the ball. 3 should try to shoot cross goal on 4-3 passes. He should be alert for 6-3 and 5-3 passes and not let the defense hang on him. o 5 should play on the left goal post, five to seven metres from the goal. He should work in tandem with 6 when sliding. If the 5 defender drops and stays on 2, 5 should move in and towards centre goal for the shot. 5 should not be intimidated by the defense. He should always be in a shooting position and watch for the inside pass to 3 or 2. o 6 should play on the right goal post, five to seven metres from the goal. He should work in tandem with 5 when sliding. If the 6 defender 37

38 drops and stays on 2, 6 should move in and towards centre goal for the shot. 6 should not be intimidated by the defense. He should always be in a shooting position and watch for the inside pass to 3 or 2. Words on Positioning and Play in 3-3: 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: o The player at 1 should play two metres outside the right goal post on the two-and-one-half metre line. He should always be ready for the pass and quick shot. o The player at 2 should play in the centre of the goal on the two-andone-half metre line. He should be active and work for a possible rollout or pop out without committing an offensive foul or going inside the two-metre line. o The player at 3 should play two-metres outside the left goal post on the two-and-one-half metre line. He should always be ready for the pass and quick shot. o The player at 4 should play at one-and-one-half metres outside the left goal post on the six-metre line and be ready to penetrate and receive the ball for a shot. o The player at 5 should start with the ball in the centre of the goal on the seven-metre line. o The player at 6 should play one-and-one-half metres outside the right goal post on the six-metre line and be ready to penetrate and receive the ball for the shot. 38

39 Defense: All five defenders and the goalie must be aggressive and concentrate on their responsibilities. Players need to be up and out of the water as high as possible. When cutting down shooting lanes they should literally try to hide the goal from the shooter with their arms. Movement from one position to another should be done as quickly as possible. If the ball is blocked and controlled by the goalie, the defenders must counter-attack as hard as possible. General Concepts Against a 4-2: Set up as quickly as possible. Cover the player who drew the kickout. DO NOT ALLOW A QUICK EASY SHOT. Try to anticipate where the offense will throw the ball. Cheat to a new position if possible. Watch the eyes of the offensive players and when the ball is passed, move to a new position as quickly as possible. Except when rushing the receiver, all movement in the 5-on-6 is done with the legs. Use the post players (2 and 3) to push off from when moving to a new position. When a post man receives the ball, go for the BALL and not the player. Try to steal the ball or deflect it away as far as possible. Do NOT allow any one player to sit and balk the ball and move in towards the goal. Try to break up obvious passing combinations and force 1-4 and 4-1 passes. On any shot watch for a rebound. Outside players should be counterattacking off any shot, watching for the release pass. On any corner throw, play a tight press defense in the passing lanes on the other five players. Do not allow the easy one-two. Be aggressive and mobile. This is not a time to rest. KEEP YOUR HIPS UP. Words on Positioning and Play on Defense: Ball at 4: X 1 : o On a pass to 4, fill the shooting lane to the near corner as quickly and as high as possible in a vertical position with your right arm up high 39

40 X 2 : X 3 : X 4 : X 5 : (try to hide the goal to intimidate the shooter). Bear in mind the quick pass to 3 for an interception. Once X 2 and X 4 have 3 covered, start walking out to 4 to put him under pressure. On 6-4 and 1-4 passes, try to cheat off 3 and bait the pass for an interception or rush 4 and put him on his back. o Whether 3 is left-handed or right-handed, on any pass to 4, you must move to 3 as quickly as possible. Play off him about one-half arm s length with your head over his outside shoulder. Your right hand should be on his shoulder or back below water level. Have your hips up with your feet pointed towards 2 ready to move across the goal if 4 passes the ball to 5, 6 or 1. Keep your left hand on the water so you can move forward and deflect the 4-3 pass, come up and intercept any low pass from 4 to 2 or 1, or quickly move across the goal to cover the corners if 4 passes the ball to 5 or 6. o If 2 is right-handed or left-handed, your responsibility is to stop the inside lob pass and shot. Play off 2 about one-half arm s length with your head over his inside shoulder and your right hand on his back below the water level. If 4 passes 2 the ball to the inside, try to push 2 away from the goal with your right hand and come up to the inside to deflect the ball away with your left hand. If 4 passes 2 the ball to the outside, try to push 2 into the centre with your right hand and come up high to the outside to deflect the ball away with your left hand. Keep your hips up with your feet pointed towards 1, so you can quickly fill the shooting lane if the ball is passed to 1. On 5-1 or 4-1 passes, try to cheat off 2 and bait the pass for an interception or rush 1 and put him on his back. If 2 rotates out into a 3-3, you must communicate this to X 4 and X 5 so they can slide between 5, 6 and 2. On blocked or rebounded shots, if the goalie does not have control of the ball, block off the 2 man so he cannot push the ball into the goal. o If 3 is right-handed, play off him about a half a metre and a try to make 4 think you can move to 3 and stop the 4-3 pass. If 3 is lefthanded, on a pass to 4, you must drop back to stop the 4-3 pass until X 2 comes across to cover 3. As X 2 reaches 3, move out towards 5, but play close enough to 3 to reach and deflect the ball when he pops out for the pass from 5. Keep your hips on the surface with your feet pointed at 5, ready to kick up and out to 5 on the 4-5 pass. If 4 brings the ball into the pocket and 5 and 6 slide right into a 3-3, you must move out between 4 and 5 and fake-rush between them. o You have the responsibility for the outside pass to 2. If 2 is righthanded, play off him about one metre in the passing lane between 4 and 1. If 2 is left-handed, play close enough to him to reach and deflect the ball when he pops out for the pass from 4. Rotate slightly towards the ball. Keep your hips on the surface of the water with your 40

41 feet pointed towards 6 ready to rush 6 (especially if 2 is right-handed) and put him on his back. Try to bait and intercept 4-1 passes. If 4 brings the ball into the pocket and 5 and 6 slide right into a 3-3, you must move out between 5 and 6 and fake-rush between them. 41

42 Ball at 5: X 1 : X 2 : X 3 : X 4 : X 5 : o You have the responsibility for the 5-3 pass. Play about a half a metre off 3 with your left hand on his back or shoulder below the water line. Keep your hips up with your feet pointed at 4 ready to fill the shooting lane from 4 to the near corner of the goal on the 5-4 pass. o As the ball moves from one side of the goal to the other, you should move in arc away from the goal between 3 and 2. When 5 has the ball, be in a vertical position with your left hand up to stop the pass (to 2) or a shot to the far corner of the goal. o Play off 2 about a half an arm s length. With your right hand on his back, keep your hips up with your feet pointed towards 1 ready to push off 2 and fill the shooting lane from 1 to the near corner of the goal. On the 5-2 pass, try to push 2 away from the goal and move inside to deflect the ball. On the 5-1 pass, try to cheat off 2 and bait the pass for the interception or rush 1 and put him on his back. o As 5 receives the ball, kick up and out hard towards him in a vertical position with an arm up high matching hands and cutting off the near corner of the goal. Stop about one to two metres in front of 45 unless you can anticipate the pass and rush 5 to put him on his back. o Play in the passing lane between 5 and 1 with your hips on the surface of the water and your feet pointed towards 6. Rotate towards the ball slightly to discourage the 5-2 pass. Bait and try to intercept 5-1 passes. 42

43 Ball at 6: X 1 : X 2 : X 3 : X 4 : X 5 : o Play off 3 about a half an arm s length. With your left hand on 3 s back, keep your hips up with your feet pointed towards 4 ready to push off and fill the shooting lane from 4 to the near corner of the goal. On the 6-3 pass, try to push 3 into the centre and move towards the pass to deflect the ball away. On the 6-4 pass, try to cheat off 3 and bait the pass for an interception or rush 4 and put him on his back. o As the ball moves from one side of the goal to the other, you should move in an arc away from the goal between 3 and 2. When 6 has the ball, be in a vertical position with your right hand up to stop the pass to 3 or a shot to the far corner of the goal. o You have the responsibility for the 6-2 pass. Play about a half a metre off 2 with your right hand on his back or shoulder below the water line. Keep your hips up with your feet pointed at 1 ready to fill the shooting lane from 1 to the near corner of the goal on the 6-1 pass. o Play in the passing lane between 4 and 6 with your hips on the surface and your feet pointed towards 4. Rotate towards the ball slightly to discourage the 6-3 pass. Bait and try to intercept 6-4 passes. o As 6 receives the ball, kick up and out hard towards him in a vertical position with an arm up high matching hands and cutting off the near corner of the goal. Stop about one to two metres in front of 6 unless you can anticipate the pass and rush 6 to put him on his back. 43

44 Ball at 1: X 1 : X 2 : X 3 : o If 3 is right-handed or left-handed, your responsibility is to stop the inside lob pass and shot. Play off 3 about a half an arm s length with your head over his left shoulder and your left hand on his back below water level. If 1 passes 3 the ball to the inside, try to push 3 away from the goal with your left hand and come up to the inside to deflect the ball away with your right hand. If 1 passes 3 the ball to the outside, try to push 3 into the centre with your left hand and come up high to the outside and try to deflect the ball away with your right hand. Keep your hips up with your feet pointed towards 4 so you can quickly fill the shooting lane to the near corner of the goal if the ball is passed to 4. On 1-4 or 6-4 passes, try to cheat off 3 and bait the pass for an interception or rush 4 and put him on his back. If 3 rotates into a 3-3, you must communicate this shift to X 4 and X 5 so they can slide between 6, 5, and 3. On blocked or rebounded shots, if the goalie does not have control of the ball, block off the 3 man so he cannot push the ball into the goal. o If 2 is right-handed or left-handed, on any pass to 1, you must move to 2 as quickly as possible. Play off 2 about half an arm s length with your head over his right shoulder. Keep your left hand on his right shoulder below water level. Have your hips up with your feet pointed towards 2, ready to move across the goal if 1 passes the ball to 6, 5, or 4. Keep your right hand on the water so you can move forward and deflect the 1-2 pass, intercept any low pass from 1 to 3 or 4, or quickly move across the goal to cover the corners if 1 passes to 6 or 5. o On a pass to 1, fill the shooting lane to the near corner of the goal as quickly and as high as possible in a vertical position with your left arm up high to stop a shot to the near corner of the goal. Bear in mind the quick pass to 2 for the interception. On 5-1 and 4-1 passes, try to cheat off 2 and bait the pass for an interception or rush 1 and put him on his back. 44

45 X 4 : X 5 : o You have the responsibility for the outside pass to 3. If 3 is lefthanded, play off him about one metre in the passing lane between 1 and 4. If 3 is right-handed, play close enough to him to reach and deflect the ball when he pops out for the pass from 1. Rotate slightly towards the ball. Keep your hips on the surface with your feet pointed towards 5 ready to rush 5 (especially if 3 is left-handed) and put him on his back. Try to bait and intercept 1-4 passes. If 1 brings the ball into the pocket and 5 and 6 slide left into a 3-3, you must move out between 5 and 6 and fake-rush between them. o If 2 is right-handed, on a pass to 1 you must drop back to stop the 1-2 pass until X 2 comes across to cover 2. As X 2 reaches 2, move out towards to 6, but play close enough to 2 to reach and deflect the ball when he pops out for the pass from 1. Keep your hips on the surface of the water with your feet pointed at 6 ready to kick up and out to 6 on the 1-6 pass. If 2 is left-handed, play off him about a half a metre and try to make 1 think you can move to 2 and stop the 1-2 pass. If 1 brings the ball into the pocket and 5 and 6 slide left into a 3-3, you must move out between 6 and 1 and fake-rush between them. Defending the 3-3: X 1 : X 2 : o When 5 or 6 has the ball, X 1 should play close enough to 3 to stop the 5-3 or 6-3 cross pass and shot. When 4 has the ball, X 1 should try to cut off the near corner of the goal. If 4 passes the ball to 3, X 1 should either rush 3 before he can shoot the ball or slide over and cut off the far corner of the goal with the goalie taking the near corner. If 4 drives down under X 4 for a pass and shot, X 1 should try to move to 4 and steal the ball on the pass. If X 1 can t reach the ball, he should fakerush at 4 to keep him off balance. 45

46 o X 2 plays to the left side of 2 if he is right-handed to prevent a strong arm rollout and shot. His right arm should be up high to help cut off the left side of the goal. X 3 : o When 4 or 5 has the ball, X 3 should play close enough to 1 to stop the 4-1 or 5-1 cross pass and shot. When 6 has the ball, X 3 should try to cut off the near corner of the goal. If 6 passes the ball to 1, X 3 should either rush 1 before he can shoot the ball or slide over and cut off the far corner of the goal with the goalie taking the near corner. If 6 drives down under X 5 for a pass and shot, X 3 should try to move to 6 and steal the ball on the pass. If X 3 can t reach the ball, he should fakerush at 6 to keep him off balance. X 4 and X 5 : o X 4 and X 5 should split 4, 5, and 6 and work in tandem fake-rushing the ball to keep the outside shooters off balance and force them to take an uncontrolled or hurried shot. They should never commit to any one player unless they can steal the ball of a blindside pass or if the goalie wants a specific player to shoot the ball. X 4 and X 5 should start their split as far away from the goal as possible. This will force 4, 5, and 6 to use more time and passes to move within range for a good shot. On any shot, both split defenders should counter hard for a one-on-none or two-on-one breakaway. Counter-attack from 5-on-6: Any time the ball is shot on the extra man, a team should always try to counter if the ball is blocked by the goalie or deflected out by a defender. The defense should try to anticipate who will shoot the ball and cheat to offense away from the shot. It is very important that X 2, X 4, and X 5 all release hard to the offense. A consistent 5-on-6 counter-attack will tend to make the offense tentative with its attack. 46