Water Polo

team sport · swimming · strategy

Seven per side. Each team has six regular players plus one goalkeeper in the water. Players swim constantly and play both offense and defense without substitutions between plays.

Goal scoring. Teams try to throw the ball into the opposing team's net to score points. The team with the most goals after four quarters wins the match.

Deep water only. Water polo is played in deep pools where players cannot touch the bottom. This means players must tread water and swim the whole time.

Four quarters of action. The game is divided into four quarters where the teams battle back and forth. Players need amazing stamina to keep moving and playing hard for the entire game.

Total team effort. Every player except the goalkeeper has to play both offense and defense. This makes water polo one of the most demanding team sports because players are always involved in the action.