AFTER a 6-6 draw with Indonesia, the 2017 silver medalist, on Tuesday's match at the New Clark City Aquatics Center, the future is bright for the ever-hopeful Men’s Water Polo Philippine National Team.
The squad will face Singapore on Thursday.
“Kahapon ‘yung first game namin and nag-draw tayo with the silver last SEA games, so the chances are good,” said water polo national team assistant coach Dale Evangelista. “Tomorrow we play against Thailand then Singapore, [who won] gold last 2017, and then [our] last game is with Malaysia, the bronze medalist.”
Evangelista shared that the PH team has prepared well for the Southeast Asian Games. He said: “’Yung training namin, three times a week na gym program, and anim na polo sessions which last three hours a day.”
As the Philippine team’s quest for gold begins, we explain how, exactly, you play the sport.
How to play water polo
Two teams battle each other on the water. Their goal? To score as many points as possible.
There are seven players on each team, composed of six outfield players and one goalkeeper in the pool at any one time. Teams are identified by their swimming caps.
The ball can be passed with one hand to other players. It can also be "dribbled" forward when a player swims, either holding it with one hand while keeping the head above the water, or using the wave created by their swim strokes to push the ball forward.
Only the goalkeeper can use both hands to handle the ball. Outfield players are also prohibited from touching the bottom of the pool. Only a goalkeeper can do it.
There are four quarters in each game, each with eight minutes, with two-minute breaks in between quarters.
How to score
Each team is given 30 seconds to shoot. Timer begins upon ball possession. During rebounds, the shot clock is reset to another 30 seconds.
Each goal is equivalent to one point.
A goal only counts when the ball is thrown completely between the goalposts and under the crossbar.
As per SEA Games regulations, in case of a tie at the end of the game, a shootout is done to decide the winner during the playoffs.
Where the games are played
The pool must be at least two meters in depth, and should measure 30 meters by 20 meters.
How players are penalized
Ordinary fouls: Touching the ball with two hands, pushing, taking the ball under water, failing to shoot within 30 seconds
Major fouls: Misconduct to the referee, and physical movements against an opponent (such as holding, sinking, pulling back, splashing in the face, kicking or striking). This can result to player being taken out of the game for 20 seconds or removed by substitution.
Commonly used terms
Egg-beater: a circular movement of treading water to maintain a certain position, or to lift up a player over the surface vertically
Wet pass: Passing the ball from one player to another, but by landing on the water first
Swim-off: Similar to a tip off in basketball, it's a race for the ball in the center of the pool to begin each quarter
Ball under: When the ball is taken under water
Looking back on its roots
Developed by William Wilson in the 1800s, water polo was originally a form of rugby football that was usually played in the lakes in England and Scotland. Its ball is made from Indian rubber. Early mechanics of the game even allowed brute and more physical plays including wrestling among players.
In the late 1850s, it officially called itself ‘water polo’, and proved popular enough to be included in the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, France. The women’s water polo event made its Olympic debut in 2000, when it was hosted by Sydney.
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