Oregon High School Water Polo Committee

Welcome to the Sport of Water Polo

This is the official site of Oregon High School Water Polo Committee.  We are committed to providing information and resources to everybody involved, or wishing to become involved, in water polo from players, to coaches to officials to fans.

About the Sport of Water Polo

Water Polo has been played as a sport since the late 1800's, and was described as "a football game in water", and required brute strength.  As the rules changed to make the game faster, brute strength was replaced by more technique, speed and tactical moves.  The game changed from a rugby style to a soccer style of play.

Water polo was the first Olympic Team Sport.  Men's Water Polo was the first team sport entered into Olympic competition in 1900, in Paris, France.  After a long wait... 100 years to be exact... women's water polo joined the Olympic family in Sydney, Australia in the year 2000.

Water polo is a grueling game and one of extreme physical contact.  It has been called "the most physically demanding and mentally challenging of all sports" by leading exercise physiologists.  The sport combines swimming speed, ball handling skills and team play into a game that is played in an all deep pool.  Games last about an hour and during a weekend tournament, teams can play 4 to 5 games.

General Rules
  1. Teams are made up of 13 or more players - 7 in the water at one time, including 1 goalie and 6 field players.
  2. Play starts with a sprint by both teams to the ball, dropped at the halfway mark by the referee.
  3. After a goal, play starts in the middle of the pool.  Teams can use this time to substitute players.
  4. When a referee whistles to indicate an infraction - players must pass the ball to a teammate before shooting on goal, with the exception of a direct shot on goal from outside the 5 meter line or a penalty shot.
  5. Players can advance the ball by swimming or passing.
  6. One (1) hand on the ball, except goalies who may use 2 hands with their 5 meter line.
  7. No standing on the bottom, except goalies with their 5 meter line.
  8. No dunking the ball.
  9. Players may only be 'dunked' if they are in possession of the ball.  there may be contact away from the ball, but it will be up to the referee to decide if there will be any consequence.

Understanding the Game of Water Polo handout

Freedom’s Fury Video  -  Narrated by Mark Spitz this film tells the true story of the brutal clash between Hungary and USSR in the water polo pool at the 1956 Olympics.  As the Soviet tanks were suppressing the peoples' uprising in Hungary, the Water Polo team decided to give the population something to cheer about by beating the Soviets in the water polo pool.