Water polo action -- not highlights, just final moments of practice

We played polo with 22 kids at the practice today. Five were from Seneca Valley and 17 were from the ones we've been playing with in the city. One new Citiparks player arrived, Goda! A few of the SV kids were in college too! One guy swimmer is slated to be a sophomore at Central Catholic.

Getting the visitor was a great boost to our play and spirits. Many of our players are young -- and that is good for the future, but seeing the strength and speed of the older kids provided a great lesson. To protect and control the ball became much more of an issue.

The video shows the final moments of more than 30-minutes of scrimmages. The players were split (not so evenly) into three sides. Games to three goals and winning team stays in the pool. One team did not win them all. About six or so games were played.

This is something you can do too.

Recap of activities:
Exercise routine: Ankle spins, wrist flex, gentle neck rolls. Full range of motion arm swings: right-arm forward, left-arm forward, right-arm backward, left-arm backward, up the side, up the fronts, horizontals, opposities, opposite-opposities, right-arm 8s, then reverse with right-arm, left-arm 8s, then reverse with left arm. Trunk twists with kick on one leg then the other. Right leg swing front and back. Left leg swing front and back. Right leg swing left and right. Left leg swing left and right. Squat. Squat jumps with one arm up. Squat jumps with 2 arms up.

Self Intoductions: Name, year in school, school.

Swim 4 lengths (25 y) with shaddow / partner. Easy warm-up.

Swim with ball / dribble to other side, 4 times.

Swim / dribble to other side, at whistle, reverse direction.

Ball up in one hand and scull / tread to other side.

Swim to goal and score. After you drive and shoot, turn to defense. Shoot to 2nd goal and then defend. Then to third goal.

Mega take-a-way game. All but 4 start with ball in the air. Defense is without the ball and swim to player and take the ball away. Then ball exits pool. Down to last couple of players with a ball in the air and work to take it away from that player. Defense attacks. Offense needs to twist with arm extended yet keep control of the ball under pressure.

Three groups: (5 minutes each group, then switch)

Group 1 with Tom to do rear-back shots on goalie.
Group 2 do drive shots on goalie with defender 5 seconds behind.
Group 3 do dry passing and shots on goalie.

Scrimmage: White, Purple and On-Deck (45 minutes)



Group photo.

Pretzel, thanks to Grant.

Coach Tom Fletcher and the SV players hope to come back to join us again, perhaps on Tuesday. But, we also learned at the practice that the last day of swimming at Ammon is slated for Sunday. Then they will drain the water out of the pool. So, we'll have to re-locate the sessions and the equipment, hopefully to Highland Park Pool. Stay tuned.