Michael Van Eaton: Water Polo Drills for Beginners
Michael Van Eaton shares some tips on water polo drills for beginners
Water Polo Drills
According to Michael Van Eaton, you need to have specific skills and techniques to play the ball itself and position your body in water polo. Repeating drills will help you perform a particular technique when playing polo, for example, blocking an attacking player. Here are some handy water polo skills.
Water Jumping-Jacks
Michael Van Eaton says water jumping jacks don’t need any special equipment; you only need to have a pool. With this drill, you should swim five meters at your maximum pace, then stop, and, like a rocket, set off, jutting out of the water while also clapping your hands over your head. Repeat the drill across the pool and rest accordingly.
Aim: As Michael Van Eaton explains, this water drill with a short, violent burst with your body in an upright position becomes helpful when you’re facing an aggressive player with ball possession. At high speed, you’ll intercept your opponent to stop a pass, shut out a shot or steal the ball.
Sprint to Ball: Winner Attacks
Michael Van Eaton says that three or more players can do this drill, but two players are okay. Let’s use an example of the latter. First, throw the ball in the center of the pool, and then each player should position themselves, making sure they touch the goal post. Next, each player must run fast to the floating ball in the pool’s center, and whoever gets to the ball first becomes the offensive player. Michael Van Eaton explains that the other player takes the defensive role.
Michael Van Eaton adds that the attacking player will continue advancing to the other cage to score, and the defensive player will follow behind in hot pursuit to steal the ball. The defensive player shouldn’t commit a foul but should focus on stealing the ball from the aggressive player.
Aim: The drill improves conditioning by sprinting across the pool and the players’ defensive and offensive skills.
Water Polo Individual Medley
Michael Van Eaton says that water polo and individual medley are straightforward as you don’t need equipment for this drill. Here are some swimming events you can do; a single lap for each one: head-up freestyle, head-up backstroke, butterfly, and waist-high bulldog.
Aim: With backstroke, you’ll hone your skills to move down-field knowing where the ball is. And butterfly improves your conditioning. Michael Van Eaton mentions that the heads-up freestyle betters the offensive and defensive players’ dribbling and driving skills.
Michael Van Eaton grew up in Alaska. He holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in material science engineering and chemistry education. Michael Van Eaton also holds a master’s in education administration and is an expert in several fields, including teaching chemistry and physics, coaching swimming, and water polo. Michael Van Eaton’s hobbies include scuba diving, traveling, refereeing water polo, working on cars, working around the house, and web design. Michael Van Eaton is also a writer, having published two articles. Currently, he’s unemployed.
