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Water polo · Basic · b3

Passing and shooting

Park or court 15 min 2 to 4 players Pool or water

Ready when: Throw and catch on land (b1) and Water confidence and swimming with the ball (b2) started.

Start a session

What you are learning

Passing in the water with the elbow high and the shoulders turned, then swimming a short way with the ball, stopping and shooting at a small goal. Each child also has a turn in goal, getting set before every shot.

Words on this card Goalkeeper, Field, Leading the ball, Shot
Goalkeeper
The player who guards the goal and may use two hands.
Field
The playing area marked by ropes, the line across the goal, and the middle line.
Leading the ball
Swimming with the ball just in front of the head, pushed along by the arms.
Shot
A throw at goal.

Set up

A goal; a ball; a line 4 m from the goal.

Weather: a lifeguard

The base setup for water polo

Show it first for the one teaching

  1. In a triangle, pass with one hand, elbow high, shoulders turned.
  2. Swim a few strokes leading the ball, stop at the line and lift it.
  3. Turn the body and snap the wrist to shoot at a corner of the goal.

Your part while they practise

Stay clear of the goal line; give each child a turn in goal.

Step by step

  1. In a triangle, pass with the elbow high and the shoulders turned.
  2. Swim a short way with the ball and stop.
  3. Shoot at the goal from the line.
  4. The keeper gets set before each shot.

How much: 20 passes and 10 shots 15 min a session 2 days a week

Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.

The game: Shooting turns

Each shooter has 5 shots from different distances; the keeper saves and passes back out.

Who plays: 2 to 4 children, taking turns as shooter and keeper.

How to play, turn by turn
Turns
  1. The keeper gets set in the goal
  2. The shooter swims in with the ball, stops at a line and shoots
  3. 5 shots, from 3, 4 and 5 m
  4. Then swap; everyone keeps goal once
Fair play
A grown-up shoots with the weaker hand.
Points
The shooter scores 2 points for a goal; the keeper scores 1 point for each save.
Fouls
The shot does not count
  • Shooting before the keeper is set
  • Shooting from inside the line
  • Throwing with two hands
Winning
The most points after everyone has shot and kept goal.
Stars
  1. 4 points for 1 star
  2. 7 points for 2 stars
  3. 10 points for 3 stars

Easier or harder

Easier

A closer line.

Harder

A moving shooter.

What you will see, and what to say

  • the shot is a push Turn the body, snap the wristWhip it.
  • the keeper is still moving at the shot Get set before the shotSet, then save.

Self-check

4of 10

4 of 10 shots on target and the goalie saves 2.

Stop and get a coach when

Pain in the shoulder or elbow.

Fitness for this

Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.

This card trains passing, shooting, goalkeeping.

awiseathlete.com/sports/water-polo/water-polo-b3