Water polo is an exciting team sport that is played in a swimming pool. Two teams of seven players each try to score goals by throwing a ball into the opponent’s net. Water polo is known for requiring tremendous endurance, strength and agility from its athletes. There are six field positions and one goalkeeper position per team in water polo. The positions have distinct roles and help coordinate a team’s offensive and defensive strategies. Let’s take a closer look at the seven positions in water polo and what each position’s responsibilities are.
The Center
The center is one of the six field positions in water polo. They line up at the start of play in front of the opponent’s goal. The center’s offensive responsibilities include scoring goals, passing to teammates and drawing ejections. Drawing ejections is when an offensive player maneuvers in a way that causes a defensive player to commit a foul, resulting in the defensive player being temporarily ejected from the game. This gives the offensive team a man-up advantage. The center also has defensive duties that include harassing the opponent’s center forward and blocking shots.
The Hole Set
The hole set is another field position in water polo that lines up in front of the opponent’s goal at the start of play. The hole set primarily focuses on offense. Their main responsibility is to establish and maintain good position in front of the goal. This allows them to be in prime scoring position to receive passes from teammates and shoot at the goal. The hole set scores the majority of goals for a team. They need to use their strength and size to gain inside water position over defenders.
Wings
There are two wing positions in water polo, the left wing and the right wing. The wings line up on the sides of the pool at the start of play. Wings are responsible for both offense and defense during games. On offense, their main role is to move along the sides of the pool and draw ejections from the opponent’s field players. The wings pass the ball to drivers and shoot the ball themselves when they have opportunities. For defense, the wings are tasked with preventing opponent wing players from advancing up the sides of the pool.
Drivers
Drivers play on the perimeter of the offensive attack. There is a left driver and a right driver position in water polo. Drivers line up on the outside lanes on offense at the start of play. Their offensive responsibilities are to swim fast up and down the sides of the pool, receive perimeter passes from teammates and drive to the goal for close shots. Drivers need speed, endurance and good ball handling skills. For defense, drivers mark opponent wing players and prevent shots.
Point
The point is a key field position in water polo that transitions between offense and defense frequently during games. The point lines up at the 2-meter line at the start of offensive possessions. Their main offensive duties are to facilitate ball movement, look for shooters and draw ejections. For defense, the point is responsible for pressuring the opponent’s center and blocking shots. Points need to be well-conditioned swimmers with good game awareness.
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper is the seventh position in water polo. They are the last line of defense for the team and try to block shots from entering the goal. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with two hands. They line up in front of the goal at the start of play. Goalkeepers need to have quick reflexes, good coordination and strong legs to jump out of the water and deflect shots. Their responsibilities include protecting the goal, communicating with teammates and initiating fast breaks after saves.
Conclusion
There are seven total positions in water polo – center, hole set, left wing, right wing, left driver, right driver, and goalkeeper. Each position has important offensive and defensive roles that require specialized skills. Centers and hole sets are focused on scoring. Wings and drivers excel at drawing ejections and perimeter shots. Points transition between offense and defense seamlessly. Goalkeepers protect the goal. All seven positions work together using their unique strengths to help their team score while preventing the other team from scoring. A water polo team needs players with the right combination of speed, stamina, awareness and skills to succeed at each position.
Here is a summary of the seven water polo positions:
| Position | Offensive Responsibilities | Defensive Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Center | Scoring goals, passing, drawing ejections | Pressuring opponent center, blocking shots |
| Hole Set | Scoring goals | Protecting inside water |
| Wings | Drawing ejections, perimeter shots | Pressuring opponent wings |
| Drivers | Perimeter shots | Marking opponent wings |
| Point | Facilitating ball movement, drawing ejections | Pressuring opponent center, blocking shots |
| Goalkeeper | Initiating fast breaks | Protecting the goal |
Water polo teams function like a well-oiled machine when each position player carries out their offensive and defensive assignments. Mastering the specifics of each position is vital for water polo teams seeking to improve their performance. Coaches analyze their personnel to place athletes in the best role to leverage their individual strengths and support the team. With practice and discipline, water polo players develop the endurance, field awareness and skills required to excel in their given position.
Water polo first emerged in the late 1800s in England as an aquatic version of field handball sports popular at the time. The original name was “water rugby” with elements borrowed from rugby, soccer and boxing. In the early 1900s, the sport spread to the United States and Canada where its name changed to “water polo” to better reflect the aquatic environment and use of a ball instead of puck. Modern water polo is now played competitively in over 120 countries worldwide after becoming an Olympic sport in 1900. The Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) oversees international governance of water polo.
There are over 800,000 active water polo players globally. Collegiate and professional leagues exist across the world along with extensive youth and junior competitive programs. The United States, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Serbia and Greece have strong water polo traditions and feature top-ranked men’s and women’s national teams today. Water polo is gaining popularity as more people learn about this demanding, tactical sport. Fans appreciate water polo for showcasing tremendous athleticism, endurance and strategy.
While initially developed as a 15-per-side game, competitive water polo today features seven athletes per team in the pool during game play. Besides the goalkeeper, water polo has six field positions: 2 drivers, 2 wings, 1 hole set and 1 center. Each position has distinct offensive and defensive responsibilities. Field players tend to specialize in certain positions based on their physical abilities and technical skills.
For offense, wings and drivers excel at moving along the perimeter to either create shooting opportunities for themselves or draw ejections. The hole set operates near the goal to physically establish position and convert passes into scoring chances. The center facilitates passing in the interior and creates opportunities for themselves or teammates. All field players on offense work together using excellent conditioning, ball handling skills and field awareness to create undefended shots on goal.
For defense, wings and drivers are responsible for limiting opponent perimeter players. Centers and points neutralize threats in the interior and block shots. All field players on defense tirelessly work together to pressure the ball, intercept passes and physically overwhelm opponents – either through steals, ejections or shot blocks. The goalkeeper acts as the last line of defense to stop shots.
Specialization in offense, defense or both for a given position depends on a player’s physiological makeup. For example, centers tend to be physical specimens – combining height, power and agility. Wings and drivers need more lean physiques optimised for speed and endurance. Points require the stamina to transition between offense and defense repeatedly. Goalkeepers must have fast reaction times, hand-eye coordination and strong legs to propel themselves out of the water.
Water polo matches last four 8-minute quarters with teams changing sides halfway through. Players need tremendous stamina and endurance to maintain a high-intensity effort throughout the 32 minutes of match play. Elite water polo athletes are in peak physical condition given the sport’s demanding requirements. Players utilize the 30-second shot clock to work the ball around strategically and attack their opponent’s weaknesses based on match-ups.
Mastering water polo skills like ball handling, passing, shooting and defensive positioning takes dedication and practice. Athletes improve their aquatic game awareness and skills through training drills tailored for each position’s roles. Coaches analyze a player’s speed, strength, quickness, awareness, passing ability, shooting accuracy and other attributes before assigning positions to maximize a team’s capability and chemistry in the water.
The seven positions in water polo enable precise organization of player responsibilities on offense, defense and transition. Each athlete knows their role based on their position and matchup in the pool during game play. Every team needs players capable of excelling across all seven positions to perform at a high level. Coaches constantly break down film to identify targeted areas for improvement. Elite teams recruit and develop well-rounded players to form a cohesive, multifaceted lineup ready to take on any opponent.
For those curious about water polo, understanding the seven positions provides helpful insight into the organization and strategy of this exhilarating, highly competitive sport. Each position makes unique contributions requiring specialized capabilities. Seeing athletes seamlessly carry out position-based skills as a coordinated team is what makes water polo fun and compelling to watch. The next time you catch a water polo match, see if you can identify the different position players and observe how they execute their respective offensive and defensive assignments throughout the game.
