Club corner: Water polo

Water polo in action

"Water polo is a sport, and it is traditionally played in a pool 25 meters long, and seven feet deep. Two teams of seven kick, scratch, and punch each other to throw a ball into their respective nets. One player on each team is designated goalie, and another is designated as `whole-set player.' The whole-set player functions in a manner analogous to a center in basketball--he positions himself with his back turned two meters away from the goal and is the primary offensive player," Trevor Hawkins, DC '99, said. "Water polo is a full-contact sport. Nearly anything goes--players can even drape themselves over their opponent holding the ball. There are several regulations, though. Players can only touch the ball with one hand, and they cannot touch the bottom of the pool."

Incidentally, Yale happens to have its own water polo team, and because it has been designated club status, it has no official coach. As a result, the team is led by senior Ian Bedford, DC '97, who doubles as both captain and coach. Practice began three weeks ago, consisting primarily of fitness training and conditioning. "Our goal was to get into shape; the game is very physical and requires a lot of body conditioning," Hawkins said.

Last weekend, the team participated in a tournament at Yale against teams from Williams, Amherst, Dartmouth, Trinity, and Wesleyan, which make up the Western Region of the New England Division. "Yeah, we were happy to play on campus. In general, our competitions are scheduled away," Hawkins said. The team was able to garner one win versus the Dartmouth B team; however, they also had three losses to Williams, Trinity, and the Dartmouth A team.

"We're a young team, making transitions, getting used to playing with each other," Hawkins said. "We've got players from the East Coast and the West Coast who learned different styles, and we need to make adjustments."

In addition to inexperience, Hawkins cited another advantage the other teams had. "Some of the teams have deep benches that allow the players to take more frequent rests. In general, the deeper the bench, the more rest."

However, Hawkins was hopeful for the rest of the season. "We're looking to fare better in the upcoming tournaments. It will be good to get experience, to play together."

--Raymond Kim