WHEN YOU mention the word polo, certain things spring to mind: t-shirts, posh people on horses and German hatchbacks. But what ought to be at the top of that list is the fast and furious sport of water polo.
Water polo is best described as a fusion of handball, swimming and rugby. The aim of the game is to score in goals at opposite ends of the pool. Only the goalkeeper can stand, and no player can hold the ball in two hands. Also, it is forbidden to drag the ball underwater, or, frustratingly, to climb out of the pool and run to the other end and jump in again. You are allowed to push and hold other players, but only if they have the ball. Fouls are frequent, as are goals. Games at University level are divided into quarters of eight minutes, though the watch is stopped when the ball is out of play. Incidentally the ball is a similar size to a football, but waterproof.
The most famous water polo match has to be the “Blood in the Water” game between Hungary and the USSR at the Melbourne Olympics of 1956. Coming so soon after the violently crushed Hungarian Revolution, there was plenty of animosity between the teams. Towards the end of the match, with Hungary crusing to a 4-0 victory, a Hungarian player emerged from the pool with blood pouring from his eye having been punched by his Russian marker. The water began to turn red and all hell broke less. The game had to be abandoned after the crowd tried to attack the Russian team and police had to step in to save the Soviet athletes.
University water polo is not quite as brutal. Here in Manchester, we can lay claim to having one of the best water polo teams in the country. Last year, the women reached the semi-finals of the British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) Championships, while the men went one step further, reaching the finals in Nottingham in March.
Over the summer the water polo club has split from the swimming club and now, out on their own with a point to prove, they hope that the greater autonomy will lead to more success this season. New coaches have been appointed for both the men’s and women’s teams, and with a talented group of freshers containing several Great Britain internationals eager to impress, they hope to go one better.
For those interested in trying Water Polo, newcomers shouldn’t underestimate just how draining the sport can be. To simply stay afloat for long periods is hard enough, but when you also consider the combative element of the sport together with its frenetic pace, water polo is not for the faint-hearted. However, the club plan to hold open days later in the semester, so if it sounds like your kind of sport, make sure you go along to take part in this fast, frenetic and exciting sport.
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