The Happy Ending of the Water Polo Class
A few months ago, the Chinese women’s water polo team performed impressive games in the Olympic Stadium, hence the water polo has also caught the public attention.
In December, PEU has invited Coach Liang Yi, one of China’s national athletes, to offer a 5-session of water polo class for students. On the evening of December 17, the class successfully ended at the Swimming Pool of the Sports Hall.
Fast Facts of Water Polo
Water polo originated in Britain in the mid-19th century and is one of the earliest team events in Olympic history. This sport combines the characteristics of swimming, handball, football, rugby, and wrestling. The athletes are required to perform well in strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility, and apart from the general swimming skills, they are also equipped with some special skills, such as treading water, take-off, turning, head-up crawl, quick start, sudden stop, change direction swimming, etc.
The men’s standard water polo ground is 30 meters long and 20 meters wide, and the depth is over 1.8 meters. The women’s water polo ground is 25 meters long and 20 meters wide, and the depth is at least 1.8 meters. Each end has a goal 0.9 m high and 3 m wide.
The competition will last for 32 minutes with 4 eight-minute sessions.
A team is formed by 7 players, including one goalkeeper. During the match, no one shall touch the ball with both hands except the goalkeeper. The players’ caps must be blue or white to distinguish the two sides of the game. The hats are differentiated with the number from 1-13, and the goalkeepers on both sides wear the number 1 red hat, while the other players wear the number 3-13. Earmuffs are attached to the hats to protect the ears.
Water polo was introduced to Hong Kong and Guangdong in the 1920s. The best result that the Chinese male water polo team has ever had in Olympics was the 9th place in 1984 Los Angeles. The Chinese female water polo team was formed in 2004, and its best results were the 5th at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.
Water polo is very popular in Europe and America. In the United States, the NCAA water polo championship trophy is one of the most important stepping stones for students to pursue their college dreams.
Since the first Universiade in Turin in 1959, water polo has been a constant event.
In 2011, the 26th Shenzhen Universiade, water polo competition was held in Shenzhen Baoan District Natatorium. The Chinese female water polo team beat their arch-rival - the United States to win the female water polo championship.
Photo: China’s Liu Ping (right) prepared to shoot in the female water polo final at the 26th Summer Universiade. (source: Xinhua News Agency)
The National Champion Offered the Students with an Experience Class
Coach Liang Yi is a national athlete and a first-class water polo coach, who won the 2010 national male Water Polo Championship.
After half a month of intense preparation, on December 2, the first experience class was successfully opened with great expectations from the students. They gathered around Coach Liang, listened to him briefly introduce the water polo field, ball, rules; explained the characteristics of the water polo event, and then warmed up together to learn the water polo swimming skills.
In the second class, the students followed the guidance of Coach Liang, while reviewing the basic swimming skills they stepped forward to learn the hovering skills.
During the break, Coach Liang invited young athletes from the Shenzhen Sports School to perform a unique exhibition match. The players were divided into two teams. Once the coach blew his whistle, they turned into water masters, and quickly organized an attack, not to mention that they integrated to pass the ball, dodged the defense, and seized the opportunity to shoot!
The students were amazed by the astonishing experience course.
In the following classes, the students learned how to pounce, pass, and shoot. In the last class, they had an exciting competition.
Students were divided into two sides, although not counting the scores, they still tried their best to enjoy the pleasure brings by water polo. Upon the end-of-class whistle, they still felt like playing the game.
Reviews from the Students
“This is the first time that I have tried water polo! As a ball lover, a look at the mail I signed up at once, and it turns out the class is definitely worth it! Not only did we learn the techniques of water polo (swimming with your head up) and hovering (everyone is like an artificial propeller), but we also ran simulations. Water polo takes a lot of energy. Just to keep me afloat is frustrating enough, not to say sprinting, passing, and shooting at the same time, but the moment I score a goal is really rewarding! Thanks for the activities organized by PEU, hope to have the opportunity to play water polo later!”
“Water polo is a collective ball game in the water. The competition is tense and exciting, which requires the athletes to have excellent sports skills and comprehensive physical quality. The University’s water polo course provided us with a rare opportunity to get close to this niche sport. The coach introduced us to the swimming techniques of water polo and the skills of attack and defense, which enabled us to have the most basic skillset of water polo, we also experienced fierce rivalry in the water polo competition. I feel that water polo is a sport that suits me very well. It takes into account both physical ability and skills. It’s interesting and highly intense. Hope to have the opportunity to participate in water polo sports and training in the future.”
Next semester, PEU will further develop the university water polo sports culture and organize more activities, remember to stay tuned for more information!
