a quick tart guide

A QUICK START GUIDE FOR NEW COACHES

AUGUST 2021

PURPOSE x This quick start guide has been prepared to assist a person who is new to water polo to coach a

local junior team. This is a suggested framework only to assist you in getting started and is not meant to be all encompassing and turn you into an Olympic level coach.

x The overarching philosophy and intent of this document is to provide new coaches with a quick start guide to keep participants safe, engaged, busy, and learning the basics of water polo.

x Your effectiveness as a coach with these players should be as simple as assessing if the participants enjoy their time and return with a smile on their face for the next session.

x WPA will update this guide every year, so please share your feedback and experience in using it to help coaches in the future.

PREPARATION

Prior to the first session:

x Talk to Club Executive to understand the Club Philosophy that you are now a part of x What do you want to achieve in this 6 week program (season planning)? x What support do you have access to at the sessions? Are there parents who can assist? x Check with the Club to see what equipment you have access to or will need. x Is there a more experienced coach you can reach out to as a mentor? x How will you ensure a safe environment for the participants?

x How can you engage the parents, so they understand your role and your philosophy? This could be one of the most important discussion you have. Here is an example of how you might approach this

The First Session

Get to know all the kids in your team by the end of the first session

o Think about some simple activities you could do with the kids (a quick google search for ice breaker or team building activities is a good start), to help them get to know each other and you to know them. Never underestimate the importance of knowing their name and being able to pronounce it correctly. If its tricky, ask them how to say it, they will be thrilled you took the time to ask.

o You are likely to encounter players participating for the first time. Make them feel welcome and a part of the group. Pair them up with a returning player and introduce them to the group. Ensure they understand they can take a break whenever they need it and to ask questions if they have them.

o If you have a team manager, ask them to take the new player’s parent aside and check if they have any questions, or just have a chat, the parents are just as much a part of the team as the players.

PHILOSOPHY: COACHING BEGINNERS IN WATER POLO Water Polo includes many components, such as fitness, skills, decision-making, tactics and communication. Learning the basic skills underpins the enjoyment factor of the game, which is an essential component in ensuring that the kids come back and have long-term enjoyment of our sport.

Like all training, the process of learning, developing and mastering skills is an ongoing and non-linear process. Mastering movements such as eggbeater, passing, catching or shooting can only be achieved through developing correct teaching and practice. The coach must understand what aspects are to be reinforced to ensure they are teaching skills the correct way.

Young kids can learn quickly so the initial coaching of a skill is important. Once players have learnt the fundamental skills, these should be further developed by participating in modified game situations. However, it is very important that the basics are taught correctly first, be patient and don’t rush into game situations if the kids are not ready.

It is often important to break skills down into simple bite size chunks before progressing to more advanced practices. Try to ensure the feedback you provide is aligned with the instructions or key messages you gave them.

While the above is important, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be an expert at this stage. The number one priority is to ensure the players keep coming back.

CHECKLIST FOR GOOD COACHING PRACTICE x A good coach is well organized, enthusiastic and has an attitude of wanting to help players enjoy

the game. x Coaches should aim to develop the players as people as well as players. Setting some lear, basic

guidelines and expectations around manners, respect and punctuality is important. Don’t assume people think or have the same expectations as you, be clear about these.

x Communicate efficiently with the team, keep messages short, simple and clear. The participants want to play, not listen to the coach give long technical instructions.

x Prepare your equipment before beginning the session and ensure the training environment is safe. x Positive reinforcement is invaluable and facilitates learning. Look to recognise players doing the

right thing in and out of the pool, “catch them being good”. x Ensure the activities are age appropriate and of the appropriate standard, check with your mentor

coach or another coach at the club if you are not sure. A really simple guide is if you ask the player or the team to do an activity and they can achieve it 7 or 8 times out of time, it is about right, also known as the “training sweet spot”. If they get it right 10/10, its too easy, if less than 7, it may be too challenging for them yet, and you may need to modify it slightly, then work back up.

x Demonstrate (if you are not able to demonstrate the skill ensure that you invite a player along to the session to help you) - be concise, highlight key points, be sure all participants can see, repeat instructions several times if required, use a kid as an example if you know they can do the skill

x Move from simple to advanced skills. Simple skills are basic movements explained in step-by-step instruction. When these simple skills are learnt, the kids can be introduced to more advanced skills that rely on combining multiple simple skills that the kids already have

x Allow time for preparation and repetition and repetition. You can achieve repetition of the same skill within a variety of different activities to ensure the players don’t get bored.

x Provide a variety of activities, kids attention spans are very short x Provide opportunity to practise in a modified game situation x Try to keep instructions short and simple, plan ahead and know what you are going to say before

you say it. Use clear and consistent instructions. x Quickly organise groups and get them into action. Minimise idle time, or time transitionig

between activities.

A great resource is the Sport Australia, coaching general principals course. This will step you through the basics of coaching in a format applicable to all sports and age levels.

PLANNING THE SEASON While there is no expectation on you to develop an Olympic standard plan, it is important to have a basic idea of what you want to do across the season. The basic 6 week plan included in this guide, demonstrates how this can be done, just add to this to build a 12 or 18 week season. Remember, all plans need to be adapted at times, so don’t get too worried if it does not go to script. x It is the responsibility of the coach to plan for the program, in this case the 6-week program, as

well as each session. It may be necessary to change a session because of unforeseen circumstances so you need to be adaptable.

x In the early sessions it will be necessary to concentrate on the basic skills until a certain level of ability of swimming and legwork is reached.

PLANNING & MANAGING A SESSION x Training sessions should always offer opportunities for learning and fun and include all players. x Activities should be varied and stimulating to help maintain kids’ concentration and interest

throughout the session. You can achieve this with subtle variations, it does not have to be a big change.

x While planning is important, coaches need to be adaptable, ensuring they are responsive to the ability of the kids.

x It is essential that coaches do not find themselves focussing all their time on a particular group of kids, attention should be spread amongst all the kids.

x Each of the session plans provided are designed for 60 minutes and follows a basic structure outlined below. This is a guide and if you have 90 minutes, stretch it out, if less, you may shorten parts of the session.

SAMPLE SESSION STRUCTURE: x Please note that time allocations for each section are estimates based on a 60-minute training

session and are only a general guideline. x Purpose of Session x Skills Warm-up (15 mins)

o The purpose of the warm-up is to get the body parts that you are going to use in the session ready and to prepare the kids for the rest of the session.

o With skills, it is important to positively reinforce skill techniques and highlight key points as skills are being executed

x Skill Development Activities (25 minutes) o This is the main part of the session where skills are introduced, practiced and

progressed towards modified game situations. Practices should initially involve individual activities and eventually progress to activities involving partners and small groups. Effective coaches plan and prepare how to introduce a skill, identify key points to emphasise, recognise skill errors and know how to rectify skill errors. It is essential for kids to understand the need to learn and continuously practice skills, therefore coaches need to highlight the importance of skill development.

o Skill development activities can be broken up to focus on a number of specific skills. For water polo, coaches could start with a short swimming session before moving on to specific skills such as shooting, passing or leg techniques.

x Modified Games or Match Play (15 minutes) o Games are a means to implement previously learnt skills. Modified games are very

useful for beginner water polo players as it enables them to link the skills to when it is used in a water polo game. To achieve this, coaches can adjust the rules or parameters of play emphasising skills or game situations. This focus on variety is also important to ensure enjoyment of the training session.

x Session Wrap Up (5 mins) o With new kids to water polo, it is important to bring them all together at the end of

the session to recap the session and get them to tell you what has been learnt and why these skills are important for water polo.

MOST IMPORTANT RULES FOR BEGINNERS

x Only the goal-keeper can use two hands x Ball Under

BASIC SKILLS OF WATER POLO FOR BEGINNERS The following skills should be taught over a season – generally a 6-month period, the highlighted ones are those that should be covered in the first 6 weeks. Without the Ball 1. Basic Swimming

2. Sculling

3. Eggbeater Kick

4. Head Up Freestyle

5. Head Up Backstroke

6. Freestyle-Backstroke

7. Spider / Trudgen

8. Stopping & Starting

9. Jumping

10. Turning 90◦

11. Turning 180◦

With the Ball

1. Pick up and Hold the Ball

2. Swimming with the Ball

3. Passing on the Water

4. Catching the Ball

5. Changing Direction

6. Roll-over

7. Passing on the Hand

8. Passing with a Defender

9. Shooting the Ball

6 W

EEK SESSION

PLAN

OVERVIEW

Session

Focus for the Session Skills W

arm U

p Skill Developm

ent M

odified Game

Session Recap 1

Introduction to Water Polo

x Fam

iliarisation with

the water

x Freestyle

x Breaststroke

x Backstroke

Introduction to picking up the ball and holding the ball and individual ball skills

Statues Game

Recap on the basic skills covered today

2 Introduce the im

portance of legw

ork and therefore eggbeater

x Freestyle

x Breaststroke

x Backstroke

Introduction of sculling. Introduction of Eggbeater.

“Statues” Legwork Drill


3 Focus on Sw

imm

ing with

the Ball x

Freestyle x

Breaststroke x

Backstroke x

Legwork

Introduction to head up freestyle. Introduction to sw

imm

ing w

ith the ball.

“Keeps off Water Polo”


4 Focus on Passing on the W

ater x

Freestyle x

Backstroke x

Swim

ming w

ith the ball

x Legw

ork

Introduce how to pass the

ball on the water to your

partner

“Pairs” Game


5 Focus on Catching the Ball

x Freestyle

x Backstroke

x Legw

ork x

Swim

ming w

ith the ball

Move from

passing on the w

ater to on your partners hand, introduce how

to catch the ball

“First to 5” Progressive Gam

e Recap on the basic skills covered today

6 Focus on Shooting

x Freestyle

x Backstroke

x Legw

ork x

Swim

ming w

ith the ball

Introduce how to shoot at

the goal, extension from

how to pass

Mini W

ater Polo Game

(small field 10m

x 15m)

incorporating all the skills


SESSION

1 Session Com

ponent Activities

Notes

Session Overview

Land Activities 15 M

inutes

Introduction to Water Polo

x Introduce yourself and get the kids to introduce each other

x Ask w

ho has seen water polo before, w

hat are the parts of the games they see –

looking for the basic elements – sw

imm

ing, legwork, passing, shooting

x W

hy do you want to play w

ater polo? x

What you are going to teach the kids today.

Skills Warm

Up

15 Minutes

x Fam

iliarisation with the w

ater x

Freestyle x 4 widths

x Breaststroke x 2 w

idths x

Backstroke x 2 widths

x Relays for fun m

ixing up all strokes

Ensure the kids are safe and competent in

the water. W

atch each of kids whilst they

are doing these laps to see which kids m

ay struggle w

ith the swim

ming and need to

stay near the wall

Skill Development

15 Minutes

x Introduction to picking up the ball and holding the ball and individual ball skills. Each kid needs a ball and needs to be facing the side of the pool for you to w

atch and keep an eye on w

hat they are doing. Spend about 5 minutes explaining how

to pick up the ball and w

hy, get the kids to practice as you are explaining. x

Get the kids to practice about 10 tim

es each and after they have picked it up drop it on the w

ater and try again. x

Get the kid to sw

im about 5 freestyle strokes and then pick the ball up to com

bine to skills

See Coaching Tips Below

Modified G

ame

10 Minutes

Statues Gam

e x

Mark out a 4m

x 4m area in the corner of the pool

x Each kid w

ith a ball must stay in the area

x Each kid uses and m

ethod they want w

ith their legs, they hold the ball with one hand

in the air, they move w

ithin the area and try to knock the ball out of the hand of the other kids. Initially w

hen the ball is knocked out of someone’s hand, they pick it up

and continue. You can then have a competition, w

hen the ball is knocked out of your hand you are out and m

ove to the side, the winner is the last kid w

ith the ball in their hand.

Session Recap 5 M

inutes Recap on the basic skills covered today

SESSION

2 Session Com

ponent Activities

Notes

Session Overview

Land Activities 5 M

inutes

Recap what w

e covered in the previous session and get kids to give this information.

Introduce the importance of legw

ork in water polo and therefore eggbeater.

Skills Warm

Up

15 Minutes

x Freestyle x 4 w

idths x

Breaststroke x 2 widths

x Backstroke x 2 w

idths x

Kids choice – each kid to choose 1 width and all kids do it

x Relays that m

ix up all strokes, make sure the kids are in different team

s to last session

Skill Development

25 Minutes

x Introduction of sculling

x Introduction of Eggbeater

x W

ith sculling get the kids to sit on a ball so they can focus on their arms

x W

ith eggbeater there are many w

ays to teach: get the kids to sit on the side of the pool and m

ove their legs in the water, have the kids in the w

ater with their back to the w

all and their arm

s on the up wall and just use their legs.

x Each kid w

ith a ball to lean on and then work on their eggbeater, sitting in the w

ater x

When a little m

ore comfortable rem

ove the ball and combine sculling and legw

ork x

Then add the kids picking up the ball and using the correct eggbeater


Modified Gam

e 10 M

inutes “Statues” Legw

ork Drill x

Mark out a 4m

x 4m area in the corner of the pool

x Each kid w

ith a ball must stay in the area

x Each kid m

ust use eggbeater and hold the ball with one hand in the air, they m

ove within the

area and try to knock the ball out of the hand of the other kids – focus on eggbeater. Initially w

hen the ball is knocked out of someone’s hand, they pick it up and continue. You can then

have a competition, w

hen the ball is knocked out of your hand you are out and move to the

side, the winner is the last kid w

ith the ball in their hand.

Session Recap 5 M


SESSION

3

Session Component

Activities N

otes Session O

verview

Land Activity 5 M

inutes

Recap on the skills taught yesterday and outline the focus for today is Swim

ming w

ith the Ball and w

hy this is important in w

ater polo

Skills Warm

Up

20 Minutes

x Freestyle x 4 w

idths x

Breaststroke x 2 widths

x Backstroke x 2 w

idths x

Eggbeater leaning back on the wall for a few

minutes

x Eggbeater leaning on the ball, in a horizontal position m

oving across the pool, 4 w

idths

Skill Development

20 Minutes

x Introduction to head up freestyle

x As an extension to freestyle w

e introduce the head up freestyle, each kid to sw

im 4 w

idths, stopping after each width for coach feedback

x Introduction to sw

imm

ing with the ball

x As a further extension, each kid has a ball and starts to sw

im freestyle w

ith their head up and a ball in front of them

for 4 widths, again stopping after

each width to allow

for coach feedback x

Relays swim

ming w

ith the ball, again different teams to previous session


Modified Gam

e 10 M

inutes “Keeps off W

ater Polo” The kids are divided into groups of 4, 2 are attackers and 2 are defenders. The 2 attackers need to keep the ball off the 2 defenders, they can do this using any skills they have learnt so far – sw

im w

ith the ball, pick it up (with one hand), get it to their

partner, etc. If the defenders steal the ball they become the attackers, if they don’t

change every minute. Also change pairings after a few

times.

Session Recap 5 M


SESSION

4 Session Com

ponent Activities

Notes

Session Overview

Land Activity 5 M

inutes

Recap on the skills taught last session and talk about the focus today is passing the ball on the water

Skills Warm

Up

15 Minutes

x Freestyle x 4 w

idths x


x Sw

imm

ing with the ball x 4 w

idths x

Legwork – eggbeater leaning on the ball x 4 w

idths, eggbeater in a seated position walking

across the pool x 2 widths

x Relays m

ixed with sw

imm

ing and legwork

Skill Development

25 Minutes

Introduce how to pass the ball on the w

ater to your partner x

Start by getting all the kids out of the water and step through the technique w

ith them on dry

land (without a ball to start w

ith) x

Still on the land, get the kids in pairs and they pass to each other with the correct technique

x If you have access to a shallow

end of the pool, get the kids in their doing the same as on land

x Then progress to the deep end of the pool


Modified Gam

e 10 M

inutes “Pairs” Gam

e x

Kids to be in pairs and all spread out (but not too far) in the pool, they have to try and keep the ball betw

een themselves by passing to each other or sw

imm

ing away from

the other kids, if a kid from

another pair gets the ball they are now in control and all the other pairs and trying to

get the ball off them.

Session Recap 5 M


SESSION

5 Session Com

ponent Activities

Notes

Session Overview

Land Activity 5 M

inutes

Recap on what w

as taught last session and extend that to today the focus on catching the pass from

your teamm

ate.

Skills Warm

Up

20 Minutes

x Freestyle x 4 w

idths x


x Sw

imm


idths x


idths, eggbeater in a seated position w

alking across the pool x 4 widths

x Relays m

ixed with sw

imm

ing and legwork, kids to choose the structure

Skill Development

15 Minutes

Move from

passing on the water to on your partners hand, introduce how

to catch the ball. In 4s the kids practice their passing technique learnt last session w

ith adding in how to

catch the ball. Start in close, about 1.5m apart and pass betw

een each other. Ensure that the kids are passing clockw

ise to start with as this is easier for right handers and

most kids are right handers. As the kids get a little better, they can m

ove a bit further apart but keep em

phasising the technique and only using one hand. In 3s kids to do the sam

e as above but when they catch the ball turn a com

plete circle, to their left (if they are right-handed) and then pass off to the next person


Modified Gam

e 15 M

inutes “First to 5” Progressive Gam

e In pairs the kids start 1 lane apart facing each other, they m

ust pass 5 passes to each other w

ithout dropping the ball (in total not each), the first pair to reach 5 using the current technique and only using 1 hand is the w

inner. They then move back to 2

lanes and repeat, and 3 lanes if they can make it that far.

Session Recap 5 M


SESSION

6 Session Com

ponent Activities

Notes

Session Overview

Land Activity 5 M

inutes

Recap what w

as taught in the last session and talk about what w

e are doing today, shooting

Skills Warm

Up

15 Minutes

x Freestyle x 2 w

idths x


x Sw

imm


idths x


idths, eggbeater in a seated position walking

across the pool x 4 widths

x Relays m

ixed with sw

imm

ing and legwork

Skill Development

20 Minutes

Introduce how to shoot at the goal, extension from

how to pass. Get the kids out of the w

ater and go through the technique for passing, explain that shooting is basically the sam

e as passing but they need to aim

for the corners of the goal when shooting rather than passing it their team

mate.

In the water have the kids in pairs and pass 10 passes betw

een each other about 3m apart if they are

capable (if not move them

in closer). M

ove the kids to in front of the goals, have 2 lines, one on each goal post about 5 metres from

the goal, no GK for this initial drill, get the first kid from

each line swim

towards the goal w

ith 3 strokes, pick up the ball and then shoot at the goal in front of them

, they collect their ball and then swim

away from

the goal, then the next 2 kids so the sam

e, each kid has 4 turns at this. To advance the drill, kids still in 2 lines, have 1 kid stay at 5 m

etres, the kid next to him starts to sw

im to

the goal and he passes the ball to the water in front of him

, he picks it up and shots, then the next kid goes, kids collect the ball after they have shot and go to the end of the other line, each kid gets 4 shots.


Modified Gam

e 15 M

inutes M

ini Water Polo Gam

e (small field 10m

x 15m) incorporating all the skills.

At this point we have dow

n enough skills to play a mini w

ater polo game. Divide the kids into 2 team

s and if you have them

one team put on w

hite caps and the other blue, if not use swim

ming cap colours.

Talk about a few basic rules only – use 1 hand, pass to team

mates and sw

im tow

ards the other goal to score. Let the kids play for about 5 m

inutes and then have a quick break and then another 5 minutes.

Session Recap 5 M


BASIC COACHING TIPS

COACHING TIPS FOR PICKING UP THE BALL

x Beginners should pick up the ball from underneath. x Rest the ball in the palm of your hand, don’t grip the ball. x Take the ball back behind you head read to pass / shoot. x One of the major faults that beginning players have been that they try to pick the ball up

from the top of the ball. Gripping the ball from above the water makes it difficult to pick up, therefore easy for the defender to push the ball under and they don’t have control of the ball.

COACHING TIPS FOR SCULLING

Hands:

x Relax arms on the top of the water x Bend arms at elbows x Move flat hands out with thumb down and in with thumbs up

COACHING TIPS FOR EGG BEATER

Legs:

x Are to be positioned in the water as if sitting on a chair, or in a sumo squat x Legs need to be high and wide x Start leg motion as if riding a bicycle x Turn knees and feet outwards x Heels should be pushing down and toes pushing to the side

Tip: It is sometimes easier to begin with breastroke kick and then get them to alternate their legs.

COACHING TIPS FOR HEAD UP FREESTYLE

Head up freestyle enables the player to survey the field and locate the ball.

x Arch the back and use a strong freestyle kick – feet just breaking the surface x Always keep the shoulders high in the water x Use high elbow recovery and short chopping strokes x Keep the head and shoulders square with the water x Keep your head looking forward where you are going

COACHING TIPS FOR SWIMMING WITH THE BALL

Follow the same instructions for head up freestyle with the additional points:

x Place the ball just in front of your face

x Let the bow wave of the water move the ball along, don’t push it with your hands x The faster you swim the easier it is for the ball to move along in front of you x Look over the top of the ball whilst you are swimming

COACHING TIPS FOR A RIGHT HANDER TO PASSING

There’s a lot here to teach correctly, you may choose to focus on some of these tips and introduce more as you progress.

x Side on position, the left shoulder should be almost facing your teammate with the ball in the right hand away from your teammate. The left hand should be under the water in front of you sculling to providing support.

x Legs underneath you, your legs should be in a seated position underneath you, knees high and

wide, body upright and legs working hard eggbeater.

x The grip, the ball should be relaxed in the pass of the hand and slightly gripped by the little finger and the thumb and cradled by the other fingers. If gripped by too many fingers, then the wrist cannot play its part.

x Ready to pass, your right arm should be behind your head with the elbow relaxed and the ball

resting on the water.

x An eggbeater kick is used to maintain balance, a big breaststroke kick is used as the final motion when you pass the ball.

x The legs and hips, a lot of the power for the pass comes from the turn of the right hip during

the final kick, the right hip turns towards your teammate.

x The rotation of the body, the left shoulder starts the movement and along with the hip drags the right arm into action, it is most important that the upper body twists around the spine, not bending forward at the hips.

x The elbow, by the time the shoulders are parallel to your teammate, the elbow should be in

front of the shoulder and the wrist.

x Once the ball has picked up speed, the wrist should bend back in preparation for the strong flick which imparts final speed and direction to the throw.

x The ball flies off the fingers with the body angled at almost 180 degrees to where you started.

x You shouldn’t see the ball travel towards your teammate, you should twist your body

completely around so that you end up facing the side of the pool.

COACHING TIPS FOR CATCHING THE BALL

x As you prepare to catch the ball, have your arm out of the water in front of your body, bent at the elbow with a relaxed wrist and cupped hand (so that the ball can fall into it)

x As the ball is moving towards you, move your body and hand so that you have the ball “fall” into your cupped hand

COACHING TIPS FOR SHOOTING THE BALL

Shooting is an extension to passing the ball

x Player must start with the ball on the water and then jump up after tucking their legs underneath with strong eggbeater

x Before the shot (if right-handed) the left hip should face the goal x During the shot the ball must be taken back behind the head and then followed through

with a high elbow x The player must also rotate their hip forward to gain extra power x The elbow must remain high, above your ear, and follow through, flicking the wrist for

additional power and accuracy x The right hip should end up facing the goal after the shot has been completed

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

www.waterpoloaustralia.com.au/learn

https://www.thetalentequation.co.uk/podcasts

https://pegasuspublishing.com.au/how-to-play-water-polo-1

https://books.apple.com/us/book/play-water-polo/id992831448

https://www.kap7.com/drills-tips/

a quick tart guide

Documents