WATER POLO GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Advantage Rule: A rule permitting the referee to refrain from declaring a foul, if in his judgment, such a declaration would give the advantage to the defending team.

Counter Attack: A term used to describe transition play between half court offense. Generally it is used to set up a half court offense or to exploit a man advantage over the opponent's defense for a high percentage shot.

Bunny (Donut): A goal that is scored by a hard shot that is Dribble: The method a player uses to swim with the ball aimed close to the goalie's head.

Drive: Quick swimming movement made toward the goal by an offensive player without the ball.

Driver: A player who normally tries to get away from his defender in the front court by quick, explosive swimming.

Drop: Almost a zone defense, where the defensive players drop back to help protect the center of the pool and help block shots. The ball carrier must be pressured to force a bad pass or hurried shot.

Dry pass: A pass made where there is a need for a quick reception by the receiver and the ball may be caught without touching the water.

Eggbeater: the alternating leg kick like a breaststroke kick that enables players to lift themselves vertically out of the water while constantly treading water.

Ejection/Kick-Out: A major foul that requires a player to go to the penalty area for 20 seconds. Player may leave the penalty area before 20 seconds has expired if his team recovers the ball, or if the opposing team scores. Ejection area: An area behind the goal line, opposite from the desk and beside the time bench, where penalty time is served by a player who has committed and exclusion foul.

Face-Off: A neutral throw awarded by the referee. Face-offs generally occur when 2 players commit a foul at the same time. The referee will award a face-off by requiring 2 players from opposing teams to face each other, at which point he blows his whistle and throws the ball between them.

Faking (or Balking): A body, arm, or eye movement, or combination of these, which freeze a defensive player or makes them leave defensive positioning, to the advantage of the offensive player.

Field player: A player other than the goalie.

Flat: The area in the pool generally positioned 5 to 8 meters out from the goal posts. The "flat' is the position from which most "drives" are initiated. Free Throw: When a player is fouled by a defender, he receives a free throw. This is a pass that the defender may not block or interfere with in any manner. The player receiving a free throw has three seconds to put the ball in play, either by passing to a teammate, dribbling the ball, or popping it in the air to himself.

Front Court: The area of the pool in front of the goal. Game clock: The clock that displays the time remaining in the period.

Goalie: A player whose primary responsibility is to defend the goal. He may use 2 hands to defend against shots by the opposing team and he may stand.

Goal Throw: A free throw awarded to the goalkeeper after a member of the offensive team has caused the ball to go out of bounds across the goal line.

Green Markers: The line 7-meters from the goal line.

Greenie (Guerrini): A vertical, quick shot taken by a perimeter player following a pass from the 2-meter position. Pass and shot are taken quickly in an effort to "catch" the perimeter defender and goalkeeper by surprise.

Man-Down: The time of play in which a defending team has one less player, normally due to an ejection.

Man-Up: is simply the opposite side of the coin, describing the offensive perspective (also called 6 on 5).

Natural Goal: A goal scored from open play when both teams are at full strength, as opposed to a goal scored from a penalty throw or a man-up situation.

No Foul: Holding, sinking, grabbing and/or pulling back a player who is "holding the ball" is not a foul so long as it is not done in a manner likely to injure the offensive player.

Outlet: A pass from the goalie to a field player after a save to begin a counterattack. Penalty area: The location of the pool behind each goal line, where a penalized player must await re-entry after an ejection.

Penalty Shot: A shot awarded to the offense when a defender commits a major foul within 4 meters of his own goal. Any offensive player currently in the pool (NO goalies) may take a free shot at the goal when the referee blows his whistle. He may take it no closer than 4 meters and he may NOT fake or delay. The defending goalie may not move to block the shot until the referee blows his whistle.

Personal Foul: A foul that results in exclusion or a penalty shot. Any player committing three personal fouls is excluded from the remainder of the game.

Pick: This term describes the method for an offensive player to free himself momentarily from his defender. He accomplishes this by swimming so close to another offensive player, that his defender swims into his offensive teammate by mistake, allowing him to be open for an instant.

Press: A type of defense in which everyone is covered tightly, man-to-man.

Red: The period of time immediately prior to the expiration of the shot clock or game clock. Some teams yell "RED" when either of these clocks indicates 10 seconds or less.

Red markers: The line 2-meters from the goal line. Shot Clock: The clock that displays the time of possession in which a team must take a shot (also called possession clock).

Slough: The action taken by a defender when he moves away from his opponent to help defend in another area.

Sprint: The manner in which a water polo game begins each quarter. Each team lines up on the wall or at the 2-meter line to start. When the referee blows his whistle, the 2 players closest to the referee sprint towards the ball, which is dropped on the halfway line.

Strong Side: The side of the pool in which the ball is located. Substitutions: Replacing one player with another. This may occur at any time in the ejection area, or between periods, after a goal is scored, or to replace an ejected player.

Two-Meter Man: A name given to the player who is located on or about the 2-meter line in front of the opposing team's goal, during the front court offensive time. This individual is also called a hole man.

Weak Side: The side of the pool opposite of where the ball is located.

Wet Shot: A shot that is attempted while the ball is controlled in the water, usually a quick wrist shot; also called an off-the-water shot.

Yellow Markers: The line 4-meters from the goal line.

Zone Defense: A type of defense in which players are assigned an area to defend. Defensive players must assume responsibility for covering any offensive players entering their area.