Well, first of all, I must say that this is my third (unofficial) post. It is also an exercise post for my CA1.
Secondly, I have edited aboutt 75-90% of the research done on this post... so, technically, I'm not breaking the copyright law. Thirdly, a very big thank you to the people who provided me with the inspiration needed to post this post.( thank you Shawn and co. your early posts really gave me ideas for mine! XD)
ok... here goes nothing....

Because of all the hype surrounding the channel 5 series "polo boys" I decided to write up about water polo as I too play the sport and I like it pretty much. Water polo is a team water sport, first started in the late 19th century,and was used during English and Scottish festivals as display strength and swimming skill.

The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper with a maximum of six substitutes and the winner is the team that scores more goals. The game is pretty much like soccer except that its in the water and you can use your hands. The game is played for an hour in four quarters with two referees who ensure that the game goes smoothly.


The rules of water polo were originally developed in the late nineteenth century in England by William Wilson. The modern game originated as a form of rugby football played in rivers and lakes in England and Scotland with a ball constructed of Indian rubber. This "water rugby" came to be called "water polo" based on the English pronunciation of the Balti word for ball, pulu. Early play allowed brute strength, wrestling and holding opposing players underwater to recover the ball; the goalie stood outside the playing area and defended the goal by jumping in on any opponent attempting to score by placing the ball on the deck.

Initially, goal were like rugby, that is, players score by performing a “touch down” planting the ball on the opponent’s end. A favourite trick of the players was to place the five-to-nine inch rubber ball inside their swimming suit and dive under the murky water, they would then appearagain as close to the goal as possible.

The "trudgeon stroke" or the “crawl” stroke changed the nature of water polo to one that emphasized swimming, speed and passing. Scottish rules moved from a rugby variant to a soccer style of play. Goals became a cage of l0 x 3 feet and a goal could be scored by throwing a ball. Players could only be tackled when they "held" the ball and the ball could no longer be taken under water. The small rubber ball was replaced by a leather soccer ball.

If the player came up too near the goal, he was promptly jumped on by the goalie. Games were often nothing more than gang fights in the water as players ignored the ball, preferring underwater wrestling matches that usually ended with one man floating to the surface unconscious.

Those games featured plays like the "flying salmon," where the player with the ball leapt through the air from the backs of his teammates to score a goal. Violence was the game's main attraction. Meanwhile, the rest of the world adopted the Scottish rules By 1900, water polo was so popular it became the first team sport added to the Olympic program.

The reason I like water polo is because it is the kind of game boys should play. Being in a all boys school, I know that we all like blood and violence. Water polo also has a higher rate of play than other sports as there are less players and a smaller playing area. That means one players has to work harder and must play all around the field! Additionally, water polo helps me keep fit as you do not have a fixed position and thus must swim non-stop. The best perk of all is when you either score a goal or help defend one. The ectasy of doing the near impossible is absolutely breathtaking! Through the teamwork, you would also form close bonds with your teammates and endure highs and lows together. The game is really simple, 12 men swimming after a ball, scoring goals and try your best not to get caught injuring your opponents. How much fun is that? ALOT!!!XD