June 02, 2025 6 min read
Zac is the writer of the popular water polo blog Pool Reflections. Subscribe to his Substack to get access to all of his blogs. You can read Zac's original blog post here.
The waves were good at Fort Cronkhite this past week leading up to Memorial Day, and I’ve made a conscious decision running Farallon Aquatics that good surf days and playing on the beach, properly administered, can be just as productive as a pool practice.
Plus, it gives an excellent reprieve from the monotony of training we can all feel occasionally as athletes. You can get your reps in, but it doesn’t always have to be in the same place.
While we were sitting in the line-up we got onto the topic of conversation that often comes up with good students. Latin phrases.
The one that stood out to me was:
As with just about any discipline you will come across, mastery is built on repetition.
Put another way, every discipline requires discipline if you are to excel.
The Latin phrase Repetitio est mater studiorum—repetition is the mother of learning—really captures the essence of how humans develop skills, instincts, and confidence necessary to chase goals in both sport and life.
Why Repetition Matters in Water Polo
While our sport requires players to be proficient in a wide range of physical and tactical abilities, the basics are really what matter most. The truth is, you are never done “learning fundamentals” - fundamentals are a never-ending saga.
Sit in on a well-thought out professional, collegiate, or high level club practice. They’re not working on nifty tricks, those teams are refining the fundamentals that they will most likely need to call upon in a game.
What repetition gives you is a depth of understanding of the task you are performing, and provides you with muscle memory so that you can call upon that specific fundamental without having to think. The repetition makes it second nature.
This power is a gift, but can also be a curse.
You don’t just magically soar to meet expectations—you crash to the level of your training. If only one in five of your reps is top-notch, and you think you can just 'flip a switch' come game time, I’ve got an igloo in the Arctic to sell you—complete with a polar bear butler wearing flip flops.
The fast pace and physicality of the game mean that fundamental skills must be second nature. You are only as good as your bad habits. Only through consistent, focused repetition can players internalize these basics and perform better under pressure.
If you take every rep in practice as seriously as you would in front of the (name the coach of your dream school or professional program) you will find yourself improving at much faster rates. If you’re trying to win more playing time, but your focus is lackluster and waning, best of luck to you. You must embody what your goals are.
BUT, if you never need to be reminded about focusing during fundamental work, guess what you’re now developing - AGENCY - active understanding of how you are to maximally develop yourself as an athlete. You begin to learn what you need to do in your own time to improve, and become the captain of the sailboat of your development.
Below I’ve laid out most of the core fundamentals that require repetition. By knowing both your strengths and weaknesses, you can lean into your individual or small group training sessions and maximize your development.
Remember, 70-80% of the total training time Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant have undergone throughout their illustrious careers has been alone.
Swimming and Treading Water
Efficient swimming is the backbone of water polo. The key to efficient swimming is fighting the urge to shorten your stroke as you fatigue, especially in longer swim sets. By focusing on maintaining proper technique, no matter the pain, the better off you’ll be in the 4th quarter and overtime.
The eggbeater is your base from which you throw, grapple, and change direction. Every day is leg day, and never skip leg day.
Swimming and eggbeater technique are essential to build speed, endurance, and stability. Do you get bored or focused during these
Ball Handling and Passing
Familiarity with the ball can be a constant practice. Many of the most serious players I know were consistently and constantly improving their ball handling both in and out of the water. Some even sleep with a ball within arms distance.
Repetition of dry passes (caught out of the water) and wet passes (landing in the water near a teammate) develops the touch and anticipation needed for fluid team play.
Ball retrieval and control drills, especially under defensive pressure, are crucial for maintaining or regaining possession and creating scoring opportunities, especially for center & post-up players.
Shooting Techniques
Players employ a variety of shots: power shots, hesitation shots, wrap or inside wrap shots, catch→shoots, skip shots, and lob shots. Dial in your arsenal. Practice what you know you will use in game situations and practice like you want to perform in said situation.
Each shot type requires unique mechanics and timing, honed through repetition, to ensure accuracy and adaptability during high pressure games.
Defensive Positioning
Effective defense relies on communication, positioning, anticipation, and most importantly, energy.
Man-to-man and zone defense drills teach players to maintain awareness, cover opponents, and disrupt passing lanes through repeated practice. Active hands and proper balance and body positioning are critical.
Defensive skills, such as blocking and stealing, must be drilled until reactions become instinctive. Masters of the defensive game seem clairvoyant. This clairvoyance is experience personified.
Offensive Movement and Spacing
Water polo offenses often mirror other ball based team sports. Spacing and structure to the offense is key for executing effective drives, picks, and passes to create openings.
Repetitive practice of offensive sets—such as the 3-3 and 4-2 formations, passing into the center, and driving to the goal—helps athletes dial in proper spacing and improves their ability to exploit defensive weaknesses.
Counterattack and Transition
The counterattack is a vital part of water polo, requiring players to transition rapidly from defense to offense after gaining possession. Master this and you master the easiest way to manufacture goals for your team. Speed, spacing, and smart passing will set you free.
Drills that simulate turnovers and fast breaks reinforce the habits of quick release, accurate passing, and sprinting into optimal scoring positions.
Beyond physical skills, repetition builds mental acuity. Players learn to read the game, anticipate opponents’ moves, and make split-second decisions. The players at the tip of the spear are basically on high-level auto-pilot, allowing their preparation to do their work for them. They’re confident, and don’t hesitate.
Regular review of rules, positioning, and strategies ensures that both new and experienced athletes remain sharp and adaptable. You must never stop learning and evolving.
Focus on Fundamentals: Prioritize swimming, eggbeater, passing, and shooting in every practice. You can always improve your technique, your motor, and your accuracy.
Small, frequent doses: It’s not how many reps you take in one practice, its about how many you take over the course of a month, or year. Consistency and focus over everything else. Including intensity. Once you have the consistency part down, start pouring more water down the snorkel.
Simulate Game Scenarios: Incorporate drills that mimic real match situations, such as man-down defense or counterattack transitions. Start simple, then gradually add complexity.
Emphasize Communication: Repeatedly practice calling out plays and defensive assignments to foster teamwork. Talk like military pilots.
Track Progress: Use video analysis and feedback to identify areas needing more repetition and refinement.
Repetitio est mater studiorum is more than a motto—it is a cornerstone for success in water polo.
By embracing focused repetition in every aspect of training, athletes lay the groundwork for skill mastery, tactical awareness, and the confidence to perform at the highest level.
In water polo, as in life, excellence is earned one repetition at a time.
So go make your next rep perfect. Then the one after that.
And you’ll be on the path to greatness.
Catch you poolside. Go be great.
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I bought suit for myself, hoping to get the most obnoxious suit I could to embarrass my kids. Worked like a dream
KAP7 Pink Hydrogrip Water Polo Ball - Size 3
Got it for my boyfriend, he hasn’t stopped wearing it since. The blue is a great color and holds up super well after all day wear, at the beach, getting wet or by the pool