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  • The Future for Water Polo

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    September 26, 2022 2 min read 4 Comments

    Water polo has always had a hard time attracting young kids to pick up the sport, compared to the more popular sports. How do we attract younger athletes to the sport of water polo?

    Water Polo has traditionally been a sport that athletes try out at around age 9 or 10, usually after being burnt out from swim practice. Studies show that kids who pick up sports earlier in life have a higher chance of success. We unfortunately miss out on a large population of athletes that have already spent years playing other sports. In my case, I have an 8 year old son, 6 year old daughter, and 4 year old son. Currently, my kids are land-based sports athletes simply since there are organized opportunities in football (flag), baseball and soccer as early as 4 years old.  If we are to continue to grow our sport of water polo and attract top level athletes, we have to move to 8U water polo. Let me use my oldest son as an example:

    Age 4:  Plays tee-ball and soccer

    Age 5:  Plays coach pitch baseball

    Age 6:  Plays machine pitch and starts flag football

    Age 7:  Play kids pitch and 2 seasons of Flag.

    Age 8:  Plays kids pitch 2 seasons along with2 season of flag.

    Totals:  7 seasons of baseball and 5 seasons of flag at age 8.

    He and all of his friends are on the same trajectory.  While my son has gravitated to baseball and football, some of his friends have gone to soccer and at age 8, are now involved in travel club soccer. How do we pull that athlete away from an organized club sport at age 9, or my son who is having successin football and baseball at 9 or 10 to start water polo?  My thought is we have to get our water polo athletes much earlier at the age of 6,7, and 8 years of age.

    How do we do this?

    We have to make water polo the next step after a child learns to swim which means we need to partner with the swim schools and swim teams and make it easily accessible. It will not happen by simply having Splashball at USA Water Polo. It’s a start, but it’s not enough. I know John Abdou at USA Water Polo has this on his radar and has hit several learn to swim and swim school conferences where he presented the opportunity! Great work. Let's spread the word together. 

    Let us know if you have any questions and share pictures of new water polo popping up across the globe!

    KAP7 has developed a pop up goal and skip ball for this specific endeavor.  This is all you need to get children 6,7 and 8 started to play water polo.  A small investment and any swimming pool will turn into a fun water polo course. 

    Bradley Schumacher, President and Co-founder. 

    4 Responses

    Kenneth Fittro
    Kenneth Fittro

    December 29, 2023

    Most relevant learn to swim programs are through year ‘round Swim Clubs, many of which are not “pro” water, which is ridiculous.

    Water polo coaches and swim coaches, incorrectly assume they are marketing to the same group, they are not. One program truly helps the other grow their sport and each should collaborate and watch their programs grow.

    Kenneth Fittro
    Kenneth Fittro

    December 29, 2023

    Most relevant learn to swim programs are through year ‘round Swim Clubs, many of which are not “pro” water, which is ridiculous.

    Water polo coaches and swim coaches, incorrectly assume they are marketing to the same group, they are not. One program truly helps the other grow their sport and each should collaborate and watch their programs grow.

    Melissa
    Melissa

    December 29, 2023

    I agree but that process starts with the availability of pools and that is an expensive resource to create.

    Mark Rauterkus
    Mark Rauterkus

    December 29, 2023

    Sadly, I must say I disagree. I’m sad we didn’t meet at the TISCA Clinic in Austin as I am longing for a conversation with you about this topic. I do think that the experience of you being a dad is super valuable. Keep that approach. I’ve been there too. I do think water polo can start at a time when the kids can’t swim that well. Water polo can be why kids learn to swim. So, hooking onto the swim schools is not going to be that productive. Water polo is still an after-thought. So, some effort has to be in getting kids playing water polo at all ages with any swim ability, because we need our kids to be safe around the water. But those are minor points. Here is the key. We need water play at the young ages to be with goals, in fins, with teams of players of all ages and not with a water polo ball — but rather with a SKWIM disk. SKWIM is the key. As SKWIM grows, so too will water polo. SKWIM is the introductory aquatic game that can enliven water play in communities and plant countless seeds for water polo in every community. SKWIM can be played with every swim team. SKWIM can be played with every lifeguard staff. SKWIM can be played at every camp, country club pool, PE class and family beach vacation. Then the elite, more demanding, Olympic sport of water polo can flourish with a large base with players who understand offense and defense, passing, scoring, tactics, sportsmanship, hustle and water fun in community play.

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