1. What is water polo?
2. Who should go out for the water polo team?
3. How do I go out for the water polo team?
4. How do players manage schoolwork with the water
polo schedule?
5. Do players carpool to practice and events?
6. What's the coaching staff like?
7. What kind of injuries do water polo players get?
8. How do I become a parent or student volunteer?
9. What are some good water polo web Links?
What is water polo?
Definition - "WATER POLO: a sport combining
basketball, rugby, swimming and wrestling...with some of the best conditioned
athletes in the world." Water polo is played with a yellow volleyball-like
ball in a pool with six players and a goalie on each team. The object
is to put the ball into the opponent's net, similar to soccer or basketball. Water polo is very demanding. During a match, players tread water or
swim the entire game and cannot touch the bottom or sides of the pool.
Only the goalie may handle the ball with two hands. Players use an "eggbeater" kick--a circular kicking stroke -- when treading water. Play consists
of four seven-minute quarters, with two-minute breaks between quarters.
There is no elongated halftime Play starts each quarter with
a sprint. Each team lines up along its own end line, and at the referee's
whistle, each team sprints for mid-pool, where the ball is floating.
The clock stops for fouls and after a goal is scored. A goal is scored
when the entire ball crosses the goal line between the posts and under
the crossbar. Any part of the body, except a fist, may be used to knock
the ball into the goal. (The ball cannot be "punched" into
the goal with a fist.)
Upon taking control of the
ball, the offensive team has 35 seconds to shoot for a goal or it loses
possession. A shot clock at each end of the pool helps players keep
track of time. If the 35 seconds expires, the ball changes possession.
Water polo is very physically demanding.
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Who
should go out for the water polo team?
Anyone interested in being an athlete at Torrey Pines High School should
go out for the water polo team. Most players have little or no water
polo experience when they start. Experience in swimming (you'll do a
lot of this), basketball, and/or baseball are good because water polo
requires passing and catching a ball while swimming or treading water.
Water polo is a team sport, so any experience playing on a team is an
asset. Surfing, body boarding and body surfing help because you're comfortable
in the water. If you're not a strong swimmer, you can still go out for
this team. Several players on the team started out with very little
swimming experience and they ended up being valuable members of the
team. Come check it out, it's a very fun sport and a great way to get
connected at Torrey Pines.
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How do I go out for
the water polo team?
If you decide to go out for the team,
contact the TPHS Athletic department and ask for an "Athletic Packet."
You must complete all of the forms in this packet and turn them back
into the athletic department in order to try out for the team. One of
the forms requires a doctor's exam, and if you are a freshman, another
asks for a copy of your grades from your previous school. If it is your
first year of play at TPHS, you qualify to be on the novice team --
even if you are not a freshman. There are no cuts from the novice team,
so come try out.
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How
do players manage schoolwork with the water polo schedule?
The Boy's Varsity Water Polo Team has the highest GPA of any sports
program at Torrey Pines. (GPA's of sports programs are tracked in the
Athletic Office.) One thing that contributes to their outstanding academic
record is the self-discipline that results from the water polo practice
schedule. The boys practice at the UCSD Canyon pool at night, from 7:00
to 9:30 pm. One player said, "Practicing later in the evening means
I have to get my homework done early, before practice. I like this schedule
because I'm fresh when I'm doing homework, and after practice-when I'm
tired-I go to bed." Being on the Torrey Pines Water Polo Team trains
players to organize their time and get their schoolwork done first.
Many of last year's water polo varsity team players went to outstanding
colleges including; MIT, UCSD, and Stanford.
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Do
players carpool to practice and events?
Yes, carpooling is available and it definitely makes for a better experience.
For players that don't drive, parents usually end up driving about once
a week if they are in a carpool. A roster of team members with addresses
and phone numbers is handed out at the beginning of the season. Look
for a team member in your area for carpooling. A bus takes the team
from school to games on weekdays. Weekend tournaments require your own
transportation.
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What's
the coaching staff like?
The Torrey Pines water polo program is lucky to have excellent
coaches: Rob Tilburg (Head Coach, Boy's Varsity) and Robin Bregman (Head Coach, Girl's Varsity). In the words of a varsity player, "Not only do our
coaches know a lot about the game of water polo, but they're also very
cool guys to hang out with." A parent said, "These guys do
a great job coaching the boys…and they set a good example because
the three of them get along so well." Talk to anyone on the team
or to any of the parents--everyone is thrilled with the water polo coaching
staff. By the way, 2001-2002 is the first year that we've had this staff.
(Rob was here the year before as an assistant coach.) Go to the coach's
page to see pictures and learn more about each coach.
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Where
does the water polo team practice?
The TPHS Boy's team practices at the UCSD Canyon View Pool. The Girl's
team practices at both UCSD and the Carmel Valley Rec. Center). Directions
to the UCSD pool are:
- 5 South, exiting on Genessee
- Left over bridge
- Right on Campus Point Drive
- Right on Voight
- Drive until you see the pool on right hand side.
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What
kind of injuries do water polo players get?
Injuries are not a big problem in water polo. This is probably because
water slows down the speed of contact between players. Although players
wrestle each other under the water out of the view of the referee, it's
rare to see a serious injury because the water acts as a buffer. The
most common injury is a scratch from another player's fingernails. Players
are required to show their fingernails to the referee before each game.
Fingernails must be cut very short to be eligible to play. Bloody noses,
fat lips and sprained thumbs occur infrequently.
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How
do I become a parent or student volunteer?
The team needs volunteers--from people who record game statistics to
people who help with the rummage sale, the awards banquet and more.
For a complete list of current volunteers, go to the Volunteers section.
To find out how you can help, or to volunteer for a specific job, go
to the Contact Us area of this website and
send an email, or go to the volunteers
section to find names and phone numbers and give us a call.
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Where are the pools where games are played?
The games are played at several different pools in North County. Go
Pool Directions to see how to get there.
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