Water polo: Smart Bombs

Shooting the ball well on six-on-five is critical. There are some great examples of how to shoot off the pass. Watch the leg strength and passing lanes in this video. Also you can learn a lot about the pump-fake in this video.

F/S Homestead Tournament Schedule 9/3-4/10

Parents & Players:

Attached and below are the tournament instructions for the Homestead Frosh/Soph Tournament this weekend.

Palma Water Polo

Tournament Instructions & Information
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What: Junior Varsity Boys Water Polo Tournament
Where: Homestead H.S.
Where: 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
When: Friday, 9/3 – Saturday, 9/4

Schedule:
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1st Match – Friday @ 3:25 p.m.
2nd Match – Saturday @ 9:50 a.m. (arrive nlt 8:50 a.m.)
3rd Match – Saturday @ 1:30 p.m.
4th Match – Saturday @ 6:05 p.m.

Transportation
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Friday Going – School Transportation *
Friday Returning – School or Personal Transportation **

Saturday Going – School or Personal Transportation **
Saturday Returning – School or Personal Transportation **

* Students will travel in dress code on Friday.
** Students may not drive/ride with other students.
** Students riding with a parent other than their own need a note from their parent.

What to Bring
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· Two Towels
· Warm-ups/Sweats (Palma Gear preferred)
· Sun Screen
· Bottled Water (Do not share; H1N1)
· Snack Foods (apples, bananas, trail mix, bagels – no cheese)
· Players need to bring a healthy lunch (or two) for Saturday.


From the Tournament Director:
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"Please let parents know not to bring food and glass on to the pool deck, I’ll try to have some tables set up on the outside grass. Also please have them drop off or park in the student lot as the lower lot is for construction traffic. Have a great tourney!"

Shooting off the Pass

Shooting quickly off the pass is another important fundamental skill. Watch Wolf Wigo, the Head Coach at UC Santa Barbara and player for both the US National Team and Stanford, demonstrate the way to catch and shoot quickly as well as use his leg strength to elevate. Lastly, watch as he takes advantage of the defense moving too slow into position and as he reads the goalie and uses the lob shot.

Shooting at 2M

This week we have been working on 2M position. Here is a video by Chris Humbert one of the best 2M men to play collegiate and international water polo. In this video he talks about how to stay balanced, stepping to the ball and shooting four of the key shots as a 2M man. Get this down and you will always get a good shot off.

Preparation Is Key To Success

Two things happened this last couple of weeks that reminded me that water polo season is just around the corner. The first, John Wooden passing reminds of all of the great lessons and wisdom he has taught us all. One of my favorite quotes is the following:

"Preparation is the key to success"

This leads me to the second point which is a great podcast that I listened to on "Talking Water Polo" which featured an interview with former Stanford water polo coach . In the article he talks about the 3-1-2 USC 6-5 offense and the best way to stay in shape for water polo. Coach Dante Dettamanti, re-ignited the age old debate between swim and water polo coaches on what to do in the off-season. Additionally, he also helped explain that quality over quantity is critical in training. I agree with Coach on focusing on quality because this is especially critical for high school athletes to prevent over-use injuries in shoulders. However, I do believe high school athletes should be encouraged to swim for their schools because of the honor and pride that should go along with this privilege. The best quote from coach is "Water polo is made-up of a series of sprints followed by rest".

In the interest of passing on some guidance of how to prepare for success in the fall, I have created a google docs spreadsheet with several workout's in the pool and running. Summer is a great way to manage balance in your life. You get to plan when and if you workout. Take advantage and make a plan for yourself on how you are going to manage your time. Remember to schedule in some quality time in the water (at the beach, in the pool, at the lake) wherever you can get in and sprint.

When you are working out focus on two things: Heart Rate and Technique. Learn to measure your heart-rate during the workout. You want to make sure you are keeping it in the target zones. Also, you want to make sure you are focusing on good technique. Keep your body position high in the water with plenty of leg drive. If your shoulders bother you try using a pair of fins and ice them after a workout.

Here are some ideas for workouts. Have fun and try making up your own workout.