WATERPOLO Ball Handling Skills

AGuide to the Video Tape

byTamas Farago

Toorder the video, call USWP at 719-634-0699

 ABOUTTAMAS FARAGO

            Inthe opinion of most international judges and players, Tamas Farago is the bestathlete ever to play the game of water polo. Known for his amazing attacking and shooting skills, Farago was the mainreason for Hungary's Olympic medal performances of 1972, 1976 and 1980.

             Atthe 1976 Olympics, in Montreal, Farago was almost a one man show, scoring 22 ofHungary's 30 Olympic tournament goals.  Inthe game that determined the gold medal, Farago scored four of Hungary's sixgoals, including the game winner with 20 seconds left on the game clock todefeat Italy, 6 to 5.

             Waterpolo is Hungary's national sport, and games are played with the same intensityas football and basketball are in America. With its strong club system, Hungary is always considered a contender fora medal in any tournament.  It isbecause of players like Tamas Farago that Hungary was able to win a medal atevery Olympic Games from 1928 through 1980.

            Today,Farago is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, runs a highly successful privatewater polo school for children in Budapest and coaches the Hungarian Jr.National Team - 1995 FINA World Jr. Champions.

Forthe Record:  OLYMPICS: 1972 silver,1976 gold, 1980 bronze.  WORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS: 1973 gold, 1975 silver,1978 silver. FINA CUP: 1979 gold.  EuropeanChampionships: 1974 gold, 1977 gold.

Introduction

Tobe good at water polo, you must be good with the ball. You must own your own ball.  Youmust get to know the ball by playing with it as much as possible so you can todevelop a feel for it.  You mustmake it your companion and friend.  Ifyou do, the ball will be good to you in games.

TODAY,SPORTS ARE DEMANDING MORE CREATIVE PLAYS, ADVANCED PLAYS, ARTISTIC PASSES. However, before you can make the trick pass or trick shot - the flashyplay - you need to have the fundamentals - the basics.

 Thereare two types of fundamental ball handling skills. The basic and the creative.  That'swhat I'm going to teach you in this video - the basic fundamentals and then thecreative fundamentals.  Some of theexercises you will see are not for use in a game. However, they will improve your game for the following reasons:

 1.        They are a great warm-up exercises.     

 2.        They will improve your feel for the ball.

 3.        They will strengthen your fingers, finger tips, wrists, forearms and shoulders.

 4.        They will build your self-confidence and poise for pressurized gamesituations.

 5.        They will develop your ability to concentrate.

 6.        They will improve your coordination, hand quickness and general reactiontime.

 THECOORDINATION CORRELATION- The development of specific agility skills will improve your overallcoordination.  Under this theory, itis believed that skills using your head or feet will improve your hand skills byimproving overall coordination.

 Forme, these exercises were a challenge.  Iwanted to break the routine and boredom of practice, to be creative, dosomething new and different.  Inever wanted to just be good.  Iwanted to be the best - which is a lot better than just being good.  

Tobe the best you have to practice and practice and practice the drills I'm goingto show you.  They made water polofun for me.  They made me better. They'll be fun for you too.

 Tipsfrom Tamas: Practice does not always make perfect. What practice does - is to make the way you practice permanent. "Practice makes perfect" only when you use proper techniqueduring practice.  

Thebig thing to remember when you are doing these drills is to perform them withproper technique.  Don't cheat tomake them easier.  Pay attention tobody and leg position and the proper arm motion. Remember to use your entire body  forbalance and power.  You must be sureto hold the ball with strong-sensitive fingers. Finally, you must work hard on these skills. If you do, I guarantee thatyour game will improve

Chapter1: PICKING UP THE BALL IN THE WATER

 Tipsfrom Tamas: Try not to use a new ball in practice. Look for the old, worn out slippery balls. The old ones require better skills and techniques and will help youbecome a better player.

 Thereare two basic methods of lifting the ball from the water: by placing the hand underneath the ball, and by placing it on top. Thelocation of the ball and your body position will determine how you pick it up.

 Topick the ball up from underneath, the palm of the hand - with fingerswide-spread and relaxed - is placed under the ball, and the opposite hand aidsin supporting the body in the water.

 Relax,Take the ball, DON'T GRAB  orSqueeze it.  Hold the ball in aloose grip with some space between the palm of your hand and the ball.  Theball is then lifted to a position above the head by rotating the wrist in a halfcircle to allow the finger tips to take a position toward the back of the ballin preparation for the throw.

Youmust also practice and learn to handle the ball in this manner with both rightand left hand.

 Topick the ball up from the top, the palm of the hand, with fingers wide spread is placed on top of the ball.  Theball is then pressed into the water and quickly released. As the hand is drawn away the pressure of the water underneath the ballcauses it to rebound and stick to the palm of the hand. Then as the ball slightly clears the surface of the water, the wrist isrotated in a half circle to allow the hand to get underneath the ball.

 Tipsfrom Tamas: Never dribble the ball when you have the opportunity to pass

 Topick up the ball from a swimming or dribbling situation, you should alwaysutilize both hands to control the ball with the two-handed transfer (althoughtwo hands are never actually in contact with the ball at the same time).  When perfected, this technique gives you greater control overthe ball than all other techniques.

Thelead hand pushes, or hands off the ball to the throwing hand while the body isrotating into the proper throwing position. Once the ball is touched or controlled by the lead hand, you no longerneed to look at the ball.  Lookaround, look at the situation, look at the goalie - if the situation is no good,you can always put the ball back on the water and swim away.

Thehand transfer from both a stationary position and while dribbling must bepracticed over and over until perfected.

 Pickingup the ball with the back of the hand and rolling the ball into the palm is acreative technique that should be practiced to improve your feel for the balland your coordination.  If mastered,the back of the hand pick up is a useful skill that can catch both defenders andgoalkeepers off guard.

 Itis also possible to pick up the ball with your feet with great effect.  Over the years, I have picked up the ball, shot and scored ininternational competition with my feet.  I don't recommend young players using feet in games because foot skillsare 20 year skills (skills that take 20 years to master).  However, foot drills are challenging, fun and will improve your game byimproving your overall coordination and balance in the water.  

 Chapter2.            BALL HANDLING DRILLS

 Tipsfrom Tamas:           The big thing to remember when doing ball handling drills is to always use proper technique. 

 1.        The Finger Tip Tap.    Thefinger tip tap drill is designed to strengthen your fingers and finger tips. Finger tip strength is essential for ball handling and throwing the ballwith speed and accuracy.  In thisdrill, the ball is tapped in the air from the finger tips, with arms straight.  

 Inthis variation of the tap drill, the arms are extended and elbows are locked. As the ball is tapped back and forth with straight fingers from thewrist, the arms move from horizontal to vertical positions.

Thisdrill requires great concentration, especially when you take your eye off theball.

 2.       Squeezing the Banana. Another fingerand hand strengthening drill is squeezing the banana.  In this drill the finger tips actually squeeze the ball intothe air.  

 Slipperyballs are definitely better for this one.

 Bymoving the arms above the head, the arms and shoulders are also strengthened.  

3.        Behind the back pass. Passing theball behind the back is a  coordinationand concentration drill which is  thefirst step in mastering the "Around the World" drill.

 4.       Around the World.  "Aroundthe world" is a great drill for practicing the two handed pick up andlearning to sense and control the ball without looking at it.

 Becausethe "Around the World" drill is both a conditioning and coordinationdrill requiring tremendous concentration, it is one of the most beneficial ofall the ball handling drills. 

 5.        The Flip and Roll, Water-Wheel and Finger Spinning. The backhand flip and roll is a coordination and concentration drill thatsimulates the back handed pick up .  Itis also one of many drills that can be practiced during leg work, like the waterwheel .......and finger spinning.  

6.        Head Drills.  Balance and coordination in the water are essential for anywater polo player.  Few drillsrequire more balance and coordination than balancing the ball on your head. 

Headjuggling is another drill that will improve your athletic agility and your game. 

 7.        Foot Drills.  Like head drills, foot juggling will improve your overallbalance and coordination. 

Tipsfrom Tamas:           Make the commitment to be a good water polo player and become dedicatedto ball handling.

 Chapter3:           Throwing Techniques

Tipsfrom Tamas:           Rebound boards are especially useful in developing proper throwing andcatching techniques and should be used throughout the year

 1.        The Tap Drill.  The firstdrill in this sequence of throwing techniques is the tap drill. The tap drill is a great warm up and coordination exercise that alsodevelops finger and wrist strength - essential for all throwing techniques. The tap drill should be practiced close to the board and can be performedwith two hands, one hand only and with alternate hands.

 2.        The Wrist Flick.  The firsttrue throwing technique in the drill sequence is the wrist flick. Beginning athletes should start fairly close to the board. As you develop you should move farther away. The wrist flick is not a shoulder throw. Shoulders are square to the board and don't move. The ball never goes behind the head and the throw is made primarily by aflick of the wrist and snap of the fingers. Like almost all throws in this sequence, the wrist flick should bepracticed with both hands.

3.        Full Arm Throw. When throwing the ball, with a full arm motion, it isimportant that you use your entire body.  Itshould never be just with your arm.  Asthe ball is taken behind your head, your torso and shoulder should rotate andgenerate torque for maximum power and speed. For accuracy the ball should move in a straight line from back to front. At the end of the motion, the wrist should flick and the fingers shouldsnap.  Concentrate and focus on thetarget to ensure the ball returns to you consistently. A slight backspin should be on the ball.

 4.           Catching.  To catch the ball, the fingers should be relaxed, spread wideand slightly bent at the joints.  Donot attempt to stop the ball, but continue in the direction of the pass, bendingback the hand at the wrist, with a light movement of the elbow or shoulder.

 5.        The Sweep or Sling.  The sweepor sling resembles the technique of a discus thrower. Do not bend the elbow when sweeping. As with all throws that begin with the ball on the water, the ball shouldbe picked up using the  two handtransfer technique.  The ball isthrown with a straight-arm that sweeps low over the water. Rotation of the head, chin, shoulder and hops is what gives the ballvelocity.

 6.        The Screw. Pushing or "Screwing" the ball while swimming, is a greatway to make a quick pass or shot.  TheScrew should always begin with the non-passing hand assisting the pick up (thetwo-hand transfer).  As the ball ishanded back to the shooting hand, the shoulders and body rotate into shootingposition.  As the ball is picked up,it is slightly drawn back to the shoulder release position. As the ball is released, the arm shoots forward in a piston like motion.

 7.        The T-shot.            Anotherspectacular and effective passing or shooting technique is accomplished by"Tee-ing" up the ball on one palm and shooting it off the"T" with the finger tips of the opposite side hand. The T-shot is relatively easy to learn, but is difficult to perfect andis the one throw that should only be used with the strong hand. As the ball is "Teed" up, the shooting hand and shoulder appearto be doing a normal crawl recovery stroke. The fingers then fly forward in a quick motion toward the ball. The shooting arm and shoulder continue to follow through after the ballis shot off the "T".  Theadvantage of the "T - shot" is the element of surprise.

 8.        The Half-Backhand.  To be acomplete offensive player you should master the backhand with both right andleft hand.  The backhand progression begins with the half-backhand. The throw originates in the shoulder, with the elbow and wrist following.

 9.        The Backhand Wrist Flick.  TheBack Handed Wrist Flick is thrown from a straight-arm which is stretched outacross the water at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the throw. While the elbow is straight, it is turned toward the direction of thethrow.  The advantage of the wristflick is its quick release and short-range accuracy. 

 10.      The Backhand.  The backhand can be taken with either a bent or straight arm. Backhanded shots are thrown with a great deal of velocity because of thebody torque, but are sometimes hard to control. However, as experience is gained through practice, a great deal ofcontrol can be achieved.

 11.      The Forward Volley.  Thefaultless execution of the forward volley from a pass requires great ballhandling skill and a flawless sense of timing. Anticipating the pass, the player rises out of the water with vigorousleg action.  Concentration is theKey to calculating the precise spot and moment to touch the ball. The start of the throwing action almost coincides with the completion ofthe shot.

 12.      Head & Foot Volleying.           Using the rebound board for head and foot juggling will develop andimprove coordination and will make you a better player by improving your overallhand eye coordination.

 13.     Passing Practice.   Afteryou have mastered the basic throwing techniques on the rebound board, practicepassing all the drills demonstrated in the video on the rebound board with ateam mate.

 Hungariangolden rule of passing:  Pass the ball that you would like to catch! 

 14.      Shooting Practice. You can also practice shooting with your team mates. Shoot five or ten consecutive shots while another player blocks the balland returns it to you.  Then tradeplaces.  Be sure to move to simulategame situations by moving and faking.

 Shootingrequires more power than passing.  Poweris partially determined by the distance the arm travels from the start of thethrow to the follow through.  Thedistance the arm can move is in turn determined by body balance and torque, orhow much the body is used to assist the arm.

 Shotscan be simple or complex, but it is essential that all shots be perfectlyexecuted with pinpoint accuracy.

 Practice,experiment and develop your own techniques to score in specialized gamesituations.

 15.  Faking.  Faking is the art of deception. A fake must make the goalie and/or a defender think you are shooting orpassing.  If they are not deceived,the fake is no good.  You can fakewith your arm, shoulders, chest, hips, eyes or any combination.  Any solution that deceives the goalie is good.

 Youmust fake to avoid telegraphing shots and passes. To be good at faking you have got to practice at every opportunity,particularly during passing and shooting drills with teammates and whenpracticing on your own.

 Fakingtechniques include:

 1.        Arm only fake (ball moves)

 2.         Shoulder and arm combination fake

 3.         Shoulder, arm and head combination

 4.        Chest, hip, head combination (everything moves except the arm and ball)

 5.        One shot to another (example:  hardshot to lob shot)

 6.        One location to another (example:  fakelow left, shoot high right)

 7.        Fake a pass, then shoot or fake a shot then pass

 Generaltips to remember when faking:

 1.       Always use your eyes deceptively.

 2.        Make every movement different - get the goalie out of rhythm.

 3.        Always attack while faking (move in or to the side). Work for a better shooting angle, to get the goalie out of position, orto create a better angle for a teammate. 

4.        A lob shot is not like a basketball shot. It must come off a fake.  Nofake - no lob!  A lob shot should be taken with the wrist and fingers from ahigh extended arm position.

 Hungarianproverbs: A goalie is never more clever than a shooter!   A good shot is one that goes in the goal!

 Chapter4:           Dry Land Drills

Tipsfrom Tamas: You don't need to be in the pool to practice water polo. You can improve your game at home, in front of the TV, or in yourbackyard, with drills that will improve your ability to perform with the ball inthe water.

 Stretching& Warm Up Drills

 1.        Back and Forth (standing erect, first handing off the ball from one handto the other, then passing the ball.

 2.       Swinging the Pendulum (bend at the waist, swing the ball like a pendulumfrom hand to hand with maximum shoulder stretch. Gradually increase stretch and the speed of the swing.

 3.       Shooting  motion.  With leftfoot foreword, toe pointing forward, right foot a comfortable distance back, toeat 90 degree angle, knees slightly bent - hold the ball high and to the back. Simulate the proper throwing motion moving the ball from back to frontwith the right hand.  Repeat fromthe left side - develop a rhythm.

 4.      Tap/Bump/Spin - Play with the ball.

 Strengtheningand Coordination Drills

 5.       Squeeze the banana (squeeze, don't tap)

 6.        Tap drill (elbows locked, above the head, lower and raise arms whiletapping)

 7.        Around the world

 8.        Head roll (from eyebrows to the back of your head)

 9.        Hand rolls (two hand "water wheel" and the backhand flip)

10.      Finger spinning

11.      Head and Foot balancing and juggling

 Tipsfrom Tamas:   The number and variety of dry land drills with the ball is limited onlyby your imagination.

WallExercises

1.        Tap (two hand, one hand, alternate)

 2.       Wrist flick (throw from the wrist, snap the wrist and fingers with littleor no arm movement)

3.        Shoulder throw (proper foot and body position - torque)

4.        Sweep or Sling

5.       T-shot (strong hand only)

6.       Screw

7.       Backhand (close, far - two hand catch, one hand catch)

8.       Volleyball

 Chapter5:           Specialized Swimming For Water Polo

 Tipsfrom Tamas: Water polo is a game for swimmers and the better you swim, the better youwill be as a water polo player.

 Inwater polo games the crawl stroke is used more than any other stroke...but otherstrokes are used to develop strength, coordination and a feel for the ball andwater in young players.

 1.           Butterfly.            Althoughnever used in a game, a modified butterfly with the head out using a butterfly,flutter or breaststroke kick will develop strength and conditioning. The butterfly is also a preparatory exercise for the arm position indribbling.   

2.           Breaststroke.            Theimportance of breaststroke in water polo should not be minimized. Virtually every start, lunge, shot or pass starts with the breast or sidestrokes.  Breaststroke for waterpolo differs from the competitive style in that the legs are more vertical andpush the swimmer up rather than forward.

 3.           Backstroke.   When a player wishes to view the game situation behindhim without interrupting his forward progress, the backstroke is used. Again, the angle is more vertical with the head and shoulders held highfor a better view and the legs are lower in the water. The arm stroke is accelerated to maintain the high body position andswimming speed.  The scissors or breaststroke kick may also be used.

 4.        The Trudgeon.   The Trudgeon stroke, or head out crawl with a scissorskick, should also be practiced to prepare for stops, quick starts and turns.

5.        The Sidestroke.  The over arm sidestroke, with a strong scissors kick, remainsthe basic stroke for fast starting and turning.

6.         Changing Directions.  WaterPolo is a game of quick starts, stops, turns and multiple changes of direction. Changing direction is accomplished by executing a fast body turn. The knees are drawn into the chest. The hands scull to change the body's position and direction as the legsprepare for a powerful starting scissors kick. It is essential that the turn be executed quickly in order to save timeand produce a fast overall view of the new situation.

 MORETIPS FROM TAMAS

 Ifyou can't concentrate, you won't play instinctively in the pool and you won'tknow what's going on.  You won't beable to break down concepts or understand game situations. These drills will help you learn to concentrate. 

 Waterpolo is a game of habit, learn to react, anticipate and always strive to thelimit of your abilities.

 Theplayer who is content just to get by in practice will, in games, cheat himselfand his teammates.

 Youcan't go full speed in a game if you're not willing to go full speed inpractice.

 Desire- If you want to be good, you have to have that inner drive to be the best youcan be. 

 Driveto push through that pain barrier when performing these drills and in practice.

 Makesure you have the fundamentals before you try a deceptive pass or shot!

 Whenyour frustrated, and want to give up, that's when you do the drill again andagain.  Break through thatfrustration and pain and you will improve.

Waterpolo is a thinking person's game - so think!

Howdo you get better?  If you make 50passes in practice - of course try to do them right. Then when you get ready for bed at night, close your eyes and makeanother 50 passes - but this time, strive for perfection.

Useyour imagination, there are an infinite variety of drills, passes and shots. Some have yet to be developed.

Ifyou care enough to give your best effort, your example may become contagious toyour teammates.