Welcome to the Greenwich Aquatics Water Polo Club!
1. When can I join water polo?
We offer water polo year round for girls and boys ages 6 through 18 plus a post-collegiate masters team. Practice groups and times can be accessed by reviewing the practice schedule and contacting Kim Wang (ktierney@gwymca.org) to determine which specific group to attend.
2. How long is a typical session?
There are four training seasons throughout the water polo year (September-August). Each session runs between 10-12 weeks. Noodle and house league run sessionally but our travel teams are year round. Session details:
• Fall Session: September to November
• Winter Session: December to February
• Spring Session: March to May
• Summer Session: June to August
3. How old do you have to be to play water polo?
Being comfortable in the water is the primary criterion for playing water polo. Greenwich Aquatics has players as young as five playing with us. Please approach your coach and determine how to ease into our sport. Remember, we have a fun noodle water polo program that gives young players a great foundation of the sport while they are doing other sports or getting ready for water polo. Contact us for more information about entry-level programs.
4. What program or age group do I sign-up for?
We typically offer 8 levels: noodle, house league, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 18U, masters. The age of your child will determine what team they will play on. Many tournaments that we participate in have different age criteria. For instance, some have a December 31 cut-off, others base it on the player’s age as of the tournament (so as long as they are 12 years old at the tournament, they are allowed to play). USAWP has a cut-off of August 1.
5. What is the difference between House League and Travel Team and Club Water Polo?
House League is an opportunity for players of all abilities to get in the water, have fun and compete against their peers. Children will be introduced to the basic skills of water polo in a fun and encouraging environment. Players will be divided evenly onto teams that they will play/train with for the entire season. All players will get equal playing time. Practice will be 1 day during the week and the weekends will be dedicated to competing against the other in-house league teams.
The Travel teams are for the more elite players that want to focus on water polo year-round. Each travel team will practice 3-5 times per week. All team will compete in local games and tournaments. The more elite teams will travel to national level tournaments as well as international competition. The teams are selective but there are opportunities for players that don’t make the official travel team to make the training team.
6. Do I have to tryout for the Team?
There are no tryouts for our younger groups (noodle or House League) but there is an age criteria as well as a minimum swimming level needed. We have evaluations for our house league players. To get evaluated, please contact ktierney@gwymca.org. We do have tryouts for our travel team players. Tryouts are done in the fall season.
7. Should I register with USA Water Polo ?
Yes. A Gold membership is needed if you are planning to participate in national competitions (Junior Olympics, Champions Cup, etc). Silver membership is for members who will not play in national tournaments but will compete in USAWP sanctioned tournaments.
8. How do I register with USA Water Polo?
Go to www.usawaterpolo.com and follow the online registration instructions. Register with Greenwich Aquatics, which is club #17825.
9. Do you teach kids to swim?
No, we teach them to play water polo. Beginning swimmers can go to the Marlins Swim School at the Greenwich YMCA to learn how to swim. Swimmers who are more advanced than beginners may join our conditioning program for an excellent base or join a local swim team such as the Greenwich Marlins.
10. Does Greenwich Aquatics offer extra swim?
Not at this moment. Swimming is an essential part of water polo and one cannot excel in water polo without being fast in the water. Many of our players are part of the competitive swim team which we encourage.
11. Who do I contact if I can’t make it to training?
Email your coach in advance.
12. Do we need to make it to every training offered per week?
No, we understand that as student athletes, each player has a variety of activities that may conflict with training times. Please communicate with your coach on the days that you cannot make training.
13. Why would I ever want my child to play water polo?
Water polo is a small sport with great opportunities. Water polo is an Olympic sport. Many colleges offer water polo. Many of Greenwich Aquatics’s athletes have gotten recruited to play water polo at DI water polo schools. Water polo athletes are the best physical specimens in sports. No one is better conditioned than water polo players. Games last 45-60 minutes. When the game is over, your athlete is clean, exhausted, and hungry. Oh, and it's FUN!
14. What equipment do we have to purchase or wear?
Girls will find it much easier to play water polo if they keep their hair in a bathing cap. Rules dictate dark caps or white caps depending what color caps the teams are wearing for their game. Greenwich Aquatics apparel and team suits are required to be worn at games and tournaments.
15. What are the basic skills of water polo?
Comfort in the water is the most fundamental water polo skill. Swimming is part of that but swimming is considered to be "horizontal." Being able to stay high above the water "vertically" using a leg skill called the “eggbeater” is vital to success. We teach the eggbeater. Learning to handle the ball with one hand is another skill that is important. Water polo is like soccer and basketball played in the water. The object is to score the ball in the goal on offense and prevent the ball from going in the goal on defense. Greenwich Aquatics believes that understanding defense before offense is vital to a player’s ultimate success.
16. How do I learn the rules of water polo?
Unlike other sports, water polo action does not stop when the whistle blows. Action begins when the whistle blows. The object of the game is to throw the ball in the goal. Goalies can touch the ball with two hands. All other players can only touch the ball with one hand. Fouls create free throws for the person fouled. In some instances, when the person fouled is grossly impeded, the defender has to leave the game for 20 seconds and the offense has a “power play opportunity.” In the worst fouls, a penalty throw is awarded. Sit back, relax, enjoy and learn. The player’s learn the rules faster than the parents.
17. Have more questions?
Contact Kim Tierney Wang, ktierney@gwymca.org or call 646-220-9792.