I was just reading about the new rules from World Aquatics being tested in 2025.
What are everyone’s thoughts about more changes again?
As someone who has written quite a bit about both the size of the playing field and the shot clock, this really feels to me like a waste of time or as though they are doing a positive thing (shortening the course) and cancelling it out immediately with a negative (shortening the shot clock).
I’m aware that not everyone may agree with my assessment and comparison of the shot clock in water polo and basketball and lacrosse, but I don’t think there is any reasonable argument for the removal of time from the clock. Shorten the course and keep the shot clock the same and I don’t have an issue.
I think my larger concern is that these rule changes–just like previous changes–don’t seem to have any overarching vision or direction for the sport. They are simply reactionary and token gestures that will do nothing to change the sport’s profile internationally.
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Shorter course is a good change. I don’t like the shorter shot clock, for reasons Breck explains well. Ditto for the shorter exclusion, although I think this matters less. We already seem to be seeing more quicks as a result of the changes around the 2 meter line. I really like the rule change that any player can play goal but has to have a goal keeper’s cap with his/her number. Won’t change the game, but will make life a lot easier on the table. The goalie/field player cap switch that is common in high school and college club is a total PITA for the scorekeepers. Is there any other Olympic sport that so frequently changes its rules? Do other “minor” sports–team handball? men’s field hockey?–do this?
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Thoughtful context. What rule changes would you recommend to increase profile+improve game? Do you have an opinion on some form of half court time requirement to prevent the level of keep away that doesn’t exist in other sports?
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I have written quite a bit about my thoughts on the rules of the game at my Substack. And I would also suggest you look at the old waterpoloplanet articles by Wolf Wigo and Dante Dettamanti that I link in my posts as well.
In short, I think the course should be shortened and the shot clock lengthened to allow more time for offensive development and movement within the game. I believe that the current course length and shot clock time combined contribute to the repetitive and homogenous offense that is hurting water polo. I think stalling is prevented by a rule like in basketball that makes it necessary to clear the half court line by a certain point.
Along with the above changes, I also think the two things that could be done to change the sport for the better and make it more understandable and accessible for viewership is to eliminate the ordinary foul and to call the rules as written.
The former I believe is essential to modernizing the sport and bringing it in line with other sports. As long as the ordinary foul exists, the rules are broken in my view.
As for the latter, I believe that coupled with eliminating the ordinary foul calling the rules as written–meaning penalizing players more quickly and consistently for instances of holding sinking and pulling back both at and especially away from the ball–would do a lot to help improve the game from both a playing and spectating standpoint.
All of the above rule changes would (in my estimation) make the game more engaging for spectators while also making it a better playing experience that emphasizes skill and strategy over cheating and brute force. Incidentally, I am not the only person who sees the game this way. Dante Dettamanti explored these topics before his death. Likewise, Ratko Rudic brought up the problem with ordinary fouling in a recent interview.
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Agree with eliminating the regular foul. I cannot count the number of times I’ve heard from parents, even among those who have had kids in the sport for 2 or 3 years, that they don’t understand the rules, or why a whistle was blown on a particular call.
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I actually hope that the shortened shot clock reduces offense simulating fouls in transition. I would like to see refs make no call when an offensive player rears back into the defender to create space or draw an exclusion. Creating space, fine but this should not be an exclusion. I have also watched a few times where two players on the offense during transition, turn around and swim back to the center to keep him from swimming then they push off and counter only to have a momentary advantage. This instance is not just the center defender simulating a tangle with the center, it is a driver adding to the scrum intentionally. That should be removed from the sport. A advantage should be earned not created by swimming back and blocking, that should be an offensive foul.
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Curious if you are an official?
Think all the changes are bad. Keep the clocks and exclusions where they are.
I like 33 meter course. I think swimming needs to be part of water polo.
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I am not an official. I am a former player and former coach.
I personally don’t think a shorter course takes swimming out of the game. Too much time is spent in transition swimming that is meaningless. I believe a shorter course allows for quick transition and that (along with other rule changes) could add more horizontal play to the game through more movement (swimming) in the front court. I’d rather see more explosive swimming coupled with skill based moves that driving encourages over glorified lap swimming with some wrestling on either end.
As with all my opinions, I’m sure my view of water polo isn’t everyone’s and may not even be right for the sport, but I appreciate having a forum for these discussions.
Ordinary fouls are generally called when the defensive player initiates contact with the offensive player holding the ball and causes the offense to lose possession. Without the ordinary foul, we’d see a huge increase in physical play because there would be no penalty for a defender holding, sinking, etc. any offensive player in possession. You could make an offsetting rule change for an exclusion on many of the fouls now called as ordinaries, but that won’t get rid of the whistles.
As for course length, I think 25 meters for a swimming sport is roughly equivalent to 100 meters for running. World class swimmers can go 25 meters in around 10 seconds; world class runners cover 100 meters in the same time. Soccer, rugby, field hockey and lacrosse are all played at about 100 meters. Basketball at about 30 meters; team handball at 40 meters. I think 33 meters is long. Half of the 30 second shot clock is used up to advance the ball and a few players into a scoring position.
I think the main issue that is being overlooked is in the past they used to implement such changes through a couple of tournaments before Adapting them but it seems like they’re forgoing this practice and adapting them unilaterally across the board, which will be a mistake in my opinion.
Reduced Possession Times
- Reducing possession times to 25s and 15s seems counterintuitive to recent rule changes designed to encourage more offensive play, such as the new 2-meter rule and the increased leniency on penalty calls for defenders behind offensive players.
- While @Mepolo suggested a 25-meter swim in 10 seconds for swimmers, this is under ideal conditions (dive, cap, shaved, and a specific distance most likely 50m or 100m).
- Water polo might have the smallest window to execute a power play compared to other sports. For example, handball allows 2 minutes for a power play within a 30-minute game split into two halves.
Shorter Field of Play
- I can see both sides of the argument. However, the general trend in sports is to maximize on-ball action and minimize downtime, such as time spent in transition or with the goalie.
VAR
- I’m a strong advocate for using technology to assist officials. While VAR might increase review time, it provides coaches with a tool to validate calls and helps create a clearer understanding of calls and non-calls both in and out of the pool. Water polo is notoriously difficult to officiate, and it’s time to leverage modern technology to improve the accuracy of calls.
Playing Without a Goalkeeper
- While an interesting concept, I believe the sport isn’t ready for another significant strategic change. The sport still has much to explore with 7-on-6 plays and the new 2-meter rule.
- This change would add unnecessary complexity to the game and potentially confuse fans, hindering the sport’s growth in the United States.
Player Can Become Goalkeepers
- I share the same concerns as above. This would create logistical challenges, such as managing three sets of caps and increasing the complexity of the table, usually run by non-paid volunteers at the college level and below.
- Even if USA Water Polo limits this rule to 16-and-over players, it adds to the growing list of rules that young players must learn, including the 6-meter shot rule, goalie position restrictions, and adhering to a 20 second exclusion time.
Overall, I believe water polo should prioritize investments in:
- Increasing the number of officials per player: This would allow for better coverage of the pool and more accurate calls.
- Expanding the use of technology like VAR: This would help to improve the accuracy of calls and reduce the number of controversial decisions.
- Improving official training, including standardized arm signals: This would help to enhance clarity for coaches, players, and fans.
- Reinstating a referee ranking system: This would incentivize quality officiating and help to ensure that the best officials are working the most important games.
Apparently the testing mentioned in this article was scrapped and the rules are being implemented. LMAO!
I think we are agreeing on course length. And while I agree that 10 seconds is based on a diving start, the 100 meter running time is based on start from blocks. Add a start from dead in the water or a turn in cleats on the field and it’s maybe 12 seconds?) 13 or 14 if you are dribbling the ball (in either polo or soccer?) OTOH, nobody is swimming the full 25 meters or running the full 100 meters because they are not starting and ending on the goal line. In water polo, on a turnover I’d guess the average swim to set up at the other end is between 13 meters (defender at 5 meters to offense at 7 meters) and 20 meters (center defender at 2M to offense 3-4 meters). Let’s say it averages 17 meters. It eats up a lot of shot clock to make that distance no matter what.
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Yeah, this seems bad all around.
I do like the increasing official idea, could clean up the game, they could limit who called what part of the game/pool. VAR, for sure, the game is short as it is, slowing it down for reviews should not hurt viewership, this would be great if it could be added for D1 schools.
In order for VAR to effective they will need better and more video angles. Not sure on the costs associated with adding more cameras, but it could be cost prohibitive to some programs.
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yeah I was watching a replay of a game yesterday to review what I noticed in person and the camera was following the player with the ball zoomed in too far to see the non call in question. Most have 2 -3 cameras but you would need someone skilled at pulling the footage back in a short amount of time. If you had 4 cameras, 2 of them stationary focused on 7 meters with a clear look at the goal line, and then 2 roaming, one close and one pulled back, you might have a chance to catch most issues. For college you could reduce the amount of reviewable calls.
- Goals and non called goals.
- Brutalities.
- Table errors or clock errors (if clock can be tied to one of the cameras)
- penalty foul calls, not sure exclusions would be good since you could essentially call for a review if you notice you are about to get scored on due to being out of position.
More officials where? It is easy in basketball to have 3, not as easy in water polo, and at what level? Surely not high school since there are not enough to even have two at every game. 'Lo those many years ago when I was a new official I worked many games solo, but it was mostly (not to be mean, but true) meatball teams, not NH, CdM, LB Wilson, etc. but teams like Savannah vs Magnolia. The situation is even more dire now 30 years later with triple the number of teams in OC alone.