Water Polo is a sport played between two teams in swimming pools which have a netted goal set up at each end. The competing teams make an attempt to score points by throwing a floating ball into the opponent’s goal. Each goal is counted as one point.

In the men’s water polo competition, the pool or water area must be a minimum of 20 meters wide and a maximum of 30 meter long, with a depth of 1.8 meters. In women’s competition, the playing area is lesser and measures 17 meters in width and 25 meters in length.

The ball used in the game of water polo resembles a soccer ball and is tightly inflated rubber spherical ball, circumferentially it is 68 to 71 cm and weighs 400 to 450 g.

The goals are rectangular netted frames of wood, plastic or metal that floats and is buoyant on the water surface. Each goal must be 30 cm deep, 3 meters wide, and 90 cm high from the water surface to the top of the frame.

A water polo team is made up of seven players which include a goalkeeper and six field players. The goalkeeper’s primary aim is to defend the goal without hanging onto the goal or using the side of the pool. Each team may also have six substitute players. Except the goalkeeper, each player is allowed to use only one hand at a time in handling the ball. According to the official rules one team uses white caps, while the other uses blue and red caps are exclusively for the goalies.

A water polo match requires two referees, two goal judges, two timekeepers, and two recorders. The game is divided into four periods of 7 minutes each, with a 2-minute interval between periods.

Water polo, a team pool game, is the oldest team sport continuously present in the Olympic Games. Here’s how the game is played. Each team has 7 members in the water: 6 players and 1 goalie. They can have up to 6 subs for use throughout the game. Traditionally, visiting teams wore white swim caps and home teams wore blue, though now any contrasting colors are allowed. (Goalies always wear red.) The game is most similar to hand ball and soccer, though the use of power plays has led to comparisons with ice hockey. The ball is about the size of a volleyball.

A game of water polo consists of 4 quarters: from 5 minutes for club leagues up to 8 minutes for collegiate and Olympic water polo. All field players can use only one hand during play. The goalie can use both hands. During game play no one is allowed to touch the bottom of the pool. The constant treading of water tires players quickly, which is why so many subs are necessary. The goal, as with most sports, is to work with your team to progress the ball from the centerline into your opponent’s goal. A team cannot hold possession for more than 30 seconds without attempting a goal. If 30 seconds passes with no shot, possession goes to the opposing team. Only the team in possession can call a time out. Each team gets 2 1-minute time outs per game, in addition to the 2-minute rest periods between quarters. The winner is the team with the most points at the end of 4 quarters.