WATERPOLO TERMINOLOGY

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Advantage Rule: A cornerstone of water polo which permits a referee to refrain from declaring a foul if, in his opinion, such a declaration would be an advantage to the offender's team. Applied properly, it speeds up the game and should result in more scoring.
Backhand: A pass or shot, made with either a bent or straight arm, in which the ball is projected directly behind the thrower.
Ball Under: It is an ordinary foul to take or hold the ball underwater when an opponent makes a bodily contact with the shoulder, arm or hand of the player holding the ball under. If the goalkeeper or any defensive field player takes the ball under inside the four meter area, with the object of preventing a goal, a penalty throw must be awarded.
Brutality: A major foul which includes deliberately attacking, striking or kicking an opponent or making disproportionate movements with that intent or to endanger another player in any way. The offending player is excluded from the remainder of the game and a penalty throw is awarded.
Bunny: See Donut.
Caps: Identification caps with plastic ear guards and visible numbers must be worn by all players. Visiting teams wear white caps in highschoool and college games. Home team wears white under international rules. Goalkeepers caps must be red or quartered with two contrasting colors.
Change of Ends: At the conclusion of each period, including overtime periods, teams will change ends prior to the start of the next period.
Choice of Ends: Determined by the toss of a coin at the pregame meeting between the team captains, coaches and referees. In pools with one end deep and one end shallow, it is believed to be an advantage to attack the deep end in the final period of play.
Control (of the ball): A player in control is not holding the ball, but the ball is within his reach and protection.
Counter Attack: Offensive stategy that seeks to create a fast break or advantage situation at the offensive end after a turnover by the opponent in the defensive end of the pool.
Dead Time Foul: Any deffensive foul committed during dead time is considered a major foul. A defensive player committing a foul is ejected for 20 seconds. With the exception of a "double dead time foul", an offensive dead time foul is not a personal fault, but the offensive team loses possession of the ball.
Donut: A goal that is scored by a hard shot that is aimed close to the goalie's head.
Double Dead Time Foul: When both an offensive and defensive player simultaneously commit a foul during dead time. Both players are ejected and the original free throw is maintained.
Double Post: When the offensive stategy uses two hole sets, one in front of each of the goal posts. Also known as a double hole. See hole man.
Dribbling: The technique of moving and controlling the ball while swimming the front crawl stroke.
Drive: Quick swimming movement made toward the goal by an offensive player without the ball.
Drivers: Field players who specialize in driving skills and quick shooting techniques. Drivers must be extremely fast swimmers and have above average, hand-eye coordination.
Drop: Almost a zone defense, where the defensive players drop back to help protect the center of the pool and help block shots. It generally resembles either a sagging man-to-man or a 3-2-1 zone. The ball carrier must be pressured to force a bad pass or a hurried shot.
Dry Pass: A pass made when there is a need for a quick reception by the receiver and the ball may be caught without it touching the water.
Eggbeater: The alternating leg kick that enables players to lift themselves vertically out of the water.
Ejection: The punishment for a defensive player who commits a major foul. The offender is required to swim to the ejection area and remain there for 20 seconds, or until a goal is scored, or upon the signal of the defensive referee following a clear change of possession - whichever comes first. The ejected player also is awarded a personal fault. See major fouls and personal faults.
Ejection Area: An area behind the goal line and to the right of each goal where the penalty time is served by a player who has committed a major foul.
Face Off('Neutral throw"): Should the ball strike an overhead obstruction, or both teams offend simultaneously and the referee cannot distinguish who committed the foul first or in the case of a double live-time major foul, a face off is held. The referee will line up one player from each team in a lateral position near the location of the stoppage. He will then throw the ball between the two players so that neither has an advantage in reaching it.
Feinting (fake or balking): A body, arm or eye movement, or combination of these, which act to freeze a defensive player or make him leave defensive positionaing, to the advantage of the offensive player.
Field Player: A player other than the goalkeeper.
Flat: Pertaining to offensive player positioning. The "Flats" are generally positioned 5 to 8 meters out from the goal posts. The "flat" is the position from which most "drives" are initiated.
Forfeit: When a team fails to comply with the rules, or decides not to complete a game for any reason, or fails to appear, the referee may declare the game a forfeit and the score will be recorded 5-0.
Fouls: See Four-meter Foul, Mjor Fouls and Ordinary Fouls.
Four-Meter Foul: A four-meter foul should be called if the offensive player is held, sunk, or pulled back when he/she is in control of the ball and has inside water while on or inside the four meter line, or any foul committed while the ball is in the four meter area directly aimed at preventing a goal from being scored. The player committing the foul has a personal fault recorded against him/her and the opposition is awarded a penalty throw.
Fronting: Defensive positioning whereby the hole guard gets in the passing lane (between the ball and the hole set), thereby preventing the hole set from receiving a pass.
Free Throw: The method of putting the ball in play after a team is awarded the ball by the referee. It must be taken from the point of the infraction, unless utherwise specified, and by the player closest to that spot. The player may throw the ball or drop it in the water and dribble it, but a free throw may not be thrown directly at the goal even after dribbling.
Goal: One point is awarded for each goal scored. A goal is scored when the ball passes fully over the goal line between the uprights and under the crossbar providing it was not punched in and was played by at least two playersafter the start, restart or free throw. The size of the goal is 3ft. x 10ft.
Goalie(Goalkeeper): The only player permitted to take the ball in both hands or punch it so long as he is within his own four meter line. Outside the four meter line he has the same restrictions as a field player, however the goalkeeper may not cross the halfway line.
Goal Throw: A free hrow awarded to the goalkeeper after a member of the offensive team has caused the ball to go out of bounds across the goal line
Greenie: A vertical, quick shot taken by a perimeter player following a pass from the two meter position. Pass and shot are taken quickly in an effort to catch the perimeter defender by surprise.
Hold, Sink or Pull Back Rule: It is a major foul to hold, sink or pull back an offensive player who has attained the advantage of inside water. It in addition, if the offensive player is inside the four meter line and is in control of the ball, a four-meter foul is the appropriate call. If the offensive player is NOT facing the goal and is on or inside the posts and is inside the 4 meter line when he is held, sunk, or pulled back, whether he is in control of the ball or not, it is a major foul.
Holding the Ball: Lifting, carrying, pressing underwater or placing the hand under or over the ball while actually touching it are all instances of holding the ball.
Hole Set (2 meter man): An offensive player who takes position directly in front of the opponents goal, between the four and two meter lines. The best hole players have above average size, great leg strength, excellent passing abilities and are skilled in specialized goal scoring techniques.
Hole Guard: A defensive player who takes position in front of his/her own goal and guards the hole set. To be effective, the hole guard should be able to match the hole set in size and leg strength.
Impeding: It is an ordinary foul to push, push off from or refrain the free limb movement of, or to impede in any way, an opponent who has not gained an offensive advantage and who is not holding the ball. See ordinary fouls.
Inside Water: An offensive advantage that exists when an offensive player has positioned himself between the goal he is attacking and his defender. A four meter foul should be called if the offensive player is held, sunk, or pulled back when he is in control of the ball and has inside water while on or inside the four meter line. It is a major foul if the offensive player is held, sunk, or pulled back when he/she has inside water outside the four meter line whether in control of the ball or not.
Interference: To deliberately make any attempt to play the ball before a free throw is taken, or to delay or hamper the ball from reaching the player making a free throw, or to hinder the arm movement of a player making a free throw is a major foul.
Kick Out: An ejection. See major foul.
Lane Press: A defensive stategy where defensive players are positioned in the passing lanes (between the ball and their man) rather than their man and the goal. The lane press is designed to deny the easy pass, use offensive time and/or set up an interception or a "stalling" call and set up the counter attack.
Left Hander: A left handed shooter is generally more effective attacking a goal, after receiving a dry pass from the right side of the goal than a right handed player. A left hander's wet shot is most effective attacking from the left.
Live Time: Action which takes place while the clock is running.
Lob Shot: A deceptive, high arching shot that is intended to pass over the goalie's hands and under the crossbar.
Major Fouls: Serious infringements of the rules for which the offender is awarded a personal fault and/or an ejection. See brutality; Dead time foul; double dead time foul; ejection; ejection area; four meter foul; hold, sink, pull back rule; inside water; interference; misconduct; overly-aggressive fouling; personal fault; splashing.
Man Down / Man Up (6 on 5, extra man): The "man down / man up" situation begins when a defensive player comits a major foul and is ejected for 20 seconds. Defensive players must quickly take up zone defense against a "quick" goal and the six on five offensive advantage. Since the offense has only a 20 second advantage opportunity, it is essential that pplayers move to a 4-2 or 3-3 alignment quickly. Similar to the "power play" in ice hockey.
Marking: The position taken up by the defensive player which is designed to keep his/her offensive opponent from either receiving the ball or being an effective offensive threat.
Misconduct: The use of disparaging, insulting or obscene language or gestures is a major foul.
Moving Pick: A pick made by an offensive player who swims in front of (not into) and interferes with a defender who is guarding another offensive player. Unless defenders "switch" a pick will create an opening for a pass or shot.
Natural Goal: Agoal sored from open play when both teams are at full strength as opposed to a goal scored from a penalty throw or man up situation.
Nuetral Throw: See face-off.
Outlet: A pass from the goalie to a field player after a save to begin a counter-attack.
Ordinary Fouls: The penalty for committing an ordinary foul is a free throw awarded to the oppposing team. Instances of ordinary fouls are: taking the "ball under"; impeding; standing; a 2-meter violation; to hit the ball with a clenched fist; to touch the ball with two hands at the same time; to push off from the sides of the pool during actual play; todelay unduly when taking a free throw; stalling.
Overtime: If regulation time end with the score tied in high school or college games, there will be a five-minute interval, followed by two overtime periods of three minutes each. If the overtime ends with the score tied, there will be a two-minute interval, followed by three minute sudden death overtime periods. Under international rules, there is no sudden death. See chioce of ends.
Overly Aggressive Fouling: Any foul to the head, neck or face or any foul intended to cause bodily harm is a major foul.
Passing Lane: An imaginary lane through which the ball could be passed from a player with the ball to another offensive player.
Penalty Throw: A free shot at goal, taken upon the signal from the referee, from any point along the four meter line with only the goalkeeper between the penalty-taker and the goal. See Four meter penalty.
Personal Fault: Any player committing three personal faults will be excluded from the rest of the game. See major foul.
Pick: Creating a screen to impede a defender and free another offensive player for a shot attempt.
Point: Pertaining to offensive player positioning. The "point" in the basic offensive structure is the player farthest out from the goal in the 12:00 O'Clock position.
Press: The most commonly used stategy is the basic "man to man" defense. The idea is to tightly mark each offensive player without fouling. Defenders should always position themselves between their goal and the player they are guarding. Each pass should be pressured. Defenders guarding players without the ball should favor the passing lane side to frustrate a reception.
Rear Back (R.B.): A shot taken while driving after making a quick stop and coming up in a vertical position and shooting off a quick pass from the hole man. Pass and shot are both done quickly in an effort to catch the defender by surprise.
Release: A pass made from 2-meter position, after that position has been awarded a free throw, to a field player. The field players generally must move to make themselves available for a release.
Shallow: Any depth of water less than 2 meters deep.
Slough: A defensive stategy whereby a defensive player drops off the attacker he is marking to adopt a position where he can mark an opffensive player who is attacking from a more dangerous position.
Splashing: To deliberately splash water in an opponent's face is a major foul.
Stalling: The failure of a team to make a good faith effort to advance the ball. Stalling is an ordinary foul. No warning is given by the referee.
Standing: It is ordinary foul for any player except the goalie to take an active part in the game when standing on the bottom of the pool.
Stationary Pick: A pick is made when an offensive player swims his/her defender into another (usually unseen) offensive player. The defender is thus blocked and unless defenders switch a passing or shooting opportunity is created. If the defender swims over or otherwise fouls the stationary pick, the foul is generally not called because of the advantage rule.
Substitutions: Substitutions may be made between p