by Rich Corso, Havard Water Polo Foundation
Two-meter Defenders - Your
Goals: Eliminate all goals out of set.
- Play
as physical as allowed.
- The nature of the position requires that you will be ejected occasionally, but be aware of minimizing the number of ejections you need to take.
- You must counter the two-meter man as often as possible.
- Play
as physical as allowed.
- Your
Roles: Pick up - and defend - the two-meter man immediately,
every single time.
- Position is paramount
- You must be mobile, quick, and aggressive.
- Take the physical part of your defensive game to the limit!
- Work-and
communicate-with your goalie.
Perimeter
Defenders- Your
Goals:
- Eliminate Counter-Attack Goals (1 on none, 2 on 1, 3 on 2)
- Eliminate
Goals out of Set
- Press / Crash / Zone (When in doubt or in between, crash)
- Elirninate
Ejections on the Perimeter
- Play the ball and adjust to the referee's style
- Your
Roles: Defend Early
- Counter-Attack
Defense:
- Position Yourself Early on Offense in order to Eliminate any Counter-Attack Goals (1 on none, 2 on 1, 3 on 2)
- Pick up and Press Immediately when the ball turns over
- Identify their two~meter man ASAP & any possible free man
- Front-Court
Defense:
- Delay the ball going into set as long as possible.
- Be aware of the relation between the two-meter man's position and your own position and be ready to react accordingly
Recognize and communicate helps, gaps, and stair-steps. Do not allow yourself to be pulled out of a helping I team defense.
- Counter-Attack
Defense:
Five-on-Six
Defenders - Your
Goals: Hold Every Team to Less Than a 38% Success Rate
- Your
Priorities:
- Eliminate Goals from the Posts
- Eliminate
Goals from 1 and 6
- You Must Take the Shooting Lanes
- Minimize Goals from 4 and 5
- The key to success on 5-on-6 defense is all-out hustle!
- Your
Priorities: