Redwood Empire Water Polo
Santa Rosa, CA Sonoma County

 

Your team has lost possession. How do you get everyone back and make it really difficult for the opposition to get a shot, let alone score? Of course – a lot depends on the type of team you are playing. If they are fastbreak devils, then you have to play a particular sort of defence. If their strength is their 2m play – well – that’s another strategy.

In general – when possession is lost
- pick up an attacker
- everybody gets back in to their own half as quickly as possible
- start pressing and pushing the attackers back.

Fundamentals
The team has to get back as quickly as possible. Here is a role definition.

Centre-Back
The centre back must try to get the CF out of position so that sots are difficult to throw. To do this, the CB must play as physical as allowed. Kickouts will happen occasionally, but must be minimized.
Pick up - and defend - the CF immediately, every single time; Position is paramount; Be mobile, quick, and aggressive; Take the physical part of your defensive game to the limit!
Work-and communicate-with your goalie, and with the perimeter defenders for fronting or crashing strategies.
Counter attack on the CF as often as possible. Swim them as far as you can.
Perimeter Defenders
Eliminate Counter-Attack Goals (1/0, 2/1, 3/2); Eliminate Goals out of Set.
Press / Crash / Zone (When in doubt or in between, crash)
Eliminate Kickouts on the Perimeter
Defend Early; Play the ball.
Adjust to the referee's style
Front-Court
Delay the ball going into the 2m as long as possible. Be aware of where the CF is in relation to yourself and be ready to react accordingly
Recognize and communicate defensive gaps. Do not allow yourself to be pulled out of a helping team defense.

Set Defences

Press Defence Basic, Used when generally bigger, or more skilled than your opponent. It is a Big and Physical Setup, and we want to prevent our opponent from driving if possible.
Passing Lane Defence More interesting, generates more steals, and a better counterattack. We allow perimeter passing under pressure, and since we are in the lane, the pass either is wet, wasting their shot clock, or, we steal it. Drives are not worrisome, as the pass coming to the driver should be under pressure, and it is difficult to connect in that instance.

Obviously, this can be run at both sides, just reverse the diagram. We want the ball at either the 2 or 4 spot, as this allows us to better cut off the lanes. If the ball is at the 3 spot, it must be fouled, and then passed to either position

Counter Defence Our special defense. It allows us to counter effectively, and put their weaker shooter under pressure. We must talk a lot to coordinate this, but it is unique enough for us to catch teams off guard. Everyone is active on this, and though we are allowing a shot, it is the shot we are ready for, and the shooter should be under pressure, allowing us to counter.

Each Player needs to constantly ask himself: Who is the shooter? Where is the ball? Can I arrive on the pass? Where do I go on the shot? Remember,  #4 TO SHOOT!

If/When they drive, simply bring Wing Defender 1 (WD1) and/or Wing Defender 2 (WD2) closer to the center of the court, and they take the driver. The Attacking team has to balance, or they will be shooting through the WD’s, which is an acceptable shot to receive.

Crash Defence We help back from the top, with the players not on the ball being soft, and moving on the pass to steal. In many cases it is the default defense, because we should be helping out wherever we can.

Defenders need to move ON THE PASS to get the steal, or help with the foul

 
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