[Reprinted from Spalding’s Athletic Library No. 361—Intercollegiate Swimming Guide.]

Water basket ball may be played in any pool, or if played in the open should not cover more than 2,500 square feet of space. The water should be of swimming depth, that is, the players must not be able to stand on the bottom. There should be lines drawn “across the bottom of the pool and up the sides 15 feet from the ends, called 15-foot lines.”

Equipment.—The necessary equipment is a regulation water polo ball and two regulation Spalding baskets with a firm background, 6 feet by 4, extending at least 3 feet above the top of each basket. The baskets shall be hammock nets of cord, suspended from metal rings 18 inches in diameter. The rings shall be 5½ feet above the water in the center of the ends of the pool. The inside rims shall extend 6 inches from a rigid supporting surface.

Teams.—Each team consists of six players-three forwards and three backs. Captains toss for goals.

Start.—Each team lines up at its own end; the ball is thrown into center of the pool; the forwards swim after the ball; the backs must play back and not swim up after ball. The forwards are the offensive players and should be the fastest swimmers. They should also be able to throw goals. The forwards advance the ball toward the opponents’ basket. The center forward should feed the two side forwards and guard the opposing center back.

Score.—A goal thrown into the basket from the field counts two points, and a free throw granted for a foul by opposing side counts one point. Teams line up as in beginning after a score has been made. The backs each guard an opposing forward and try to prevent their scoring.

Officials.—There is a referee who is in entire charge of game, calling fouls, free throws, time out and goals. There is a scorer, also a timer.

Time.—There are two halves, not less than five minutes nor more than eight minutes each, with five minutes intermission. Ends are changed at the beginning of the second half. Time is taken out for disputes, accidents, free tries.

Out of Bounds.—When the ball is sent out of bounds by one team it is given to a player of opposing team at place where it went out. Player must throw ball within five seconds or it is given to opposing side.

Free Throw.—A free throw is granted to a forward upon a foul made by opposite side. The free throw is taken from the fifteen-foot mark by one of the forwards, who is unguarded at time of throw. If the goal is not made, the ball is in play. If goal is made, play begins according to start.

Fouls.—The penalty for a foul is a free throw for opposing side. There are rough fouls such as kicking, striking, tackling, holding, deliberate splashings.

When an opponent has the ball she may be tackled and “ducked” under the water by one of the opposing players.

A player may not be held under water after she has let go of ball. A player may not tackle by or hold to opponent’s clothing, although blocking is allowed. There should be no holding with hands or legs. A player may not hang on to sides when she has the ball. The ball may not intentionally be held under water.

Tie.—A tie may be played off in another three-minute period. If game ends after foul is made, the free throw is taken. No goal is counted after whistle has blown.

In both water basket ball and water polo the swimmer should use the easiest and least tiring stroke. Whenever there is an opportunity, a rest either by hanging on to sides or treading water (see Swimming) ought to be taken. Both games afford opportunity for team work in passing and dribbling. In dribbling, the ball is kept in front of body within easy reach for a good pass if the dribbler is attacked.

Water Polo

The main factor in water polo is learning how to handle the ball. The hand should be placed under the ball, then the ball is lifted in the air and thrown with all the strength of the shoulder and arm. It is ineffectual to try to grab the ball or push it. It must be picked up.

The ball is tossed to the middle of the pool, then the forwards swim up as fast as they can to get the ball. The forwards are chosen for their speed and endurance. Every forward should learn to shoot hard and accurately. The center forward is usually the fastest girl on the team. The center forward who gets the ball in the swim-up usually tosses it back to her center-half or to one of the side forwards. The forwards try to advance the ball, so that a good shot for their opponents’ goal may be obtained. If the field is clear the forward may dribble the ball, i. e., keep the ball moving close in front of her. Usually, however, it is better to advance the ball by passes. One forward at least should stay close to the goal, ready to send in any short shots.

The center half guards the opposing forward and feeds the ball to her forwards. There is a guard for each of the side forwards. It is the best policy for the guards to stay between the forwards and the goal. Stick to your opponent; never let her get a free shot.

The goal keeper must be able to reach out of the water and catch the high balls sent into the goal. She must also be quick. Remember, you can use both hands to handle the ball. The guards always must help the goal keeper cover the goal area, never leaving her unguarded, yet they must not interfere with her or prevent her seeing clearly.

Water Polo Rules.

[Printed through courtesy of Mr. Philip Bishop, Physical Director Haverford School and Advisory Coach of Swimming at Bryn Mawr College.]

Ball.—The ball used shall be a leather association football.

Goals.—The width of the goals to be 10 feet, the cross-bar to be 3 feet above the surface when the water is 5 feet or over in depth, and to be 8 feet from the bottom when the water is less than 5 feet in depth.

Field of Play.—The distance between the goals shall not exceed 30 yards, nor be less than 19 yards; the width shall be not more than 20 yards and shall be of even width throughout the field of play. The goal posts shall be fixed at least 1 foot from the end of the bath or any obstruction. In baths, the halfway line and also the 4 yards penalty lines shall be marked on both sides.

Time.—The duration of the match shall be 14 minutes, 7 minutes each way. Three minutes to be allowed at half time for change of ends. When the ball crosses the goal line, whether it be a goal, corner throw or goal throw, it shall be dead until the restart of the game or until it leaves the hand of the player taking the throw, and such time shall be deducted. Time occupied by disputes and fouls, or when the ball is thrown from the field of play or lodges on an obstruction, as per Rule for Out of Play, shall not be reckoned as in time of play.

Officials.—The officials shall consist of a referee, a timekeeper, two goal scorers and two umpires.

Teams.—Each side shall consist of seven players, two forwards, two halves, two fullbacks and one goal keeper.

Starting.—The players shall enter the water and place themselves in a line with their respective goals. The referee shall stand in a line with the center of the course and, having ascertained that the captains are ready, shall give the word “Go,” and immediately throw the ball into the water at the center. A goal shall not be scored after starting or restarting until the ball has been handled (viz., played with the hand below the wrist) either by the members of one team, in which case the scorer shall be within half-distance of the goal attacked, or by a player of each team. The ball must be handled by more than one player before a goal can be scored.

Scoring.—A goal shall be scored by the entire ball passing beyond the goal posts and under the cross-bar.

Ordinary Fouls.—It shall be a foul:

(a) To touch the ball with both hands at the same time.

(b) To hold the rail or side during any part of the game, except for rest. Goal keeper cannot interfere while holding, but can hold all the time so long as she does not play.

(c) To stand or touch bottom during any part of the game, except for the purpose of resting.

(d) To interfere with an opponent or impede her in any way unless she is holding the ball.

(e) To hold the ball under water when tackled.

(f) To jump from the bottom or push off from the side (except at starting or restarting) in order to play the ball or “duck” an opponent.

(g) To hold, pull back, or push off from an opponent.

(h) To turn on the back and kick at an opponent.

(i) To assist a player at the start or restart.

(j) For the goal keeper to go more than 4 yards from her own goal lines.

(k) To throw the ball at the goal keeper from a free throw.

(l) To refuse to play the ball at the command of the referee after a foul or after the ball has been out of the field of play.

Note.—Dribbling or striking the ball is not holding; but lifting, carrying, pressing under water or placing the hand under or over the ball when actually touching, is holding. Dribbling the ball lip through the posts is permissible.

Wilful Fouls.—If, in the opinion of the referee, a player commits an ordinary foul wilfully, the referee shall at once order her out of the water until a goal has been scored. It shall be considered a wilful foul to start before word “go;” to deliberately waste time; to deliberately change position after whistle has blown with a view to taking an advantage of an opponent; to deliberately splash in the face of an opponent.

Free Throws.—The penalty for each foul shall be a free throw to the opposing side from the place where the foul occurred. A goal cannot be scored from a free throw, unless the ball has been handled (viz., played with the hand below the wrist), by at least one other player, the goal keeper excepted.

Penalty Throws.—A player wilfully fouled when within four yards of her opponents’ goal line shall be awarded a penalty throw, and the player who commits the offense must be ordered out of the water until a goal has been scored. The penalty throw shall be taken from any point on the four-yard line. In the case of a penalty throw it shall not be necessary for the ball to be handled by any other player before the goal can be scored, but any player within the four-yard line may intercept a penalty throw.

Note.—A player ordered out of the water for committing a wilful foul must remain out until a goal has been scored, notwithstanding that half-time may intervene or extra time be played, except by permission of the referee.

Declaring Fouls.—The referee or umpires shall declare a foul by blowing a whistle. The player nearest to where the foul occurred shall take the throw. The other players shall remain in their respective positions from the blowing of the whistle until the ball has left the hand of the player taking the throw. In the event of one or more players from each team committing a foul so nearly at the same moment as to make it impossible for the referee to distinguish who offended first, she shall have the ball out of the water and throw it in as nearly as possible at the place where the foul occurred in such a manner that one member of each team may have equal chance of playing the ball. In such cases the ball must be allowed to touch the water before it is handled and must be handled (i. e., played with the hand below the wrist) by more than one player before a goal can be scored.

Goal Keeper.—The goal keeper may stand to defend her goal, and must not throw the ball beyond half distance; the penalty for doing so shall be a free throw to the opposing side from half distance at either side of the field of play. She must keep within four yards of her own goal line or concede a free throw from the four-yard line to her nearest opponent. The goal keeper is exempt from clauses a, c, and f in Rule for Ordinary Fouls, but she may be treated as any other player when in possession of the ball. Except when injury or illness compel her to leave the water, the goal keeper can only be changed at half time.

Goal Line Corner Throws.—A player throwing the ball over her own goal line shall concede a free corner throw to her opponents, and such free corner throw shall be taken by the player of the opposing side nearest the point where the ball leaves the field of play; if the attacking side throw the ball over, it shall be a free goal throw to their opponents’ goal keeper.

Out of Play.—Should a player send the ball out of the field of play at either side, it shall be thrown in any direction from where it went out by one of the opposing side, and shall be considered a free throw. The player nearest the point where the ball leaves the field of play must take the throw. Should a ball strike an overhead obstruction and rebound into the field of play, it shall be considered in play; but if it lodges on or in an overhead obstruction, it shall be considered out of play, and the referee shall then stop the game and throw the ball into the water under the obstruction on or in which it had lodged.

Declaring Goals, Time, etc.—The referee shall declare fouls, half-time and time by whistle; the timekeeper may notify half-time and time by whistle.