Lincoln Water
Polo is Recruiting!
Thinking
of joining the water polo team? Answers
to the most common questions are below:
What IS water polo?
Water polo is a fast-paced game not
unlike soccer or basketball, with two opposing teams trying to put the ball in
the opponent’s net. There are six field
players and one goalie on each team.
Ideally games are played in a deep pool; if the pool is shallow, players
are not allowed to touch the bottom of the pool. Games have four quarters, and usually take 45 minutes
to an hour. No, there are no horses!
Is water polo an official Lincoln sport?
Water polo is a Lincoln club sport
that awards varsity letters. It is a no
cut sport, and Lincoln fields JV and Varsity teams for both boys and girls.
When is the high school water polo season?
Water polo is a fall sport. Pre-season practice begins in August two
weeks before school starts. Oregon high
school championships are in early November.
Who
does Lincoln play?
Lincoln plays in the West Metro League: Aloha,
Beaverton, Southridge, Sunset, and Westview.
Last year, Lincoln Girls placed first in the league! We will also schedule early season games with
teams in other leagues for practice games.
Our teams will also attend one or two tournaments each year, and have
consistently qualified for post-season playoffs.
What if I’ve never played before?
You are in good company. Water polo is a growing sport in Oregon, but
most of our athletes had never played before their first practice, or never
watched a full water polo game before playing in one.
What skills do I need to have?
The most important things are to be
comfortable in the water, willing to train hard, and eager to learn. This is one of the few high school sports
where you don’t have to have years of experience to play and thrive. A background in swimming is great, but we’ve
also had athletes who have never spent time in a pool join and find they love
the game. Athletes who have played other competitive
sports such as basketball, soccer, or baseball, find that a lot of those skills
translate to water polo as well. In
fact, water polo is a great way to cross train and stay in shape for winter or
spring sports.
I’ve heard water polo is really rough.
Water polo can be very physical, as
players jockey for possession of the ball. But water slows down the speed of contact, and
injuries are not common. Parents may notice a significant change in fitness and
endurance capabilities as a result of the work outs.
It sounds like a big time commitment…
It is. During the pre-season there will be ‘daily
double’ practices as the coaches teach water polo skills and work on
conditioning. Practices will continue
into the season, with some morning practices before school as well as evening
practices. Once league play starts,
there will be two games a week. It is a
big commitment, and it is worth it! Our
athletes have gone on to play water polo in college, including Division I and
III and club teams.
I’m
just a freshman, so maybe I’ll wait and start next year.
Start now!
We have athletes join freshman, sophomore, junior, and even senior
years. We welcome athletes at any year,
but the juniors and seniors consistently tell us they wish they started sooner. Playing water polo is a blast, and a great
way to get involved at Lincoln.
Who
manages the team?
Water polo is a club sport at Lincoln, managed by a
group of parent volunteers. Parents can
help out in many ways during the season, from running the shot clock during
games (best seat in the house!) to helping with fundraising or planning the
team banquet.
I’m
in - How do I sign up?!
Registration begins in the spring. Email us now at lhswaterpolo@gmail.com and we will make sure you are on the email list.
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