Five Things You Didn’t Know About Water Polo

By Matthew Gao ‘26

Water polo is like two sports in one: individual athletes must be able to swim fast while also having the dexterity to play as a team. The sport is extremely physical and requires countless hours both in and out of the pool. Not only is the sport extremely entertaining for spectators, there are many things about the sport that you may not know. We consulted with Andrew Yang ‘26 to learn more. Yang, who began playing water polo as a Second Former, is a scorer, playmaker, and defender.

He listed five crucial aspects of water polo that the casual viewer may not know:

1.There is a culinary term associated with water polo: egg beater. This method of treading water allows players to lift their lower body out of the water, helping them to take more powerful shots.

2.You can’t touch the bottom of the pool. Players have to tread water for the entire game. Touching the pool is considered a minor foul and will result in a turnover.

3. You can only touch the ball with one hand. Only the goalkeeper within six meters of the goal can use two hands.

4. Water polo players swim miles every game. The fast-paced nature of the game, with frequent changes in possession, leads to players sprinting towards opposite ends of the pool, back and forth.

5. It's still a really fun sport. Beyond its fundamental difficulties, water polo is extremely fun for both its players and spectators, encouraging team pride and fostering new friendships.

Learn more about Big Red boys’ and girls’ water polo on the Lawrenceville School website.

Photo credit: Victor Nikolaev '26

For additional information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.