How I Teach New Players How to Throw.

Broken down basics -> basics -> not so basic.

I didn’t really know how to shoot a water polo ball until about age 25.

While I’ve always been a relatively good athlete, and being a lefty was a bonus (what’s up 4/5 crew!) all I really knew was get up big and chuck it.

A legendary coach I had the honor of being mentored by explains this difference simply; it’s the difference between “throwing the ball at the cage” vs “shooting with intention.”

Players who shoot with intention are typically far more successful at scoring, unless you maintain the ability to put otherworldly heat on the ball and just blow it by the competition.

The new Pro Recco additions of Alvaro Granados and Max Irving shoot intentionally, with perfect technique, and have built up their bodies to produce incredibly kinetic energy behind the ball.

The Thought Process

We want to break each requisite portion of the throwing mechanic down to it’s simplest parts.

Understand, that you are never too good to practice the basics. Watch elite team’s train and there is a common thread - they don’t waste any of their repetitions, they try to get as many as possible in the allotted time, and there is an elite intensity of focus on performing each movement to everyone’s best of their abilities.

When you build your throwing motion from the “ground-up” your accuracy, ball speed, and the quickness of your release all improve in tandem. Further, when you practice making your throwing and passing motions one in the same, you develop characteristic of being “hard for the defense to read”.

Here’s a little road map on how to get there: