One-Hand Pick-Up
Learn to lift the ball off the water with one hand – scooping from underneath and lifting from on top – without the other hand helping.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 8, Water Polo – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Ball Handling
- Equipment
- Water Polo Ball
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 1–20 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Spread swimmers out; soft balls only for beginners.
What it develops
- Pick up, hold and release the ball one-handed
- Pass and receive while moving
How to run it
- Underneath pick-up: slide the hand under the ball, fingers spread, and lift it straight up.
- Top pick-up: place the hand on top, push the ball down slightly and roll the hand under it as it rises.
- Practise ten of each with the dominant hand, then try the other hand.
- Progress from standing to treading water.
Teaching cues
- Spread your fingers.
- Free hand stays in the water.
- Lift smoothly, don't snatch.
Make it easier
- Stand in shallow water and use a soft ball.
Make it harder
- Pick up and immediately pass to a partner.
- Pick up while swimming towards the ball.
Common faults
- Free hand helps.
- Ball squirts away when pushed down.
Corrections
- 'Hide your other hand under the water.'
- 'Push it down just a little – then roll.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand with two swimmers and demonstrate the hand position slowly, then count their successful pick-ups for the teacher.