Lift, Cock and Release
Break shooting into three parts – lift the ball, draw it back behind the head, release towards the target – practised slowly before adding power.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Eggbeater, Ball Handling, Shooting
- Equipment
- Water Polo Ball, Goals or Targets
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 1–14 swimmers
- Time
- About 6 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Shoot only at targets or empty goals; nobody stands in front of a target being shot at.
- Use soft, size-appropriate balls.
What it develops
- Introductory shooting at a target
How to run it
- Swimmers tread in deep water, ball on the water in front.
- Lift: pick up the ball one-handed and rise on the eggbeater.
- Cock: draw the ball back so the hand is behind the ear, elbow high, body turned slightly.
- Release: push the ball towards a target on the wall or a hoop, following through with the fingers pointing at it.
Teaching cues
- Rise up first.
- Elbow above the shoulder.
- Point your fingers at the target after release.
Make it easier
- Practise standing in shallower water.
- Shoot at a large target from close range.
Make it harder
- Shoot after receiving a pass.
- Aim at a smaller target in the corner.
Common faults
- Shooting from low in the water.
- Dropping the elbow so the ball goes high.
- No follow-through.
Corrections
- 'Kick up, then shoot.'
- 'Keep your elbow up like a waiter.'
- 'Finish pointing at where you want it to go.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Retrieve balls from behind the target only when the teacher calls 'balls' and shooting has stopped.