Space Invaders
The pool is split into zones; attackers score by receiving a pass in an empty zone – teaching players to look for and move into space.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 9, Water Polo – Stage 10
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Passing, Water Polo Movement, Game Awareness
- Equipment
- Float, Water Polo Ball, Team Caps or Bibs
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 6–14 swimmers
- Time
- About 8 minutes
- In a lesson
- Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- No contact; well-spaced zones; deep water competence required.
What it develops
- Understand basic positions and spacing
- Simple attacking ideas: space, movement and support
How to run it
- Divide the playing area into six zones using floats.
- Only one attacker and one defender may be in a zone at a time.
- Attackers score a point when they receive a pass in a zone with no defender.
- Defenders try to stay in the same zone as an attacker without contact.
Teaching cues
- Look up – where's the empty space?
- Move early.
- Passer finds the free player.
Make it easier
- Fewer zones and passive defenders.
Make it harder
- Add a goal: after three points the team may shoot.
Common faults
- Attackers stay in crowded zones.
- Passers don't look up.
Corrections
- 'If someone is with you – move.'
- 'Head up before you pass.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Watch two zones and call 'two in a zone' when the rule is broken so play stays organised.