Drive and Receive
An attacker swims a quick 'drive' towards goal to get free of a defender, then turns to receive a pass – learning to create space by moving.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 10
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Skills
- Receiving, Water Polo Movement, Game Awareness
- Equipment
- Water Polo Ball, Goals or Targets
- Age
- 9–99 years
- Group size
- 3–14 swimmers
- Time
- About 6 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 2, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- No contact; shots only at an empty goal or target.
What it develops
- Accurate passing under light pressure
- Simple attacking ideas: space, movement and support
How to run it
- Attacker starts beside a passive defender, five metres from a target.
- On 'drive', the attacker swims head-up hard for three strokes towards the target, then eggbeaters up and shows a hand.
- Passer passes to the hand; attacker shoots or passes back.
- Rotate roles; progress to a defender who follows (no contact).
Teaching cues
- Explode for three strokes.
- Stop high and show a hand.
- Receive, then decide.
Make it easier
- No defender; slower drive.
Make it harder
- Defender actively follows; attacker can change direction once.
Common faults
- Drive too slow to get free.
- Attacker stops low and can't receive.
Corrections
- 'Short, sharp, head-up strokes.'
- 'Sit up tall and ask for it.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Feed passes to the driving attacker at the moment they show a hand.