What Happens Underwater, Stays Underwater

Editor’s Note: On December 6-7, the NCAA men’s water polo championships are being held at Canyonview Pool at my alma mater — UC San Diego. Having lived with a goalie on a Final Four team while in college and covered water polo at the UCSD Guardian while in school, the sport holds a special place for me. Watching what looked like guys basically drowning each other the entire game.

So, with the Final Four coming up, I’ve asked a fellow Triton and former Arroyo Grande Eagle — Danielle Boyle Melman — to get us warmed-up for the upcoming Final Four by helping fans understand a little more about the sport that I think might be the most underrated one out there. – OM

Danielle Boyle Melman (with the ball) winds up during the 2003 WWPA championships.

Water polo: a fast action sport frequently compared to an alligator feeding frenzy from a spectator’s viewpoint. Above water, fans witness rigorous swimming, a flawlessly-passed ball that rarely touches the water, treading of water that appears as if the pool is only three feet deep, and the intensity of athletes playing their heart out for four, eight minute quarters. I love this game. But what many fans don’t realize is what happens under water, stays under water.

The game of water polo is different than most Olympic sports in the fact that it can only be assessed by referees who are positioned on the pool deck. Referees call appropriate fouls when above waterline play is deemed unjust and does not uphold the 179 rules FINA and USA Water Polo established for the sport. Everything that happens out of the water is seen and judged by referees. But do you ever wonder what goes on under water that cannot be managed by the referees or even held accountable by the fans when play is deemed unfair?

As a former age group, high school, collegiate, and now master’s water polo player, I have seen it all; I have experienced it all. After countess ripped water polo suits, four broken fingers, a handful of stitches, a few corneal abrasions, and bruises that seem like permanent body art, the question should be, what doesn’t go on underwater?

Water polo players endure kicks, punches, scratches and being held under water for what seems like eternity. We have all found ourselves swimming with a stronger kick than normal, hoping to fend off any opponents on our tail. We have found ourselves adding a few breaststrokes kicks, or perhaps positioning our bodies to gain leverage on the player we are defending. At the end of the game, the practice, the day, the fact of the matter is, what happens under the water, stays under the water…and for the most part, is all perfectly legal in the eyes of the sport.

My collegiate teammates would tell you I was one of the more “assertive” ones on our team. We played hard and aggressive; however, we were skilled at our craft and relied on our ability to pass, shoot and defend rather than our ability to kick, scratch and claw. The latter came with the game; the former was the foundation of being a successful teammate on a prosperous team. I am certainly guilty of giving black eyes to teammates, or dishing out “donkey kicks” during an intersquad practice, but that’s what we all signed up for; that is why we love the game.

Next time you find yourself watching a water polo game, try to keep a close eye on what is happening below the waterline. You might not see the punch, the kick, or the suit grab, but you might see that little pause in a counter attack, or that small athlete struggle as one athlete asserts themselves over another. Continue to have appreciation for the athleticism these athlete’s possess and the hard work it takes to train for the game of water polo; but now you know the secret to the game of water polo.

Danielle Boyle Melman played water polo at UCSD from 2000-2003. Her 60 assists in 2003 ranks second all-time at UCSD and her 101 career assists puts her in the career top-10 for the Tritons.