Keys to Success in High Level Water Polo Teams

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify specific offensive performance indicators that distinguish the top clubs from the others in the Male Honour Division of the Spanish Water Polo League. A total of 88 matches from the 2011-2014 seasons have been analysed. The offensive performance variables were divided into four groups, namely, playing situations, attacks outcome, origin of shots, and technical execution of shots. Univariate analyses (ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and generalised linear model (GLM) tests) were conducted to identify differences in the offensive variables between "strong", "medium" or "weak" teams' performances. A multinomial logistic regression was carried out to determine the variables that best distinguish the team level. The offensive variables that best classified the team level (61.9% of correct classification rate) were counterattack shots (p<0.010), goals (p<0.011), no goal shots (p<0.013), drive shots (p<0.020), penalties (p<0.000), and shots originated from zones close to goal (zone 5 (p<0.010) and 6 (p<0.000)). As a conclusion, this paper presents values of reference for the offensive variables that best distinguish between the strong, medium and weak teams' performances. This information can help coaches to evaluate their teams and to design training sessions aimed at improving their weakest skills.

Assessment of the Offensive Play in Elite Water Polo Using the Team Sport Assessment Procedure (TSAP) over an Entire Competitive Season

“…Men’s national and international matches were compared in a study by Lupo et al [ 13 ], showing that the competitive level (sub-elite and elite) had a positive impact on the occurrence of even, counterattack and power play situations and that elite teams executed more complex offensive actions than the sub-elite ones. In a study over the course of three consecutive seasons of the male Spanish Professional Water Polo League, by grouping the teams into “strong,” “medium,” and “weak” levels based on their final league table positions, Pérez et al [ 14 ] investigated the same game situations, showing that the “strong level” teams made more counterattacks and goals scored than the “weak level” ones. The final score difference between balanced (1–3 goals) and unbalanced (>3 goals) games in elite water polo suggests that more power play actions occur in balanced games [ 15 ], whereas unbalanced games have a lower frequency of even actions and a higher number of counterattacks, indicating that defensive players may not be able to address the opponents’ counterattacks [ 16 ].…”