New water polo rules will change the game, coaches say

NEW RULES-Westlake's Natalie Todak fires a shot at Moorpark goalie Catherine Sampson during a match last season. This year, new rules have been implemented that will impact the game. To boost fan attendance and scoring, water polo has introduced some new rules for the upcoming season.

One of the rule changes has been the removal of the 4-meter and 7-meter lines. Instead, a lone 5-meter line will be in play.

"The removal of the 4-meter line and the 7-meter line will drastically change the game," Thousand Oaks girls' head coach Mike Giles said. "Now, instead of players rushing their throw at the net, they will have time to catch the ball, look and survey the situation, and then shoot."

Penalty shots will also become a 5-meter shot this season in hopes there will be fewer fouls. According to Westlake High's boys' coach Todd Irmas, the way a team plays defense should change, due to the new rules.

"I think it puts a lot of pressure on the goalies," Irmas said. "I think teams aren't going to want to foul with the penalty shot only being five meters. There may be more doubles teams to come now instead of players going one-on-one, but the double teams should come late in the shot clock."

Another rule change that should help the offense is defensive players can no longer put up two arms in defense of a shot and instead must only use one.

Violation of this rule inside the 5-meter line warrants a penalty shot. Violation of the rule outside the 5-meter line warrants ejection of the offending player.

"I don't think that rule is that bad," Giles said. "I think it's bet

er to have two legs and one arm

o lift you while playing defense."

Though many rules affect offenses, one rule in particular will help the defense. If a defensive player blocks a shot with one hand out of bounds, the defensive team will now get a goalie

hrow, instead of the ball going back to the offense.

"The rule I like the best is that the defense now gets the ball if they block a shot out of bounds," Royal High's girls' coach Matt Frazier said. "I think this rule will balance the other rules that help the offense."

The new rules have already been used in summer leagues and internationally, so most players should be used to them when the high school season starts. "I think by adding these rules

the league is trying to get more people in the stands for games and that the games will be higher scoring," Frazier said.

Although most coaches agree that the new rules will make it easier to score, only time will tell how much the rules will affect the game in general.

"This year is the experimental year, so we'll see if it works and if the rules will continue next year," Irmas said.