The Water Polo Goalie

05/28/2025

Great pass by Anna Reed of USC in the 2025 NCAA championship game against Stanford.

Drops the ball into a tight space

Leads her teammate slightly forward and towards center

Puts the ball where only her teammate can get it

01/29/2025

If you were the Goalie, how would you prevent the counter-attack to ejection drawn in this clip?

How would you position your teammates & what would you say to them to prevent this?

01/21/2025

Communication is key, especially during transition defense!

In my latest article, I break down exactly how goalies can lead their defense through clear, effective communication.

- How to start looking for defensive problems
- How to fix them
- How to give quick, clear commands

Check out the full breakdown here

How to Quickly Assess Problems and Communicate the Solution

01/13/2025

What separates great water polo goalies from the good ones? It’s the intangibles.

1. Mental toughness & resilience
2. Composure under pressure
3. Adaptability
4. Emotional intelligence
5. Competitive drive
6. Decision-making ability
7. Focus & concentration
8. Coachability
9. Positive attitude
10. Game intelligence

For more read this 👇

Why intangibles matter more than physical attributes in sports, comparing NFL recruiting rankings to water polo goalies.

11/02/2023

Some general rules on where to put an outlet pass and a game example of what not to do.

General rules on where to put the ball based on where the defender is when throwing an outlet pass to a teammate on a counter attack.

10/24/2023

You can't block what you can't see!
A hand-eye coordination shooting drill to keep your eyes on the ball throughout the entire lunge block.

A ball tracking drill to help keep your eye on the ball

10/10/2023

Is it an M-Drop or the Brescia Zone defense?

The main differences between the M-Drop and the new Brescia Zone

07/15/2020

When should you specialize in a single sport? Should you choose the Tiger Woods path or choose the Roger Federer path?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tiger-woods-or-roger-federer-when-should-you-focus/id1516403467?i=1000484953314

06/29/2020

Episode 5 is live and it's based on the first questions I got from a listener.

What do you say to your team pre-game, mid-game, and post-game to get your teammates to force the weakest shooter on the opposing team to take the shot.

06/15/2020

How to block a penalty shot? Or, probably more accurate, how to force the shooter to make a great shot?

How do you block a penalty shot? In this episode, I'll run through all my tips and strategies to improve your odds of blocking a penalty shot.

06/04/2020

Ask the Water Polo Podcast just launched! It is me answering questions about being a goalie, training, and coaching goalies. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-the-water-polo-goalie/id1516403467

05/22/2020

The European Aquatics channel has been posting some classic games. Here's the 1992 Gold Medal game. Spain vs Italy.