Inner tube water polo

History

Rules

Team Requirements

• A team consists of 6 players, but may play with a minimum of 4 players.
• Each team must have a minimum of two men and two women playing at all times.

  Equipment

• Inner tubes – these may be true inner tubes from tires or more pedestrian ones found at any store that sells pool and aquatic toys.
• Nets – These should be the same as water polo nets.
• Ball – These should be the same as water polo balls.

  Game Length

• There are two halves, 20 minutes each.
• The clock runs continuously.
• Teams will change sides at half-time.
• All ties at the end of playing time will be broken by a shootout.

  Play Area - Side lines

• The court is the rectangle formed by the pool walls and lane lines.
• A ball is considered in-bounds until it makes contact with the pool deck or pool surface outside the boundary area.
• The ball changes possession when it goes out-of-bounds.
• A player may make a play on a ball outside the play court as long as
• * The ball is in the air,
• * The player's tube is in-bounds, and
• * The player remains in their tube.
• Any shot or pass that ricochets off a diving board, backstroke flags or other pool equipment within the court boundary and lands in-bounds is a live ball.

  Start of Play

• To start each half, and after each goal, both teams line up at opposite ends of the pool.
• All players must be in contact with the wall before play begins.
• The referee throws the ball into the center of the pool while simultaneously blowing the whistle to begin play.
• On the official's whistle both teams may paddle their tubes toward the ball.
• * Pushing off the wall is legal at start.

  Stoppage of Play

• The referee blowing his/her whistle always signals an immediate stoppage of play and a dead ball. This can be for free throws, fouls, injuries, time-outs, penalties, or any other reason the referee deems necessary.
• The play stops if the ball travels out-of-bounds for any reason.

  Substitutions

• teams may substitute when:
• * A goal is scored,
• * The play ends because the ball went out-of-bounds, or
• * A time-out is called.
• A goalie can only be substituted for by someone on the sidelines if the ball is live or by anyone if the ball is dead.

  Possession

• All players, except the goalie, must sit in a horizontal position, facing up inside the inner tube. A goalie must have at least one body part through the hole in the inner tube at all times. They may also sit in the tube.
• If a player falls out of their tube, the player may not participate in the game in any way.
• Players move with the ball by:
• * Pushing it in the water,
• * Holding it between their knees,
• * Gripping it with 2 hands,
• * Gripping it with 1 hand,
• * Pressing it against their body,
• * Or holding it in their lap.
• A player may not hold the ball completely under the water.
• Players may not deliberately hold the ball to delay the game.
• Referees are often charged with determining who receives the ball as a result of a tied-up ball or other infraction.

  Contact Between Players

• Inner tube to inner tube contact is legal.
• Incidental inner tube to body contact is legal.
• A defending player may touch the ball when it is in possession of an opposing player. This includes swatting the ball out of player’s hand.
• It is legal for a defensive player to try to push the player with the ball out of his tube, thus forcing a turnover.
• Any illegal contact between players will result in a free throw.

  Free Throws

• Free throws are awarded for violations at the point nearest the spot of the infraction.
• During a free throw, the person who starts the ball into play has 3 seconds to pass the ball to a teammate.
• A goal may not be scored until a second offensive player touches the ball after the free throw.
• The defense must provide 2 feet of space from the point of the free throw.
• Free throws are awarded in the following scenarios:
• * Any offensive player enters the goalie box.
• * The ball goes out-of-bounds.
• Players may not interfere with another player, with or without the ball, in the following manners:
• * Holding,
• * Pushing,
• * Hitting,
• * Splashing,
• * Dunking, or,
• * Tackling.
• A ball that goes out in the goal box is given to the goalie for a free throw.

  Penalty Shots

• Penalty shots shall be taken by the offended player at the backstroke flags.
• No defensive player may be within 2 feet of the shooter.
• If the result of the penalty shot is not a goal, the ball remains in play.
• * Exception: The ball is dead in a shoot-out if the ball does not go in the net.
• A penalty shot will be awarded in the following scenarios:
• * A defensive player enters the goal box to make a play.
• * A goalie abandons his/her tube to block a shot.

  Goalie

• The goalie may not abandon his/her tube in an attempt to block a shot from entering the goal. Remember, they do not have to sit in the tube but rather just have a part of their body in/through it at all times.
• * If the goalie leaves his/her tube while blocking a shot on goal, this will result in a penalty shot for the offensive team.
• The goalie may never pass the ball beyond the mid-pool line.
• The goalie may not leave the goal box area during play.
• Once the goalie gains possession of the ball, he/she will have 3 seconds to release the ball.
• A ball in play may be passed back to the goalie. The goalie will have 3 seconds to release the ball.
• A goalie can be pulled for another attacking player during normal substitution times.

  Goals

• A goal is scored when a legal shot completely crosses the goal line.
• A player scoring a goal must remain in his/her tube after the goal is scored or the score will be disallowed.
• A shot taken from inside the goal box will be disallowed and the ball will be given to the goalie for a free throw.
• After a goal is scored, the referee will start play in the center of the pool again.

  Shootouts

• Five players from each team will be selected by the team to shoot.
• At least 2 men and 2 women must shoot. They should alternate.
• Shooters do not have to have been in the pool at the end of play.
• Goalies will be the same as the goalies from the end of play.
• A coin flip or another creative method of determining order will decide which team shoots first.
• Each team has a total of 5 penalty shots and will alternate each shot. No rebounds.
• The referee signals the start of each penalty shot with a whistle blow.
• If the score is tied at the end of the first shootout, a ‘sudden-death’ shootout will ensue.
• * Once one team leads after an equal number of shots have taken, the game is over.
• Only players who shot in the first round are eligible to shoot in the second round.
• The gender order established in the first round will be maintained in the second round.
• Teams must have an equal ratio of male to females during penalty shots.

  Misconduct

Rec Leagues

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