One of my favorite old visual gags is the guy who was invited to a water polo match and shows up on horseback. I'm not sure why, but that's an image that's stayed with me awhile.
But it's not like water polo is the only variation of the equestrian (I used a big word) sport. One particularly odd version of polo is kayak, or canoe, polo.
Kayak polo is played with a team of five to 10 players equipped with helmets, face masks and personal flotation devices on kayaks. During any time of play, five players are allowed in the 40-meter-by-25-meter area in a pool or, more commonly, lake.
Kayak polo, however, is not played in a river. That would be rather one-sided.
Teams will use teamwork and tactics to score. Once any player receives the ball, he has five seconds to move the ball, which is a regulation water polo ball. It can be moved with the hands or the paddle blade.
One option is to make a pass to another player. A second option is to make a shot on the opponent's goal. The third option is to throw the ball in front of the kayak and paddle to it, which is called "dribbling" for some reason.
Sounds pretty easy, right? Well, while the player has possession of the ball, members of the opposing team are allowed to attempt to hand tackle, or flip over with the hands, the ball handler's kayak. They can also attempt to ram into the kayak to flip it over or force the ball handler to make an errant pass, which is called a kayak tackle. This can be done to any player with possession, except the goalkeeper.
The goal is two meters above water level and is 1.5 meters by 1 meters. The game is played in two 10-minute halves.
Kayak polo is played throughout the world, although its popularity is limited compared to its cousin, water polo.
While kayak polo can trace its roots back to the first time someone decided that canoeing and passing a ball would be a good idea, it didn't officially become a sport until 1986, when the International Canoe Federation recognized the sport.
If you are looking to play kayak polo, one place to check out would be the University of Washington, which has an informal kayak polo team, although it doesn't play under the official rules, and what would be the fun in that?
Write to Will at wjohargan@bsu.edu
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