Spotlight: Did you know about Canoe Polo?

It’s a sport unlike any other. It combines boating and ball handling skills with a contact team game, but what exactly is Canoe Polo? We break down this sport that many will have no idea existed, and let you know how you can get involved.

NTU Canoe Polo at a training session.

You’ve heard of kayaking and polo but what about Canoe Polo? It’s a sport that is all about ball skills and boating ability, where tactics and positional play are just as important as speed and fitness.

Below we give you all the information you need to know about the sport and how to get involved.

Team sport or individual? – Canoe polo is a team sport.

How many players are involved? - Each team has five players plus substitutes.

How do you score? - To score a goal you have to get the ball into the opposition’s net.

What are the basics of the game? - Matches are generally played over two ten-minute halves. The game starts with the ball being thrown into the middle of the pitch by one of the referees.

A sprinter from each team races to get the ball for their team, while the rest of the team follow up behind to support.

Picture of group of NTU canoe polo players

You don't need experience to get involved in the the sport!

Do I need to have any canoe-experience to play it?

Not necessarily! The club is more than happy to show you the ropes, you don’t have to be an expert or have even sat in a canoe before.

The sessions are designed for beginners as well as those who regularly play.

When are sessions for me to give it a go?

The club run sessions twice a week. One at the National Water Sports Centre on the pitches that hosted the European championships, these sessions take place on Wednesdays at 1pm.

The second session is indoors at Nottingham High School pool, a short 5 minute walk from the city campus. These take place on Thursdays at 5pm.

How to get involved?

To find out more email the club or head over to Facebook page and send them a message. They can answer any questions you may have, and arrange for you to come along and try out Canoe Polo.

Email: canoepolo.ntu@gmail.com

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