Release or Drive? How to Beat High-Press Defense in Youth Water Polo

If you’re playing on the perimeter and the defender is pressing you hard, you only really have two good options:

1. Release for the ball

2. Drive to the goal

Everything else (just sitting still, fighting with your hands, hoping the ball magically comes to you) usually leads to one thing:

Turnover. Counterattack. Coach frustrated.

This is especially common for kids 10–15 who are still learning how to move without the ball. They feel pressure, they freeze, they drift, they get held… and then they get mad they’re “not getting the ball., but they are just standing behind the defender.

In reality, the problem is not the passer. It’s that they don’t know how to create separation or when to drive.

In this blog, we’ll break down:

• Why high-press defense is actually a chance for you to attack

• The two simple choices: Release or Drive

• Step-by-step technique for a good release for the ball

• Step-by-step technique for a strong drive from the press

• How to read the defender and decide in real time

• Common mistakes kids make in these situations

• How to practice this in training and at home

And if you want a visual version, you can also watch the YouTube breakdown here:

👉 YouTube breakdown:

https://youtu.be/NTNYCsKH338

And the full step-by-step course is inside Waterpolo University:

👉 Full “Release or Drive” mini-course (available for members only, 2 videos are open for preview):
https://www.waterpolouniversity.com/how-to-release-the-ball-go-into-drive

Why High-Press Defense Is Not a Problem (It’s an Opportunity)

A lot of young players think:

“If someone is pressing me hard, I’m stuck.”

Actually, the opposite is true.

When a defender is in high press, they’re giving you what you need:

• They’re up high in the water

• Their hips are close to the surface

• They’re often reaching or grabbing

• Their momentum is going toward you

That means:

• If you know how to release, you can make them chase you and create space for a safe pass

• If you know how to drive, you can use their momentum, step inside, and beat them to the goal

The key is this simple rule:

You cannot beat high-press defense by standing still.
You must move first, then decide: release or drive.

The Two Choices: Release or Drive

In any high-press situation on the perimeter, you’re choosing between:

1. Release for the ball

You move away from the defender and the goal to create space between you and the press.
Your goal is to:

• Make the defender chase you, not hold you

• Turn back toward the ball

• Show a clear hand and body line to receive a safe pass

2. Drive to the goal

You use the defender’s press and overplay against them.
Your goal is to:

• Take them one or two steps outside

• Then suddenly step inside, catch their lower back, and explode into a drive toward the goal

• Beat them directly to the dangerous position instead of just trying to hold your spot

Both options start with the same idea:

Explosive first movement.
You don’t wait. You move.

Now let’s break them down step-by-step.

How to Release for the Ball (Step by Step)

Think of the release as you asking the defender:

“Can you keep up with me and turn at the same time?”

Usually, they can’t.

Step 1 – Two explosive strokes forward

You start by taking two strong, explosive strokes away from the ball (and usually slightly away from the goal line).

• Your hips stay high

• Your legs are strong

• You commit to the first two strokes – no half-speed

The purpose is to:

• Make the defender follow you

• Get their legs and arms moving

• Pull them slightly out of their strong position

If you move slowly, they just sit on your hips and hold you.
If you explode, they’re forced to react.

Step 2 – Defender follows → you rotate

As soon as you feel the defender is chasing, you:

• Rotate your body back toward the ball

• Turn your shoulder so your chest is partially facing the passer

• Create space between your body line and the defender’s reach

You’re no longer “tangled” with them. Now you’re showing a target.

Step 3 – Show the hand and line up the body

Now you:

• Lift your hand high out of the water as a target

• Keep your elbow bent and strong, not floppy

• Stay on top of the water with your hips up

• Keep your legs active so you’re balanced, not falling backward

You want the passer to see a clear picture:

• Open lane

• Visible hand

• Stable body

If you’ve done the release correctly, the pass becomes easy.

How to Drive (Step by Step)

Sometimes the best answer to a high press is not to float further out—it’s to attack.

The defender is so close and so aggressive that if you move right, you can beat them inside.

Step 1 – Two explosive strokes outside

You start the same way: with two explosive strokes.
But this time, you go slightly outside (away from the goal and away from the ball line).

Why?

• You want the defender to step across and in front of you

• You’re inviting them to overplay the press

• You’re stretching the distance and making them commit

Once they try to get in front of you, they open the door for your drive.

Step 2 – Defender steps in front → you change direction

As soon as the defender is:

• Trying to cross your body

• Leaning on you from the side or front

• Reaching out to block the line

You instantly change direction.

• Rotate back inside toward the goal

• Turn your hips and shoulders like a sprinter coming out of the blocks

• Keep your legs working in a strong, fast kick

This change of direction is where most kids win or lose the drive.

Step 3 – Hand on lower back, then explode

Now you use a very important detail:

• You place your hand on the defender’s lower back (just to feel their position, not to grab illegally)

• With that contact, you know exactly where they are

• Then you press with your legs, push off that contact, and explode forward

You’re not wrestling. You’re using:

• One touch to locate them

• Your legs to win the race forward

If your hips are up and your first 2–3 strokes are strong, you’ll beat them toward the goal.

How to Decide in Real Time: Release or Drive?

This is where the game sense comes in.

You’re in the water, defender pressing you. How do you know what to do?

Ask yourself 3 simple questions:

1. Where is the ball?

   • If the ball is on your side and your teammate is looking at you → release is usually first option.

   • If the ball is on the opposite side and your defender is overplaying your outside shoulder → drive might be better.

2. Where is the defender’s weight?

   • If they’re directly in front, arms wide, trying to block the pass → release to move them.

   • If they’re overaggressive and jump to one side, or step across → drive inside.

3. How much space is behind you?

   • If there’s room behind you to release safely → use it.

   • If you’re already far out and releasing takes you to the midfield line → it might be time to drive instead.

The important part:

You should never be passive.
Your brain should always be deciding:

“High press? Ok. Am I releasing or driving?”

Once you decide, you go explosive, not half-speed.

Even if you make a mistake, it's better than if you were just standing in the same spot, which means MOVE!

Common Mistakes Kids Make (and How to Fix Them)

Let’s go through a few typical mistakes players 10–15 make in high-press situations.

Mistake 1 – Just fighting with the hands

They:

• Grab the defender

• Slap at their arms

• Try to wrestle their way out

Result:

• They sink

• They get offensive fouls

• They’re late for the pass or the drive

Fix:
Hands are for balance and feel, not street fighting.
Beat the press with legs and movement, not arm-wrestling.

Mistake 2 – Moving slowly on the first two strokes

If your first movement is slow:

• The defender can stay locked on your hips

• They don’t have to chase

• You can’t create separation

Fix:
Think: “Two explosive strokes.”

When you decide to release or drive, your first two movements must be powerful and committed, hips up, legs working.

Mistake 3 – Turning too early on the release

Some players:

• Take one stroke away

• Instantly turn back to the ball

• End up still stuck in the defender’s arms

Fix:
Make them chase you first.

• Two strong strokes

• Feel them coming

• Then rotate back to the ball

You want the defender a little late and extended, not comfortable and balanced.

Mistake 4 – Driving without using the defender’s body

On the drive, many kids:

• Just turn and try to swim straight forward

• Lose contact with the defender

• Get blocked or held from behind

Fix:
Use the hand-on-lower-back cue.

• Two strokes outside

• Defender crosses in front

• Turn inside, hand lightly on lower back, push with legs

That touch gives you orientation and stability as you explode toward the goal.

How to Practice This in Training

You can (and should) practice this every week.

Drill 1 – Release vs Static Defender

• 1 attacker, 1 defender, 1 passer

• Defender starts in high press on the perimeter

• Attacker practices the two-stroke release, rotate, hand up, receive pass

• Start at slow intensity → then faster, game-like

Repeat from both sides of the pool.

Drill 2 – Decision Drill: Release or Drive

• Same setup: 1 attacker, 1 defender, 1 passer

• Coach gives the defender a signal:

  • “Hold more in front” (for release)

  • “Overplay one side” (for drive)

• Attacker must read the body and choose release or drive in real time

This trains decision-making, not just technique.

Drill 3 – 2v2 Half-Court

• Two attackers vs two defenders

• Ball starts at top

• One attacker in high press situation, one in another lane

• Objective:

  • Use release or drive to get free

  • Score out of 2v2 situation

This starts to feel like a real game, but still gives lots of repetitions.

Use Video to Learn Faster

If you’re serious about improving this part of your game, don’t just rely on memory.

You can:

• Watch clips of yourself in games – ask:

  “Did I release? Did I drive? Or did I just stand still?”

• Re-watch the same lesson before each practice so the keys are fresh in your mind

The more you see it, the more natural it becomes.

Learn the Full “Release or Drive” System Inside Waterpolo University

Reading about it is great. But the real improvement comes when you:

1. Watch the proper technique

2. Practice in the water

3. Repeat and correct over time

Inside Waterpolo University, there’s a full mini-course that shows:

• The exact release technique vs high press

• The exact drive technique vs high press

• Slow-motion, clear explanations, and step-by-step cues

• How this connects with your shooting and passing in real games

👉 Get the full “Release or Drive” course here:
https://www.waterpolouniversity.com/how-to-release-the-ball-go-into-drive

If You Want a Full Training Plan (Individual Memberships)

If you don’t want to guess what to work on next, and you want a clear path for your fundamentals, you can join Waterpolo University as an individual member.

With an individual membership you get:

• Access to all fundamentals courses (eggbeater, body position, passing, catching, shooting, defense, swimming with the ball, etc.)

• Access to dryland courses for your age and position (12U, 14U)

• A structured way to know what you should be learning at your age, instead of random drills

• If you’re on a premium plan, the option to send me your videos and get direct feedback

👉 Check individual memberships here:
Individual/Family Membership

For Coaches & Clubs (Club Licenses)

If you’re a coach, director, or running a club:

You can use Waterpolo University as your standard fundamentals curriculum and give access to all your kids and staff with a Club License.

With a Club License you can:

• Enroll your whole 12U/14U groups and older players

• Assign courses as homework (release, drive, passing, shooting, defense)

• Save practice time by letting kids learn the basics at home and using the pool to correct and play

• Help new or less experienced coaches teach proper fundamentals from day one

👉 See Club License options for teams and federations:
For Clubs & Teams

High-press defense is not something to be afraid of.

Once you understand release or drive, it becomes a situation where you feel in control:

• Defender presses?

• You move first.

• You decide: Release or Drive.

And when you make that decision with confidence and explosive movement, it doesn’t matter who is in front of you – you’ll know exactly what to do.