Be Ready Before Practice: The #1 Habit That Makes Youth Water Polo Players Improve Faster

Most athletes believe water polo progress is only about what happens during practice: swim harder, shoot more, do more drills. That matters—but it’s not the full picture.

If you want your athletes to improve faster (especially ages 10–14), the #1 habit isn’t a secret drill.

It’s this:

Being ready and on time—with preparation for everything.

Not “sometimes.”
Not “when I feel like it.”
Every single practice.

Because at youth ages, the team that wins isn’t always the strongest. It’s the team that’s better in the details.

And being prepared is the biggest “detail” that changes everything.

Become a member:

Players & Parents

Coaches & Teams

Why “On Time” is Not Actually On Time

In youth water polo, many athletes think “on time” means walking into the pool area exactly when practice starts.

But if practice starts at 6:00, and you arrive at 6:00, you’re already late—because you still need to:

• put your gear on

• get your cap

• fill your water bottle

• mentally lock in

• warm up shoulders and hips

• hear the plan for the day

So the real definition is:

On time = ready to start at the first whistle.

Not still tying your suit.

Water Polo Punishes Unprepared Players

Water polo isn’t like some sports where you can “ease into it.”

The first sprint happens immediately.
The first contact happens immediately.
The first decision happens immediately.

If you’re not prepared, you start practice behind, and you spend half the session just trying to catch up.

That’s why prepared athletes improve faster even if they are not the most talented.

They get more quality reps.

The Secret Advantage: Preparation Doubles Learning

Here’s what most clubs are dealing with:

3 practices per week, around 90 minutes.

That’s not a lot when you consider everything you need to develop:

• body position

• eggbeater

• passing/catching

• shooting mechanics

• defense fundamentals

• team tactics

• game IQ

Pool time is limited. Coaches are limited. Budgets are limited.

So if you want faster progress without extra pool costs, you must win outside the pool.

The easiest way:

The Preparation Multiplier

Practice in the pool + review at home = double development

Because doing a drill once is not enough for a 10–14 year old to keep it.

But doing it once… and then seeing it again at home?

That sticks.

What “Prepared” Actually Means (Simple Checklist)

Prepared doesn’t mean doing an hour of extra work.

Prepared means doing the small things consistently.

Before Practice (5–10 minutes)

• Watch the technique for today’s skill (example: eggbeater or body position)

• Know 1–2 key cues (example: “hips up,” “chest tall,” “knees wide”)

• Visualize yourself doing it correctly

At Practice (show up early)

• Arrive 10–15 minutes early

• Water bottle filled

• Cap/suit ready

• Shoulders warm (bands / mobility)

• Mentally switched on

After Practice (10 minutes)

• Re-watch the same skill

• Read a short breakdown of what matters

• Think: “What did I do well? What do I fix next time?”

That’s it.

Small time. Massive impact.

Why This Matters Most for Ages 10–14

This age group is where players build their foundation.

If the foundation is weak, they hit a wall later.

And younger athletes forget quickly—especially technical details like:

• body position angles

• hip height in the water

• hand position on the ball

• where eyes should look

• how to move without wasting energy

If practice ends and they never see it again, that learning fades.

But when they:
practice → review → practice again,
the improvement becomes consistent and predictable.

That’s how you create athletes who look “naturally talented.”

They’re not.
They’re just prepared.

Being Prepared Builds Game IQ (Not Just Technique)

Game IQ is not magic. It’s learned.

But game IQ is the hardest thing to teach in limited pool time because coaches must manage:

• safety

• structure

• repetitions

• team tactics

• athlete behavior

So game IQ often becomes “whatever time is left.”

Prepared athletes get game IQ faster because they spend time outside the pool:

• reading simple explanations

• understanding why a drill matters

• learning spacing

• learning decision rules

And then they come to practice ready to apply it.

Coaches: A Simple Way to Make This a Team Habit

If you’re a coach, the best move is to make preparation a team standard, not a suggestion.

Here are two simple ideas:

1) Assign a Weekly Skill Focus

Pick one skill per week (example: body position).
Tell athletes:

• “Watch this video before practice”

• “Read this short explanation”

Now everyone arrives speaking the same language.

2) Rotate Warmup Leadership

Each day, assign a different athlete to lead band warmup.

This does two things:

• builds leadership

• improves consistency

• makes athletes take ownership

Prepared teams look different. They feel different. They win more.

The Bottom Line

If you want to be great in water polo, your goal isn’t just to “go to practice.”

Your goal is to show up ready.

Because in youth water polo, the biggest separation isn’t talent.

It’s preparation.

And the athletes who master this early build a habit that lasts for the rest of their career.