Does It Matter If You Play on the A or B Team in Water Polo?

One of the biggest questions young water polo athletes and parents ask is:

"Is it better to play on the A team or the B team?"

At first glance, the answer seems obvious. The A team usually consists of the strongest players, faces tougher competition, and is often viewed as the "elite" group within a club.

But when you look beyond the labels, the answer becomes much more interesting.

The truth is that playing on the A team isn't always the best choice for your development. In many situations, the B team can actually help an athlete improve faster.

Development Comes From Experience

Water polo is a game of decision-making.

Reading the defense.
Choosing when to pass.
Recognizing shooting opportunities.
Learning positioning.
Managing pressure.

None of these skills develop simply by attending practice.

They develop through repetition in real games.

If you're sitting on the bench for most of a tournament because you're one of the youngest or least experienced players on the A team, you're missing valuable learning opportunities.

Meanwhile, an athlete on the B team might play almost every quarter, make dozens of decisions, experience mistakes, and improve much more quickly.

Experience is one of the greatest teachers in sports.

Mistakes Are Part of Learning

Many parents worry about their child playing on a lower team because they believe it means they're falling behind.

In reality, being on the B team often creates a better learning environment.

When athletes play more, they naturally make more mistakes.

And that's exactly what they need.

Every missed shot...
Every bad pass...
Every defensive mistake...

...becomes feedback that helps them improve.

Athletes who never have the opportunity to make mistakes in games often struggle to develop confidence when they finally get their chance.

Confidence Is Built Through Success

Confidence isn't something coaches can simply give an athlete.

It's earned.

Young athletes build confidence by contributing to their team.

Making assists.
Scoring goals.
Playing strong defense.
Helping teammates.

These moments happen much more frequently when athletes receive meaningful playing time.

An athlete who plays twenty minutes every game on the B team may develop confidence much faster than an athlete who plays two minutes on the A team.

Confidence then carries into practices, tournaments, and eventually opportunities with stronger teams.

The Goal Isn't the A Team

This might sound surprising, but the goal should never be:

"I want to make the A team."

The goal should be:

"I want to become the best player I can be."

Those are very different goals.

One focuses on status.

The other focuses on development.

Ironically, athletes who prioritize improvement usually end up making the A team anyway.

Coaches Notice Improvement

Some athletes think coaches only watch the A team.

That's rarely true.

Good coaches pay attention to athletes who improve.

If a player on the B team consistently demonstrates better decision-making, stronger fundamentals, leadership, and work ethic, coaches notice.

Progress is difficult to hide.

Eventually, opportunities come.

Every Athlete Develops at a Different Speed

It's important to remember that youth sports aren't a race.

Some athletes hit growth spurts at twelve.

Others develop physically at fifteen or sixteen.

Some mature mentally much earlier than others.

Comparing yourself to teammates can become frustrating.

Instead, compare yourself to the player you were six months ago.

Are your passes more accurate?

Is your shooting improving?

Do you understand the game better?

Those are the questions that matter.

Focus on What You Can Control

You can't always control which team you're placed on.

You can control:

• Your attitude.

• Your effort.

• Your preparation.

• Your consistency.

• Your willingness to learn.

Athletes who focus on these controllable factors almost always continue improving regardless of which roster they're on.

Parents Play an Important Role

Parents naturally want the best for their children.

Sometimes that leads to disappointment when a child doesn't make the A team.

Instead of viewing it as failure, try asking different questions:

• Will my child play more?

• Will they touch the ball more often?

• Will they gain valuable experience?

• Will they enjoy the sport more?

Sometimes the answers make it clear that the B team is actually the better developmental environment.

The Long-Term Perspective

Very few college coaches care whether an athlete played on the A team at twelve years old.

What they care about is the athlete standing in front of them when recruiting begins.

Can they shoot?

Can they defend?

Do they understand the game?

Are they coachable?

Have they continued improving every year?

Those qualities matter far more than which youth roster an athlete was placed on several years earlier.

Final Thoughts

Being on the A team can certainly be beneficial.

But it isn't automatically the best path for every athlete.

If playing on the B team means more playing time, more responsibility, more confidence, and more opportunities to learn from mistakes, it may actually accelerate your development.

Remember:

Experience creates better players.

Don't chase the letter next to your team's name.

Chase improvement.

If you continue improving every week, opportunities will come—and when they do, you'll be ready.

Ready to Improve Faster?

At Waterpolo University, we help young athletes build the fundamentals that matter most—technique, decision-making, confidence, and game understanding.

With structured online courses, dryland programs, monthly live sessions, and personalized resources, athletes can continue improving regardless of which team they currently play on.

Water Polo. Anywhere. Anytime.