BYU Inner-tube Waterpolo

Bryan vs. Collegiate Innertube Waterpolo

Bryan's Lessons Learned

This week, I played in my first Collegiate Intramural Innertube Waterpolo game.  Before I forget my initial impressions, I will quickly jot down the five most-important lessons I learned throughout the evening (and the morning after).

1. Innertube Waterpolo is not for the weak of abs. While I didn't move my legs the entire match, my arms were constantly aflail.  The morning after, my arms surprisingly felt fine—the pain was isolated in my abs.  Look out Pilates & Zumba! I should have entitled this post, "How I Got a 6-Pack in Less Than 1 Hour."
2. I also assumed my jaw would be sore.  During the first half, I paddled up to defend the opposing team's most-talented attacker.  I must have been really quiet because just as our innertubes were about to collide, he swung his massive elbow around and connected with my face, knocking me, and my tube, back 10-15 feet.  Attempting to draw attention to the foul, I flopped my head backward into the water, keeping firmly seat in my tube.  (No foul called.  Apparently, 5 fouls a required to even be awarded a penalty shot at BYU—so they don't even keep track of them.)  My attacker politely apologized after the game and I jokingly told him that next time I'd have to imitate bird calls to prep him for my approach.
3. I cautiously underpassed to my teammates.  Tossing the ball even 3 feet short of the intended recipient can result in a 5-8 second scramble.  Better to overpass, or better yet, place it just right.  (Passing probably also contributed to the ab soreness too.)  Additionally, I considered bringing goggles in the event that I might be dunked a lot.  Nope. No one wears goggles. And no one dunks. (This is BYU we're talking about.)  Goggles are not only unnecessary, but they would prevent you from seeing clearly down field.  With all the arm flailing, you might even knock your own goggles off!
4. Our strategy was to let the girls score.  As a defender, I quickly learned to always stay facing the attacker and position my tube in between the attacker and the goalie.
5. The BYU saunas turn off at 6pm.  After our nasty defeat (15-35), I was ready for some "me time" in the hot room.  But I was disappointed to step into a wooden box only slight warmer than mild autumn day.  Next time, I'll plan on crashing a local apartment complex's sauna after the game.

I had fun splashing around and goofing off with friends.  It was an enjoyable diversion from the weekly routine.  And will definitely count it as my "exercise for the week."

History of the Sport

• The game was invented in 1969 by now retired UC Davis associate athletic director of intramural sports and sport clubs, Gary Colberg.  Noticing how much fun the water polo team was having, Mr. Colberg thought up the idea of using tubes so that people with no experience in water polo could still enjoy the game.
• Adopted by BYU at a standard winter intramural sport before 1989. (That was a guess.  I'll confirm with the intramural office on Monday.)
• BYU intramural website: http://intramurals.byu.edu/
• BYU rules and info: Innertube Waterpolo

Setting of my First Game

• BYU Richard's Building (RB) 25-yard swimming pool.
• 9:15pm, dive tank
• The warmer, deeper end—not warmer because more people have added their "warmth" to the water; it's mechanically heated about 5 degrees warmer, which seems like a lot when you are in the cooler end.

BYU Essential Rules

• Team of 6 attackers + 1 goalie. (Normally only played with 6 total.)
• Each team must have a minimum of 2 men and 2 women playing at all times.
• No more than 4 guys.
• There are two halves, 20 minutes each.
• Girls' goals count for 2 points, while guys' goal only count for 1 point.
• All players, except the goalie, must sit in a horizontal position, facing up inside the inner tube. A goalie must have at least one body part through the hole in the inner tube at all times. They may also sit in the tube.
• If a player falls out of their tube, the player may not participate in the game in any way.
• A player scoring a goal must remain in his/her tube after the goal is scored or the score will be disallowed.
• Legal contact:
• Inner tube to inner tube.
• Incidental inner tube to body.