University of Pacific Head Men's and Women's Water Polo Coach,
2013 Men's National Coach of the Year; 2013 National Runners-Up (men), Head of Water Polo Analytics Group
Zone defense is an excellent way to defend against quick opponents. National Coach of the Year (2013) James Graham shows how his team uses various drills and strategies to slow and limit an opposing offense's chances by using a zone defense.
Drills
To implement the skills needed for an effective zone defense, Coach Graham demonstrates five drifting drills that improve leg strength and correct defensive body position. Adopting these drills will improve the speed and reaction time of your players on defense and disrupt the flow of the opponent's offense by quickly switching from a zone to applying pressure. Also included is a shot blocking drill that will teach players to keep proper form as they attempt to field-block shots on goal.
If you have a strong center defender on your team, you can force an offense into taking poor outside shots. Coach Graham shows three drills that will keep your center defender in proper position for denying, disrupting or stealing the ball from the center.
You'll also learn a drill focused on defending the drive that will teach players to keep the driver off balance while continuing to protect the goal and deflect passes.
Strategy
Coach Graham highlights a critical aspect of zone defense: drive help. With white board discussion and in-pool demonstration, he shows how double teaming and switching out of the zone can stop drivers from getting open to shoot. You will also learn how to defend double post situations in the zone. If teammates help each other while defending, it makes everyone's job easier.
Staying in the pool, Coach Graham covers tips and strategies for blocking a line shot. You'll learn how a zone defense can stop a strong shot from a player further from the goal. By being in the correct position, a defender can deny the pass into the center and field-block a shot on goal while remaining in the zone defense.
In the final section of the video, Coach Graham shows how a zone defense works in typical game situations. Switching, helping and proper defensive positioning may not stop an opponent, but it will slow and disrupt their flow to keep you in a game.
This video will aid beginning players and advanced players by teaching proper technique for the zone defense, which is a great strategy for any team looking to slow down an opponent's offense.
64 minutes. 2015.
WPD-04833B: with James Graham,
University of Pacific Head Men's and Women's Water Polo Coach,
2013 Men's National Coach of the Year; 2013 National Runners-Up (men), Head of Water Polo Analytics Group
Picks and screens are a great way to create movement on offense and free up players for high percentage goal scoring opportunities. Coach James Graham shows how to implement these picks correctly and in a variety of ways for any game situation.
From rule interpretations to drills and plays, Coach Graham gives you everything you need to create quick and easy scoring opportunities in the front court.
Pick Rules
Many rules in water polo are up for interpretation by the officiating crew, and picks are no exception. With four key guidelines, Coach Graham teaches you how you can use picks legally in during a game.
Pick Drills
Discover a series of drills that will teach you how and when to use vertical picks and horizontal picks to free up players on offense. You'll also learn how to run a pick and roll, which involves setting a screen on the defender guarding the ball. Also included is Coach Graham's philosophy on running picks while the defense is dropped off in a zone. You'll see how to set up the defense by driving and picking off an opponent with either a 32 or 23 pick. These drills are designed to help your players learn the best cuts and pick angles during practice so they can execute them correctly in games.
Types of Picks
A great way to get a player open is by creating opportunities in transition with the counter pick. By learning to use a screen on the counter attack, you will be able to free up players even when switching from a dropped, zone defense.
Another effective move shown is the cross screen, which uses a teammate to create an opening by crossing two drivers. Cross screens are great for creating movement and keeping your offense from becoming stagnant.
Coach Graham also takes you through two differing drives to show how to set screens using the center or post position. With a wrap drive or reverse, your offense will get an opportunity to score or an easy pass inside to the center.
You'll find many ways to use the picks and screens presented in this video to better your team's offense. If executed correctly, the techniques presented by Coach Graham can be used at all levels to enhance the play of any team seeking a championship.
63 minutes. 2015.