Roughest sport in the world

by Martin Dale-Hench on September 3, 2009

Amid the churn and splash of white water, water polo players endure a barrage of kicking, scratching, elbowing, clawing, and even biting. Dubbed the "roughest sport in the world," water polo is a sport in which teamwork is imperative for survival and victory, and the United States' team chemistry seems to be peaking at the right time. "Out of the teams I've been on," said utility player Scott Madsen, "I think this one has the best chemistry, even though there's only eight of us." Madsen has played the sport for 10 years, including several years at Gallaudet competing with Division III teams. Each water polo team will have seven players in the pool during competition, which means there will be only one substitute resting at a time for the U.S. However, the team is ensuring they are well-rested for competition, which begins with a game against Italy on Sept. 6 in the Hsinchu County Swimming Plaza, about an hour southwest of Taipei. "In 2001 and 2005, we made the mistake of over-exerting ourselves during the training camp," said driver Jordan Eickman, who will compete in his fourth Deaflympics. "So, we're going to take it easy here and let our minor injuries heal and to be sharp for the Games. We also already had some training in Southern California before this week." Since the majority of the team members reside within the vicinity of San Diego and Los Angeles, water polo's hotbed, they were able to meet at several pools in the area during the summer to scrimmage against several collegiate and amateur water polo teams in preparation for the Deaflympics and to boost their camaraderie. While water poloers' bodies take their toll from the physical aspect of the game, especially that what lies beneath the surface the water, they seem to live off the pain. "One of the reasons why I love this sport," said Madsen, "is that it seems to be calm above the water, but underwater, it's all grappling and wrestling. Anything goes. It becomes a physical game as well as a mental game." "Water polo is a grueling physical and mental game," coach Julia Velasquez said. It "requires a certain level of endurance and skill that is unique in that even the best swimmer wouldn't be able to master it overnight. The game … can be described as the combination of soccer, basketball, hockey, and wrestling with all the action happening in the water." A notorious example of brutality in the pool is the famous "Blood in the Water" match between Hungary and USSR in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, when the escalating political tensions between the countries spilled over into the water. The match ended with Hungarian Ervin Zador emerging from the water with blood oozing from a large gash near his eye, inflicted by a deliberate punch from a Soviet player whom he had been physically and verbally harassing the entire match. A snapshot of the bloodied Zador at poolside has been immortalized for decades to come as an exemplification of water polo's ruthlessness. Indeed, several players have reported miscellaneous injuries suffered from water polo, including Velasquez. "Someone dug her nails on my chest near the neck and got away with it," she said, "leaving five purple bruises. I've seen a player get a black eye and a broken bone." Roberto Garcia, a hold man, a position akin to center, has had his battle wounds as well. "Once, I had a bone in my elbow popped out. My coach had to pop it back in. And my eye got swollen after an elbow … in fact, more than 10 of them," he said with a chuckle. The team will have to play smart if they want to win gold, Garcia said, especially against good teams such as Germany and Hungary, for which water polo is a national sport. Regardless, going into the Games, team spirit is very high, Eickman said.

Looking to pass the ball is a U.S. Deaflympic Water Polo athlete. (Photo by Bill Millios)

A U.S. Deaflympic Water Polo player strikes at the net during a recent practice. (Photo by Bill Millios)

Roughest sport in the world

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