At-home water polo drills for 14 year olds and older: center

This is a free sample week of at-home water polo training for 14 year olds and older, for a center: 3 of the 7 plans SSTracker has for this group, each 13 to 15 minutes, with every step and minute. Nothing here is written for this page alone; it is what the app gives a family.

Everything here can be done in a room, garage or yard. Drills that need a team are left out; a parent can be the partner in a pair drill.

A free sample week of water polo for 14 year olds and older

Session 1

Dry passes 13 minutes

Dry passes to a partner · 5 min
Only with a lifeguard or coach watching; pass to the hand
Wet passes to space · 4 min
Lead the swimmer
Pass while moving · 4 min
Keep your legs going under you

Session 2

Center: Single-Leg Catch and Hold 15 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 3 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Single-Leg Catch and Hold · 5 min
Stable leg, soft hands. Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.
Gentle Hill Accelerations · 5 min
Drive the arms, eyes up the hill. Safety: Warm up first. Take a full walk-back rest between runs; fast running when tired is how pulls happen. Stop if anything hurts.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 3

Center: Rotational Wall Throws 15 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 3 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Rotational Wall Throws · 5 min
Hips turn, arms follow. Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.
Partner Band Resisted Starts · 5 min
Lean in, punch the knees. Safety: Check the band for nicks first, anchor it firmly and keep it away from your face. Only with an adult nearby.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Want the rest of the plan?

This sample is 3 of the 7 water polo plans SSTracker has for this group. In SSTracker every step is on the screen, your child logs the work, and you see it. No club needed: the family plan is $7.50 a month per player, or $12 a month for the whole household, and the first 14 days are free.

Get the full plan free for 14 days Coach or club director? Set up your team free Print a free week for another sport or age

The drills in this week

Single-Leg Catch and Hold

Ages 13 and up · 10 min

Balance on one leg while a partner tosses a ball to different sides. Catch and throw back without touching down.

Stand on one leg facing a partner 3 yards away.
Your partner tosses high, low, left and right.
Catch and return without the other foot touching down.
Do 10 tosses per leg, 2 rounds.

Coach's cue: Stable leg, soft hands.

Bring: ball, partner

Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.

Gentle Hill Accelerations

Ages 13 and up · 15 min

Short runs up a gentle grassy slope force a good lean and strong arm action. Walk down slowly to recover.

Find a gentle, even grassy slope.
Run up it for 8 to 10 seconds at strong effort.
Walk all the way back down; that is your rest.
Do 6 reps.

Coach's cue: Drive the arms, eyes up the hill.

Bring: gentle grassy slope

Safety: Warm up first. Take a full walk-back rest between runs; fast running when tired is how pulls happen. Stop if anything hurts.

Rotational Wall Throws

Ages 13 and up · 10 min

Turn and throw a light ball sideways into a wall. Trains power that starts in the legs and passes through the trunk.

Stand side-on to a wall, 2 yards away.
Hold the ball at your hip away from the wall.
Turn your hips and throw the ball into the wall.
Do 3 sets of 5 each side.

Coach's cue: Hips turn, arms follow.

Bring: light ball of 1 to 3 kg (2 to 6 lb), solid wall

Safety: Throw only into clear space or a solid wall, with nobody in the way. Use a soft or light ball.

Partner Band Resisted Starts

Ages 13 and up · 12 min

A partner holds a band around your waist with light tension while you accelerate for 10 yards. Teaches a strong forward lean.

Loop the band around your hips; your partner holds the ends behind you.
Your partner gives light tension, enough to lean into, not to stop you.
Drive forward with short, strong steps for 10 yards; your partner walks behind.
Do 5 reps, then 2 free starts without the band.

Coach's cue: Lean in, punch the knees.

Bring: long resistance band or belt, partner

Safety: Check the band for nicks first, anchor it firmly and keep it away from your face. Only with an adult nearby.

Safety for ages 14 and up

Plans for this age group use beginner, developing and advanced drills only. Advanced drills open from age 13 in the app.
Home plans use only drills for a room, garage or yard. Stop if anything hurts.

Before you start: water polo

A polo cap with ear guards for every shooting, goalie or contact drill.
A ball your size (size 1 for the youngest).
A lifeguard or water-safety certified coach watches every session.
Deep-water play only after you can tread for 30 seconds; until then, play where you can stand.
Contact: hands on the body only, never on the head or neck, and never push anyone under.
Shoot at the goal corners, never at a person. Goalies start with soft balls.

For every sport and age (7)

Head knock or concussion signs (headache, dizziness, confusion, feeling "off"): when in doubt, sit them out. See a doctor, and no return the same day.
Back to sport only with a doctor's written OK, after a step-by-step return. Every U.S. state has a youth concussion law.
Heat: drink water before, during and after. Take shade breaks, ease into hot weather over about two weeks, and stop if dizzy, sick or headachy.
Lightning: if you hear thunder or see lightning, go inside a building or a closed car. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder (the 30-30 rule).
Pain is a stop sign, not something to push through. Stop and tell a grown-up; pain that lasts or comes back each session needs a doctor.
Water and rest are part of training: 1-2 rest days a week, plenty of sleep, a meal or snack before and after, and other sports welcome.
Know where the nearest AED (heart defibrillator) is, and who calls for help in an emergency.

The research behind these plans

Which drills are shown at which age, and the safety notes, follow the 29 sources below: national governing bodies, medical associations and studies on youth sport (last reviewed October 2026). Where no study gives an exact number, the plans use cautious defaults, and we change them as the research does.

Water Polo: governing bodies, safety and development (9)

Youth athletic development and safety (20)