Rule of the Week
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[edit] Rules of the Week
For a six month period, I (Malcolm) tried to get people to understand the rules of canoe polo, particularly picking on the rules that we were breaking on Tuesday nights or at tournaments which were costing us points. Whilst these mostly don’t give the actual official rules of the game, they are (I hope) an easier to follow interpretation. They are re-printed here as they were sent out.
[edit] Paddles
When I was reffing a game, me and the other referee clashed over whether a foul should have been called when one guy was going for the ball with his hands and another with his paddles. The other ref said that the first person was reaching for the ball out of normal position and so was not protected by the rule that follows. I said that it was dangerous either way. What do you know, I was right:
"Playing, or attempting to play, the ball with a paddle when the ball is within arms reach of an opponent, and that opponent is attempting to play the ball with their hand."
[edit] Sub!
Playing with substitutes is not something that Battersea is historically brilliant at because we are all so keen on staying on the pitch, but if you do manage to persuade someone to swap...
"Exit and entry of players for substitution must be anywhere along the teams own goal line. The whole of the player's kayak must leave the playing area before the substitute may enter the playing area. Substitution is not allowed if any equipment for example a paddle or helmet remains on the playing area. Substitution is allowed at any time."
At some point we should look at using substitutes tactically; when is the best time to substitute and that sort of thing. If anyone has any opinions, please feel free to share them with the group.
[edit] Obstruction!
Obstruction is one of the most shouted, least given and least understood fouls so lets all furrow our brows and make an attempt to understand it this time:
35. ILLEGAL SCREEN - Free Shot Signals 9 and 15 apply. An illegal screen is when a player actively impedes the progress of an opposing player, except where: 35.1. Both players are competing for the ball; or 35.2. The opposing player is in possession of the ball; or 35.3. The opposing player is within three (3) metres of the ball and is the nearest player to the ball, where the ball is on the water and not in the air; or 35.4 Both players are jostling within the six (6) metre area. 35.5 A player is considered to be actively impeding the progress of an opponent when their kayak is moving and/or they are attempting active paddle strokes.
Effectively then, don't obstruct someone going about their lawful business of paddling around except in both going for the ball or six metre situations. You can sit in their way like a fat potato in your kayak without putting paddle to water, but your team mates may well ask what value you are adding in that scenario.
[edit] Easy Rules
Given the current composition of the active group of paddlers, I thought I go for a few simple rules this time. The actual wording is more complex than this, but here is the gist:
1) If someone is going for the ball with their hands, or has the ball in their hands, you cannot go for it with your paddle. 2) You can only push people on the arm between their shoulder and their elbow. 3) Any other contact with person or boat is illegal. 4) If someone is upside-down, you cannot try and make them stay that way. 5) Trying to kill or maim other players in any other way is generally frowned upon.
[edit] TW3
Our number one foul giveaway last Friday was the paddle foul, and I can't stress how needless it is. The rule is simple - if someone is going for the ball with their hands, get your paddles out of there. Do not hit people with paddles, do not reach across their cockpit with your paddles. Your paddles are dangerous things, be careful with them. This of course is an interpretation of the actual rules which are freely available on the internet if you want to see them.
[edit] Holding on!
A nice simple rule this week, after some people were asking me about these last week. The rules about illegal holding are fairly simple: You can only gain support or propulsion from yourself and your paddles – virtually anything else is a free shot to the opposition. This means you cannot lean on another persons boat, push yourself of another person's boat, lean on the side etc.
As I was saying: practically speaking, if you are at one end of the pitch and the play is at the other and you are pushing off the pool side to get back in to the run of play then you would be unlucky for the ref to call illegal holding... but they could!
The rules:
"Illegal Holding (Incurs a free shot)
- A player restricting the movement of an opposing player or gaining support or propulsion by placing their hand, arm, body or paddle on the kayak, or holding the opposing player or equipment.
- A player using for propulsion or support, or moving out of place, any playing area equipment e.g. boundary markers, goal supports, or any surrounding object."
[edit] Tactic of the week
A change this week, we'll try a 'tactic of the week' rather than a rule. I've noticed that we're generally relying on a tactic that's a bit like toddlers playing football - everyone converge on the ball as much as possible.
Although this tactic does provide the most amusement for the referees and anyone else watching the multi-boat pile ups from the sidelines, it's not actually particularly efficient. If you watch the top teams play, it's not a tactic they tend to employ.
What they do instead, I would like to term 'recycling'. Rather than sorting their rubbish into plastics, glass and general waste, I mean moving the ball around between themselves, waiting for a good opportunity for a shot. Note that they are not taking long shots as soon as the ball is passed to them.
It works like this:
a) Take the ball up the pitch. Dribble if you need to. b) One or two players get into the opposing team's zone to try and disrupt it (but don't foul the goalie) c) Pass around with short, easy passes d) Take any good opportunities for a shot
but here's the important bits:
a) If there's no good opportunities, pass the ball back out. Having possession is far more important than taking pot-shots. b) If you've been one of the two players in their zone, but aren't making an impact, get back out and let someone else charge in. c) Keep moving, all the time. If you're sitting still, you're doing something wrong.
In effect, two things are recycling: The ball, and the players. Both should be constantly on the move.
[edit] Substitution! For the second time!
I was going to try and explain the zone defence this week, but it's too scary to try to explain so I'll avoid it again and instead go over the substitution rule (again), simply because in 2 of the last 3 games we've been in, we've had a player sin-binned for illegal substitution, which is 2 too many in my opinion.
Basically, it's a simple rule. You can't come on until the player you are replacing comes off. We're not thinking 'football' here, where one person's running off and the other is running on and they meet in the middle for a hug. The person you are replacing must be OFF THE PITCH entirely.
There we go. Easy. 5 people on the pitch at any one time. The consequences of not doing so are that for 2 minutes you are down to 4 people. This is a troublesome situation, but can be contained (barely) with the following advice: Keep possession. Don't go mad, just keep the ball in hands, pass it round nice and easy.
[edit] Penalty!
In summary, if someone is in the act of shooting for a goal or "passing or positioning for a near certain goal" and there is a deliberate or dangerous offence on that player. The act of shooting starts when a player has contact with the ball (hands or paddles) and is clearly attempting or preparing for a shot.
There is a slight difference between the attacking player being inside and outside the 6 metre area, but not much and it hinges around the goal being defended - if the goal is not defended, it's a penalty. If it is defended, it's a free shot.
Penalties are denoted by the ref pointing with both hands towards the goal. Yes, all those different funny symbols people make when they're reffing do mean different things.
[edit] Being Nice
Instead, I'll focus on the 'be nice to each other' rules, breaking of which will win you a lovely green card. There's quite a lot of them, so I'll just go for the first 3 this week and if I remember, continue with the next 4 next week.
- Any infringement committed by a player during a break in play.
- Hindering another player's attempt at righting themselves after capsizing. A player who is upside down must be allowed to get their head and both shoulders above the water before an opponent is allowed to attempt another tackle.
- Interference with the equipment of an opponent. Such as holding or moving another player's paddle out of their reach, or deliberately preventing the player from regaining possession of the paddle.
[edit] Ooh! Foul!
Rule of the week this time the other half of the 'be nice to each other' rule. I can't remember off hand if I did the first 3 or 4 last time so I'll do the last 4 and see how it goes. Generally speaking, considering it is a fast contact sport, Canoe Polo at tournaments is a 'nice' game - you may dunk an opponent into a rank lake but you'll have a laugh about it with them afterwards. The rules described here try to remind people that we are all here for rule number 1 - have fun. Please don't break them!
The following things are green card offences:
- Use of deliberate delaying tactics. Such as throwing the ball away, or deliberately obstructing the opposition, to delay a quick restart after an infringement. - Players showing dissent. - Retaliation. - Foul or abusive language. - Other unsporting behaviour to a player, referee or other official or behaviour considered detrimental to the game, at the discretion of the referee.
