Learning the eggbeater!

Amy Cudmore from the Community Fundraising team at Dementia UK has been learning Water Polo as part of her 5 sport challenge.  Read on to find out she got on…..

On Friday 14th October, I took part in my first water polo training session with Out to Swim’s water polo team, London Orca.   To say I was nervous is an understatement! As I sat waiting to get into the pool watching the London Orca team members arrive, seeing that I was the only girl and with the fact that I hadn’t swum in a very long time, I couldn’t help but wonder whether this would be slightly embarrassing!   Thankfully by the time we got in the pool, I was not the only beginner or girl to take part in the training session so that helped boost my confidence…a little.

To be able to do anything in water polo, you need to learn the ‘eggbeater’!  The eggbeater is water polo’s version of treading water.  It’s hard to describe without diagrams or videos but I’ll give it a go!!  Think of an electric hand whisk… that’s right, the one with two small whisks side by side.  Now in your mind imagine the lower half of your legs as the two whisks….that’s the eggbeater.  Without being able to do the eggbeater you can’t really play water polo, as this movement is what will help you stay up in the water whilst catching and shooting ‘motionless’ in the water.  Learning the movement is like the first time you try and pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time… a little uncoordinated.

We learnt the moves sitting on the edge of the pool, with coach Chris telling us to not be ladies but ‘think like a man and spread your legs wide’ in order to get more movement.  After 30 minutes of trying the eggbeater out of the water, in the water holding onto the side and then on our own in the middle of the pool, we were deemed ready to practice further water polo techniques.

By the end of our first training session, being coached by London Orca team member ‘G’, we were learning to catch and pass the water polo ball properly and learning to shoot at the goal.  As the hour drew to a close, with my nerves long forgotten, I was a little sad to get out of the water!

Will I be asked to be part of their official team…. probably not, but will I be back next week for my second session – you bet ya!!

Amy is taking part in the 5 Sport Challenge
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Water Polo

Amy Cudmore from the Community Fundraising team at Dementia UK is taking part in the 5 sport challenge.  Read on to find out how she got on…..

After some thought, I decided my new plan of action should be to book successive sports that would take me through the autumn.  This way I would continuously be taking part in my sports.

At the start of the summer I had contacted a Water Polo club in Stratford regards their training times.  As they were closed for a refurbishment during the summer I was advised they would be in contact in September with their new training times.  As I had not heard from them and had already started the enquiry, I thought that I should pick Water Polo as my next sport to book.

Unfortunately, the club previously selected informed me that their pool in Stratford had closed indefinitely but they had found a pool in East Ham to train at.  As East Ham is a little too far for me from both work and home, I decided to find another club a little closer to central London.  On Friday, I used the Gold Challenge Sports finder to find a Water Polo club between work and home.  I came across Out to Swim swimming club who are based in Queensway, W2 5HS and who have a Water Polo team – London Orca.

According to their website “whether you swim with us in Out To Swim and want to give Water Polo a try, or whether you are coming to us for the first time, we’re really pleased to welcome new players, male and female, whether you have played before or not. To help introduce you to what can seem like a bewildering game, we offer your first three water polo sessions free”

I contacted Out to Swim and I got a quick response from ‘G’ who informed me that their next beginner class will take place on Friday 14th October between 8 – 9pm.

From looking at the photos on the Out to Swim website – their players look incredibly fit! (This is an endurance sport after all).  Looking at their physiques, I automatically started to feel a little nervous of what I am going to be taking part in – despite my recent training sessions in Weightlifting at the start of the summer.

Well all I can do now is wait two weeks. I think I’ll start building up my fitness with a few squats and sit ups…..oh, and buy a swimming costume!

Amy is taking part in the 5 Sport Challenge
Sign up now and take part in your own sporting challenge