The Black Line Blues: Why Water Polo is Infinitely Better Than Just Swimming

The Black Line Blues: Why Water Polo is Infinitely Better Than Just Swimming

Let’s be honest. We all started as swimmers. We all did our time in the learn-to-swim lanes, mastering the doggy paddle and trying not to inhale half the pool. Swimming is a noble pursuit. It’s great cardio, it saves your life, and it gives you shoulders that make finding a suit jacket impossible.

But there comes a time in every aquatic athlete's life when they have to ask themselves a serious question: “Do I really want to spend the next ten years staring at a black line on the bottom of the pool?”

If the answer is "no," welcome to Water Polo. Here is why trading the lanes for the goals is the best decision you’ll ever make.

1. The View is Better

In swimming, your view consists of:

1. The black line.

2. The feet of the person in front of you (bubbles included).

3. The wall.

In Water Polo, your head is actually out of the water. You can see things! You can see your teammates, the goal, the referee (who is definitely wrong), and the terrified look in the goalkeeper's eyes as you wind up a shot. You are interacting with the world, not meditating on tile grout.

2. It’s "Swimming with Purpose"

Swimming is essentially a commute. You go from Wall A to Wall B, touch it, and go back to Wall A. Repeat until you are too tired to cry.

Water Polo is swimming with a mission. You aren’t just swimming to get to the other side; you are swimming to chase a ball, escape a defender, or launch a counter-attack. It’s the difference between running on a treadmill and running because a bear is chasing you. One is exercise; the other is exhilarating.

3. We Have a Ball

This seems obvious, but it changes everything. Humans love balls. We love throwing them, catching them, and bouncing them off the water.

• Swimming: "Yay, I shaved 0.04 seconds off my PB."

• Water Polo: "I just threw a projectile into the top corner at 40mph past a flailing goalie."

The dopamine hit of scoring a goal beats looking at a stopwatch any day of the week.

4. It’s Social (Because You Can Actually Talk)

Have you ever tried to have a conversation while swimming butterfly? It sounds like "Glarbl-blurb-help-me."

Water Polo is a team sport. You have to talk to each other. Okay, mostly you are screaming things like "MAN UP!" or "PASS THE BALL!", but it’s still communication! You make friends in Water Polo because you are in the trenches together, battling for position and covering each other's backs. Swimmers have lane mates; Polo players have brothers and sisters in arms.

5. The "Eggbeater" Kick

Swimmers move horizontally. That’s cute. Water Polo players have mastered the art of levitation. Using the mystical "eggbeater" kick, we can hover vertically out of the water like angry, wet helicopters. It’s the ultimate party trick. While swimmers are clinging to the side of the pool to catch their breath, we are casually treading water while holding a chair above our heads (don't ask why, it’s a training thing).

6. The Caps are Cooler

Swim caps are designed to make your head look like a streamlined egg. Water Polo caps have ear guards. They make you look like a futuristic gladiator or a pilot from Star Wars. Plus, they tie under the chin, so they don’t ping off your head when you dive in. Fashion meets function.

The Verdict

Look, swimming is the foundation. You can’t play polo if you sink. But if you are tired of the silence, the solitude, and the endless laps, come join us at Morley.

We promise it’s the most fun you can have in the water without being a dolphin.

Ready to ditch the black line? Join Morley Water Polo Club today.