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The Counterattack

The counterattack is to water polo what the fast break is to baskctball. Lasting approximately :09-to-: 14 seconds―depending on whether a team is playing in a 25-yard or 30-meter, Olympic¬size course-the counterattack is the shortest phase of offense found in water polo. It starts with the quick recovery of the ball¬blocked shot, rebound, stolen pass, offensive foul, etc.-and ends with a clear shot at the opponent's goal, an ejection, or simply the transition into frontcourt offense. The counterattack is probably the most exciting part of the sport. Water polo fans love to watch suc¬cessful counterattacks, just as basketball fans love the fast break.
The counterattack is explosive in nature. As all six field play¬ers move at "flank speed" away from their goal, any tumover could result in a goal scored against the counterattack team. Good ball control is a must. The action is very quick and players need a lot of training in the counterattack before its fundamentals can be mastered. Recognition among players must be great if tumovers are to be prevented.
There are a number of reasons why teams should train to develop a good counterattack system. This is particularly true in the United States, where many players start their aquatic careers as age-group swimmers. They have been trained as competitive swimmers to develop speed, quickness and starnina-all key ingredients for successful counterattacking teams.
Well-trained counterattacks accomplish many important things for ateam.
+ The first and primary reason for the counterattack is to get an offensive player free and maintain that freedom through to a high percentage shot at the opponent's goal. The counterattack can create breakaways (one-on-none) or other favorable combina¬ tions-(two-on-one, three-on-two, and four-on-three).
+ Even when a player is not sprung free, disciplined counter¬attacks help the offense move up quickly. Over the course of a game, the team which counters every turnover can gain an addi¬tional minute of offensive frontcourt time. This trans late s to increased scoring opportunities and is reason enough to counter all changes of possession.
+ Many kickouts can be achievcd with effective and consis¬tent counterattacks. In Fronlcourt Offensive structures, players are poised to attack the opponent's goal. Whether in the horizontal or vertical position. offensive players (other than the vertically posi¬tioned (2-M PLA VER» are facing and generally moving in the direction of the opponent's goal. The defensive team is facing out or toward the opposite goal. 'Il1ercfore. the defense can outposition the offense quickly il' they are alert, trained and disciplined lo react quickly to any potentialloss of ball control by the offense. As the counterattack begins with Ihe offensive tumover. it is easy to gain advantage position on opposing players during the coursc of the counterattack. As the counter sprcads out. referees are in good position to identity any pull backs. As such, the counterattack is a great place to obtain kickouts.
+ Consistent counterattacking can have a "hamrnering" effect on opponents. The well-conditioned team, which properly substitutes for matchups and freshness, can oftentimes wear down its opponents. This can have apositive effect, particularly in the later stages of a game. Although the counterattack may not always get a player free for a goal, scoring opportunities will arise in other phases of the game as the defense begins to tire.
+ Good and consistent counterattacks tend to have a psycho¬logical impact on opponents. If opposing teams know they are going to face a strong counterattack on each turnover, they may start modifying their offense, not moving as many players into offensive positions and dropping off earlier as the shot clock ticks down. Also, good, consistent and successful counterattacking tends to demonstrate team superiority, a fact which is not always lost with referees.
European Styles Of Counterattack
European counterattacks differ in a number of ways from what I've taught over the years. Although European teams are starting to modify the ir counterattack thinking (particularly with Goalie passing rules having changed). in my opinion, most of the European teams still have been slow to make major style changes.
Their counterattacks, although well disciplined, have been pre¬dictable and, therefore, easier to defend. Let's take a brief look at this style of counterattacking and contrast it to what I try to teach. Believe me, there are vast differences.

First, European teams tend to be selective counterattackers, picking certain situations and countering only those situations. To give an example, they always counter the offensive foul, but not necessarily all other tumovers. Generally, they go only when they feel an advantage can be achieved. This contrasts greatly with my beliefs. My teams counter every tumover, if not to obtain a free player, then to move the offense up and continue to wear on the opponents through the "hammer" and "psychological" effects.
Once a European counter is underway, the pattem remains simple and consistent. 11' there is not a breakaway, the ball is passed by the Goalkeeper to a player releasing near halfcourt and to the Goalie's right side. Il is my opinion this particular move has developed over the years for two reasons: First, the Goalkeeper wasn't allowed to pass the ball over the halfcourt line. The rules changed in 1977 to allow a goalie-pass to go over halfcourt to the other team's four-meter line. Then the rules changed again in 1980 to perrnit any length of goalie-pass. Presently, the Goalkeeper can throw the ball all the way downcourt, and goalkeepers can even throw the ball into the opponent's goal. The second reason for the positioning of the first pass was to bring the ball down the right side of the pool, thereby allowing the next, generally final pass to go crosscourt to players who are predominately righthanders.
Because of the former Goalie-passing rules, many teams have continued to make the first counterpass to midcourt right side. Once the ball has been located at this position, the player receiving the ball generally tums and quickly dribbles the ball into the front¬court, continuing to approach the goal wide and to the right side. When arriving at the two-to-four-meter area, the player with the ball has to make one of two choices: if unchallenged, to continue to attack the goal with a shot in mind; or, to look to the left side for counterrotating offensive players. See ~ 106 show ing the coun¬terrotating offensive players who are looking for the cross pass. These players generallyare located in the area off the left post of the goal at four-to-six meters out from the goal.

This is my perception of the basics of the European counter¬attack. Not every European team follows this concept. but a great
many do. Although they are beginning to make some changes. dur¬ing my years of international coaching we were able to take good advantage of the se pattems as we prepared our counterdefensive strategies.
My thinking on the counterattack differs greatly from the European method described above. First, as already mentioned, I believe in countering every change of possession. Secondly, depending on the advantage situation. I believe in attacking from all areas of the pool (right side, left side, center). Third, I believe in "striking" as dee p as possible with the first (Goalie) pass. The ball in flight moves faster than the swimmer. Therefore. the deeper the tirst pass. the greater the opportunity to attack against fewer defenders. The longer it takes for the ball to come down the pool, the more opposition players the otIense has to face.
Intelligent counterattack planning must take into considera¬tion the time factor. The shorter the Goalie pass, the longer it takes to get the ball to the deep frontcourt. The long er il takes to gel the ball into the dee p frounlcourt. the tougher the defense becomes.
Let's take a look al the counteraltack as I design it, consider¬ing Cardinal Rules, frontcourt attacking SlruClures. and drills 10 build the counterattack.

Cardinal Rules And Fundamentals of the
Counterattack
The Goalkeeper's Role

In my system. the Goalkeeper "quarterbacks" the counterat¬taek. The goalies are trained to read the counterdefense. and hope¬fully, to make the correct first pass. The goalies are trained to be great passers.
All ball s tumed over within ten meters of the goal are given to the Goalie. The Goalie makes the tirst counterpass. Ir the ball is stolen outside of ten meters, the field player stealing the ball moves it down court with either a pass or the dribble. This is the most efficient use of those precious counterattack seconds. Il is a waste of time to intercept the ball outside of ten meters. pass il back to the Goalkeeper. and from there. pass il back to the front¬court for a counterattack. However. other than this particular situa¬tion. all balls recovered within ten meters of the goal are to be given to the Goalie.
The reasons to gel the Goalie to make the tirst counterpass are simple. Get the ball deep as quickly and accurately as possible. At the same time. all six field players must be in the counteraltack. When the ball is held and then passed by a field player who is within the ten-meter area, that player is holding himself/herself out of the counter. A field player who holds onto the ball waiting to make the first counterpass is being lazy and is resting while silting and looking for a player to get free for the pass. That won't do! It holds up the team's opportunity to quickly establish a balanced frontcourt offense. should the counterattack fail. Besides. in my system of countering, the goalies are trained to read defenses and make the correct passes. Field players don't have that level of expertise in throwing position passes.
For emphasis. let's draw a parallel to American football. With good football teams. the three-or-four otfensive backfield players are probably great athletes. In the ory, all of the backfield players should be able to take the center snap in a four-down series and help the ir team by moving the ball downfield. In reality, the back¬field players are not the specialist like the quarterback. The quar¬terback is a specialist at reading defenses and passing. The quarterback in football and the Goalie in water polo have many offensive similarities. Both should be trained to read defenses and make accurate mid-and long-range passes. The properly trained Goalie makes the counterattack. If the counterattack fails. often¬times it is caused by an inexperienced Goalkeeper who "hatches" the ball (sitting and holding the ball). afraid or unable to make the critical first pass.
When the ball is blocked or stolen within ten meters of the goal. the Goalkeeper should move laterally to the right or left and away from center cage. The Goalie should move to "free" water so any pass coming back to the Goalie cannot be stolen by an oppo¬nent who may have been left behind by the countering offensive players. Once to free water and in possession of the ball. the Goalie should raise the ball directly overhead and continue to hold the ball high until the pass is made. There are two reasons for holding the ball high. First. the counterattacking field players know where the ball is. and second. the ball is passed quicker when held high. Remembcr, everything in the counterattack revolves around quick and proper use of time. and the ball can be thrown more quickly when held high and "wrist-passed." As much as a fun second of countermovement time can he lost when the Goalkeeper has to lift the ball up from water level to make the pass.
When moving laterally away from the cage and looking for the place to position the first pass (after the defense has retreated). the Goalkeeper should move out toward the four-or-five-meter line. This shortens the first pass. a move particularly valuable when playing in 30-meter courses.
Once ready to pass. the Goalkeeper immediately should look deep to center. right. and left sides of the pool. By deep, I mean looking to the area of the opponent's four-to-six-meter line. While looking, the Goalie also should check out the location of the opposing Goalkeeper. If no free or "squaring" countering players are found near the four-to-six-meter line. the Goalkeeper should look to midcourt and again to the center. right and len. As a gener¬al cule. while the counterattack is underway. no Goalie pas s should be made short of half court. As a passed water polo ball moves faster than an opponent swims, the deeper the first pass. the better the opportunity the counterattack has of facing fewer defenders. Quickness and correct ball positioning are crilicalto successful counterattacks.
lf the Goalkeeper can tind no one free or in an early "squar¬ing" release position, he/she should allow the counterattack to phase through the transition period and into the frontcourt struc¬ture. At this point. a perimeter player should release back and take the Goalie's pass.
Whatever the situation. the Goalkeeper does not want to throw the ball away in the counter. With otfensive players streak¬ing away from their goal. a tu mo ver is deadly and easily can result in a goal by the opponents. ll1is is why goalies must be trained to read defenses and make long and accurate passes. Again. if no one is open. he/s he should allow the offense to set up before making the pass to releasing perimeter player