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Setting two meters is the toughest job in the pool. Field players get to take it easy and rest while we two meter players have to battle it out in front of the goal. We have to keep our cool at all costs, show no emotion, and have no reaction when the calls are not going our way. Two meter players have to be tough, smart, and know when to pick their battles. Its the most important position on the team. I wouldn't want to change my position for anything, even though sometimes, during swim training, I envy the goalies. Here are my Tips for the Two Meter Player :

1. Pick a side: While it would be great if the defender stayed directly behind, it doesn't happen often. Its much easier to pick either the right or left handed side of the pool and hold that position. Let your teammates work the ball around to you, its too tiring to try and fight and follow the ball around the perimeter. Pick a side and stay there. Feel where the defender is with your back, have your elbows out making yourself bigger and more difficult to get around, or turn around and face the defender while still holding your position.

2. Entry pass: When you see the ball is in a position that it may be passed to you get ready. If you are facing the defender, spin into the defender, feel for the defender with your back, and push back into them. When the ball is coming in, you have to work harder than ever, using your legs and body to slide in front of the defense if they are trying to come around. Hold your position first, then go for the ball.

3. Possession: Step out to the ball. You have to read the situation. Is the crash close? Do I have time? Is it time for an exclusion? Do I have a shot? Its a split second decision that has to be made.

If its a bad pass or if the crash is close, kick the ball back out, and keep working. Exclusions are more common than scoring goals and they are important for the team. Shots are the third option, if your open, go for it.

4. Shooting: The most important thing in developing a good 2meter player is spending time in front of a goal. Getting comfortable shooting with a defender on your back, feeling where the defender is, and learning to adjust your shots by where the pass lands are all extremely important. The only way to learn this is by spending lots and lots of time shooting hole shots. If you take anything away from this article, this should be it.

5. The priorities for a two meter player are this:

    1.) Possession: don't turn the ball over;
    2.) Exclusion: work for the team;
    3.) Shots: score the goal.

6. Find Good Competition: Its great to be the best player on your age group, high school, or college team. It shouldn't satisfy you. If you want to be the best player you can be, you need to find players who are better than you, stronger than you, or older than you and play with them. Playing against better competition makes you improve faster than anything else. Better competition makes you think more, swim faster, and concentrate a lot harder. When I was young, I would finish practice with my high school and head for Junior College teams, or masters teams workouts in the area. Its extra work but it pays off.

7. Have Fun: At my level, the games get real serious and pressure packed. Sometimes I forget to remind myself how much fun I am having. The workouts, the guys on the team, even the swim workouts, are lots of fun. I think its important to remember to have fun, but remember there is nothing more fun than winning.