Water Polo Timekeeping and Clocks

2/13/2022

As in other sports the timekeeper has more than one clock to manage during a water polo game. One indicates the time remaining in the quarter. The other is the shot clock or thirty-five second clock. With a little practice and the right tools it can be done by one person.

Water Polo games are divided into quarters, usually 6 or seven minutes but it can vary so check before starting the game.

You stop the clocks when one of the following happens:

1. The referee blows the whistle.
2. A goal is scored
3. Ball goes out of bounds
4. Any foul is called
5. A timeout

You start (or restart) the clocks:

1. The start of a quarter when the ball is first touched by a player
2. After a goal, when the ref blows a whistle to restart
3. The ref will signal by lowering his/her arm to start the clock after a penalty. Watch the ref, not the ball
4. Watch the ref’s arm and listen to the whistle as both are indicators to stop/start the clock.
5. The shot clock resets after a shot on goal.