Kaylee Hunkins
Multimedia Director
KSC students have been making a splash in the intramural sport of inner tube water polo.
Teams are lined at opposite ends of the swimming pool.
Members of each team are clutching to the edge of the pool.
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The whistle blows and the ball is dropped into the center of the pool.
Sitting horizontally on inner tubes, the participants race their way towards the ball.
Once the ball is in their possession, players must make sure the ball does not go under the water at any point.
The player must also stay afloat on the inner tube throughout the entire match.
KSC senior Cameron Drouin said the staying in the inner tube is one of the most difficult parts.
“Staying on the tube and keeping your balance can be difficult,” he added.
Players “dribble” the ball by pushing it in the water.
They may hold the ball between their legs, with both hands, or with one hand; it’s all at the discretion of the player.
The ball cannot be held under water at any given time.
KSC junior Christine Collins has other challenges when playing.
“Since I am little, it is hard for me to get up and pass the ball,” Collins said.
KSC Sophomore Adam Lawley said this is just one of the many intramural sports in which he and his teammates have participated.
“We got interested in water polo because we do literally every intramural sport. We figured why not do the most ridiculous ones and do inner tube water polo.”
Drouin said he has been playing inner tube water polo since he was a freshman.
“I saw it on TV when I was a kid and when I got to Keene I saw they had it so we signed up four years ago. We have been playing every year since. It’s fun.“
A goal is scored when the ball goes into the designated goal.
The goalie is the only player allowed in the goal box.
If any player from either team goes into the goal box besides the goalie it will result in a penalty.
The shot will also not count if the player falls out of her or his inner tube before the ball passes through goal box.
Lawley said the goalie is one crucial element to the game.
“You got to have a good goalie, you got to have a goalie that’s reaction time is down to a key and then you have to have pretty much a good formation and good transitions between offense and defense,” he said.
Collins said, “You just have to be able to work in and out of players and have good D.”
Lawley said, “The hardest part is probably how tired everyone gets. I mean, I wouldn’t know because I am in goal, but I do know from what the guys are telling me that their arms are ridiculously tired after the games.” Collins said her favorite part was being able to relax and have fun.
She added that she liked the fact that if you make a mistake, it’s okay.
Drouin said it is relaxing, especially when you can’t get out and swim during this time of the year.
To see inner tube water polo in action check out the video at keene-equinox.com.
Kaylee Hunkins can be contacted at khunkins@keene-equinox.com