the deacon
16-01-2004, 07:51 AM
Some time ago last year, I posted a poll of the different styles of play of canoe polo, and not to my suprise the majority of you voted for the game that was played in the UK prior to the decision to make a single ICF approved set of rules.
Knowing that in the beginning of the 90's the major canoepolo playing countries were the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Canada, it was not suprising that the rules that would be oriented towards a suspended goal and only contact with the ball by hand, as more delegates of those countries would influence the final decision.
It could be arguable that the more technical form of canoeing skill would be oriented towards the dutch and italian style of play as the goal scoring was essential by use of the paddle only; the italian style for "purists" was the most difficult.
This was due to the fact that only paddle play was allowed both for advancing with the ball and for scoring.
It is curious to consider that even many styles of play were in "vogue" in different countries in the last 20 years of the last century, each very different in their technical properties, this did not deterr any one club from any such country to "cross over" and play with different rules in another.
Many times, it may be noted that foreign teams did manage to win in countries where the rules were not the ones they regularly played to. This emphasises the versatility of the canoe polo athlete for his (or her) ease in adapting to the game situation with relative ease.
Those, looking back, were the "nostalgic" pioneering years of canoe polo, and it would be nice to put back the clock and have a chance to play at least once more with those different rules again..................
:cheers:
Knowing that in the beginning of the 90's the major canoepolo playing countries were the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Canada, it was not suprising that the rules that would be oriented towards a suspended goal and only contact with the ball by hand, as more delegates of those countries would influence the final decision.
It could be arguable that the more technical form of canoeing skill would be oriented towards the dutch and italian style of play as the goal scoring was essential by use of the paddle only; the italian style for "purists" was the most difficult.
This was due to the fact that only paddle play was allowed both for advancing with the ball and for scoring.
It is curious to consider that even many styles of play were in "vogue" in different countries in the last 20 years of the last century, each very different in their technical properties, this did not deterr any one club from any such country to "cross over" and play with different rules in another.
Many times, it may be noted that foreign teams did manage to win in countries where the rules were not the ones they regularly played to. This emphasises the versatility of the canoe polo athlete for his (or her) ease in adapting to the game situation with relative ease.
Those, looking back, were the "nostalgic" pioneering years of canoe polo, and it would be nice to put back the clock and have a chance to play at least once more with those different rules again..................
:cheers: