Inner tube water polo

• A team consists of 6 players (5 + a goalie, or 6 attackers if goalie is ‘pulled’), but may play with a minimum of 4 players.
• Each team must have a minimum of two men and two women playing at all times.

• Inner tubes – these may be true inner tubes from tires or more pedestrian ones found at any store that sells pool and aquatic toys.
• Nets – These should be the same as water polo nets.
• Ball – These should be the same as water polo balls.

• There are two halves, 20 minutes each.
• The clock runs continuously.
• Teams will change sides at half-time.
• All ties at the end of playing time will be broken by a shootout.

• The court is the rectangle formed by the pool walls and (if smaller than full pool) lane lines.
• A ball is considered in-bounds until it makes contact with the pool deck or pool surface outside the boundary area.
• The ball changes possession when it goes out-of-bounds.
• A player may make a play on a ball outside the play court as long as
  • The ball is in the air,
  • The player's tube is in-bounds, and
  • The player remains in their tube.
• Any shot or pass that ricochets off a diving board, backstroke flags or other pool equipment within the court boundary and lands in-bounds is a live ball.

• To start each half, and after each goal, both teams line up at opposite ends of the pool.
• All players must be in contact with the wall before play begins.
• The referee throws the ball into the center of the pool while simultaneously blowing the whistle to begin play.
• On the official's whistle both teams may paddle their tubes toward the ball.
  • Pushing off the wall is legal at start.

• The referee blowing his/her whistle always signals an immediate stoppage of play and a dead ball. This can be for free throws, fouls, injuries, time-outs, penalties, or any other reason the referee deems necessary.
• The play stops if the ball travels out-of-bounds for any reason.

• teams may substitute when:
  • A goal is scored,
  • The play ends because the ball went out-of-bounds, or
  • A time-out is called.
• A goalie can only be substituted for by someone on the sidelines if the ball is live or by anyone if the ball is dead.

• All players, except the goalie, must sit in a horizontal position, facing up inside the inner tube. A goalie must have at least one body part through the hole in the inner tube at all times. They may also sit in the tube.
• If a player falls out of their tube, the player may not participate in the game in any way.
• Players move with the ball by:
  • Pushing it in the water,
  • Holding it between their knees,
  • Gripping it with 2 hands,
  • Gripping it with 1 hand,
  • Pressing it against their body,
  • Or holding it in their lap.
• A player may not hold the ball completely under the water.
• Players may not deliberately hold the ball to delay the game.
• Referees are often charged with determining who receives the ball as a result of a tied-up ball or other infraction.

• Inner tube to inner tube contact is legal.
• Incidental inner tube to body contact is legal.
• A defending player may touch the ball when it is in possession of an opposing player. This includes swatting the ball out of player’s hand.
• It is legal for a defensive player to try to push the player with the ball out of his tube, thus forcing a turnover.
• Any illegal contact between players will result in a free throw.

• Free throws are awarded for violations at the point nearest the spot of the infraction.
• During a free throw, the person who starts the ball into play has 3 seconds to pass the ball to a teammate.
• A goal may not be scored until a second offensive player touches the ball after the free throw.
• The defense must provide 2 feet of space from the point of the free throw.
• Free throws are awarded in the following scenarios:
  • Any offensive player enters the goalie box.
  • The ball goes out-of-bounds.
• Players may not interfere with another player, with or without the ball, in the following manners:
  • Holding,
  • Pushing,
  • Hitting,
  • Splashing,
  • Dunking, or,
  • Tackling.
• A ball that goes out in the goal box is given to the goalie for a free throw.

• Penalty shots shall be taken by the offended player at the backstroke flags (if no flags exist, it should be 5 meters or 15 feet from goal).
• No defensive player may be within 2 feet of the shooter.
• If the result of the penalty shot is not a goal, the ball remains in play.
  • Exception: The ball is dead in a shoot-out if the ball does not go in the net.
• A penalty shot will be awarded in the following scenarios:
  • A defensive player enters the goal box to make a play.
  • A goalie abandons his/her tube to block a shot.

• The goalie may not abandon his/her tube in an attempt to block a shot from entering the goal. Remember, they do not have to sit in the tube but rather just have a part of their body in/through it at all times.
  • If the goalie leaves his/her tube while blocking a shot on goal, this will result in a penalty shot for the offensive team.
• The goalie may never pass the ball beyond the mid-pool line.
• The goalie may not leave the goal box area during play.
• Once the goalie gains possession of the ball, he/she will have 3 seconds to release the ball.
• A ball in play may be passed back to the goalie. The goalie will have 3 seconds to release the ball.
• A goalie can be pulled for another attacking player during normal substitution times (see Substitutions).

• A goal is scored when a legal shot (taken outside the goal box) completely crosses the goal line.
• A player scoring a goal must remain in his/her tube after the goal is scored or the score will be disallowed.
• A shot taken from inside the goal box will be disallowed and the ball will be given to the goalie for a free throw.
• After a goal is scored, the referee will start play in the center of the pool again (see Start of Play).

• Five players from each team will be selected by the team to shoot (goalkeepers may be one of the shooters).
• At least 2 men and 2 women must shoot. They should alternate.
• Shooters do not have to have been in the pool at the end of play.
• Goalies will be the same as the goalies from the end of play.
• A coin flip or another creative method of determining order will decide which team shoots first.
• Each team has a total of 5 penalty shots and will alternate each shot. No rebounds.
• The referee signals the start of each penalty shot with a whistle blow.
• If the score is tied at the end of the first shootout, a ‘sudden-death’ shootout will ensue.
  • Once one team leads after an equal number of shots have taken, the game is over.
• Only players who shot in the first round are eligible to shoot in the second round.
• The gender order established in the first round will be maintained in the second round.
• Teams must have an equal ratio of male to females during penalty shots (i.e., both teams must have either 3 women and 2 men or 3 men and 2 women shooting).

Most leagues have their own rules governing misconduct, flagrant fouls, and other more egregious penalties.

• Boston ITWP
• NYC Social Sports Club
• NYCSSC Pictures
• Avon, Colorado Recreational Leagues

• Ripon College
• University of Michigan
• Texas A & M
• Princeton University
• University of Toronto
• McGill University
• University of California, Davis
• University of North Carolina
• Cornell University