Factors associated with shooting efficacy in water polo

The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between scoring and missing a goal in water polo and other associated factors such as the game micro-situation, shooting distance and shooting angle. The sample was composed of 7215 shots from the European Water Polo Championship (Malaga, 2008) and the World Water Polo Championship (Rome, 2009). The data were analyzed with Polo Analisis Directo v.1.0 software. The goal success rate of penalty shots was greater in both male and female categories than for non-penalty shots (p < .001). A model was identified in woman's water polo that was able to predict 63% of the goals, in which the highest possibility of goal success was observed for shots taken during man-up situations (OR = 2.65) and transitions (OR = 2.04). The model applied to male water polo was able to predict 65% of the goals, showing that the highest possibility of scoring a goal corresponded to shots taken during man-up situations (OR = 2.59), in transitions (OR = 2.00) and those thrown from a central area (OR = 1.33). Extrapolating the results to apply to training, two main guiding principles should be adhered to: the precision of shots taken from less than 5 meters during man-up and transition micro-situations; and the efficacy of shots in numeric equality situations from over 5 meters and in lateral positions.