Water Polo is a cross between basketball and handball, played in water by teams of up to thirteen players with no more than seven of these players in the water at any time.

The ball is the same size as a football but has a roughened surface to enable players to catch and pass the wet ball more easily. At either end of the swimming pool 'pitch' (measuring 30m x 20m for men and 25m x 20m for women and juniors), there are football style goals. The games normally have four quarters of between 5 and 8 minutes, depending on the age of the players. Time outs and 20 second 'sin bins' for heavy contact type offences are integral to the game.

The modern game originated as a form of rugby played in rivers and lakes in England and Scotland, with rules being developed in the mid 19^th century. Water polo was one of the activities supported by the Welsh ASA at its inception way back in 1897, and in 1900 men's water polo was introduced to the Olympic games. The annual Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities is the sport's longest running rivalry, first played in 1891.

• Originally a men only activity, there are now opportunities for Ladies and Juniors.

Mini polo is the version played by junior school children, and is offered by most Local Authorities as part of the Welsh Government's Free Swimming initiative. The game is also played extensively by university and college teams, providing an opportunity for swimming skills to be used in a team sport after leaving school.