The M-drop

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is orphaned as few or no other articles link to it.
Please help introduce links in articles on related topics. (November 2006)

The M-drop is a play in water polo, mainly used when there is a strong offensive set player. The defense sets up in a M-shape, hence the name "M-Drop".

A basic offense would look like an umbrella shape, with 5 offensive players in a half-circle around the goal, with one defensive player on each of them. There is one player in the middle, called set. There is one defensive player guarding each one of the offensive players. From left to right, moving around the circle, the offensive players are named 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and the set is 6. The defensive players are named D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6, who guarding set.

If the opposing team has a very strong set, the D3 player will drop back and help the D6 player. This leaves the 3 player open, so D2 and D4 will “split” (Swim in between their player and 3). They also split in between the set and their player, hence the name M -drop, from the ‘M’ shape created.

The D1 and D5 stay on 1 and 5.