The International Canoe Federation includes 10 forms of kayaking and
canoeing and recognizes 4 additional disciplines. One of the most popular is canoe
polo. Canoe polo is a team sport that belongs to the family of sports games. Two
teams of five players each fight to score more goals, with a water polo ball, in a pool
of specific dimensions. Canoe polo developed in parallel in three similar variants of
the rules, as an alternative to paddling during windy and cold winter days. Canoe
polo contains the largest number of different techniques in relation to all paddling
sports, while ball handling is done with a mixture of water polo, handball, basketball,
and volleyball techniques. Simultaneous handling of the ball, with an overview of
the game and interfering with the opponent is a very demanding coordination
activity that does not exist in paddling in nature with different obstacles, both in
terms of content and dynamics. Today, canoe polo is played in about 40 countries.
Wild and flat water kayak and canoe disciplines have existed in the countries of the
Western Balkans outside the European Union for many years, while canoe polo
activities, clubs and competitions do not exist at all. The introduction of canoe polo
in the sports systems of the West Balkan countries outside of European Union can
be used as a means to popularize canoeing, as well as to raise the quality of canoeists
by applying situational and super-situational training methods. Very demanding
activities during more diverting trainings, with a greater opportunity to compete, as
well as with a longer and more meaningful competition calendar, can significantly
improve the skills needed for kayaking and canoeing in all its manifestations. In
addition, the economic effect of development through sports facilities,
infrastructure and boats with protective equipment should not be neglected, which
at some point may become the basis for the organization of domestic and
international competitions.
