Water polo players wear safety caps, which are made of a thick material with hard, plastic casings on either side to help prevent head injuries.
As anyone who's watched a swim meet knows, swimmers wear caps in the pool. These protect the hair from chlorine, help keep the goggles on more securely, and reduce any drag from long hair. But if you've been watching water polo during the Olympics , you may be wondering why their headgear looks a little different.
The short answer: water polo players wear a safety cap rather than a regular swim cap, because the sport is more physical than swimming. In fact, it's so high-contact that if a player's safety cap comes untied, the referee will stop the game and ask the player to retie it., there's plenty of opportunity for injury.
Typically, water polo safety caps are made of a thick material with hard, plastic casings on either side of the helmet to shield the ears in the event of a collision. You'll also notice that the protective ear casings have holes in them. This design keeps the water out and makes it easier for players to hear. A player securely fastens the helmet by simply tying the strings into a knotted bow underneath their chin. Like swimmers, players also wearunderneath the safety helmet.
Physicality aside, the safety cap also acts as a player's jersey, displaying both their team name and number. This is not only beneficial for those outside of the pool like the referee and coaches, but for the players, too, because the majority of the time, your teammates' bodies are submerged underwater. Similar to other sports, like how— the last thing they should have to worry about is their head safety. So the extra protection is definitely necessary, and much appreciated.
Emily Weaver Standard Fitness Sports Olympics Athletes
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