The night is young and the air is crisp. Your friends are all on call, but money is tight. What to do? What to do? When this collegiate dilemma arises, turn to the pool to flush out some free fun on a Friday night – or any time really.
While some complexes are better “stacked” then others, call your friends and tally the best aquatic options to make a night of it. While floating around and talking is fun, consider some throw-back, as well as some inventive aquatic games to spark the competitive side of your social group, and also the energy of your evening.
So, grab a ball and a bluetooth speaker and hit the concrete. Some old, some new, here are some fun and easy-to-learn games for your next aquatic gathering.
Marco Polo
A classic for sure! Unless you’ve been living in a cage, or can’t swim, the likelihood of you knowing the rules to this game is fairly certain. But, just in case, one person is it. They have to close their eyes and try to find the other players. They shout “Marco” while the other players are supposed to shout “Polo” in response, but that’s rarely the case. If someone’s close to the person yelling “Marco,” they stay silent. Moreover the person yelling “Marco” tyically sneaks a peek.
Sharks and Minnows
Play the length of the pool, not the width. Pick your shark – the best swimmer on the team. You have to stay in a tight streamline position as you kick underwater to the other side. No streamline, you’re shark bait.
Whale
Simple, however not the safest. One person runs on deck and jumps over the swimmer in the pool.
Greased Watermelon Football
Disturbingly literal in its name, participants must lather up a watermelon with Vaseline and throw it in the pool. The first people to get it out is the winner. The game often results in a pile of people. Usually, the watermelon slips out and someone quickly rushes it to the edge of the pool or shoreline for the win.
Swimming Pool Battleball
Not as violent as it sounds. Divide your group into teams. Split the pool in half. The deep end, if you have one, is the playing field. The back field is for two swimmers only from each team. Set a time limit of your choice, otherwise the game could last until unhealthy hours. The goal is a plywood board into which you cut a large hole (or something similar of more convenience).
Sporting two beachball-sized. The objective: Get your big ball through the hole. Keep your opponent’s ball shutdown, or in the back field. You can dunk the person holding the ball. Once your team scores, one swimmer from the goal-scoring team, jumps out, grabs the ball, throws it to their player in the back field. Repeat.
Water Polo
Perhaps a bit too involved for a night with friends, but if your group has previous knowledge, why not? Split your group up as easily as possible. With two goals on either side of the pool, one team strives to get their ball in the opposing team’s goal
Murderball
Like water polo, but without much in the way of rules. One variation involves a standard water polo goal, others involve putting the ball in the gutter and holding it there for a 5-7 second count.
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