Why Do Water Polo Players Wear Those Hats During Matches?

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. What’s up with the water polo players’ caps, which have hard-looking cups covering either ear, and which tie under the chin?

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.

Why Do Water Polo Players Wear Special Caps?

Allow me to explain. Because water polo is a contact-driven sport, similar to rugby, there’s plenty of opportunity for injury. One accidental elbow or lunge to the face could result in a coach pulling their player from the game for fear of a possible concussion, which is why safety headgear is so important.

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 wear a swimmer’s cap to protect their hair underneath the safety helmet. This gives the headgear a more secure fit and helps rule out the possibility of hair pulling (believe me, it happens).

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 libero wears a different colored jersey in volleyball, goalies wear a different colored cap from their teammates in order to make them even easier to distinguish.

Considering how difficult a sport water polo is — besides the contact, the players are handling the ball without ever touching the bottom of the pool — 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 is an entertainment and lifestyle contributor for PS. Her writing focuses on celebrity relationships, movie and book news, and product shopping guides. Her bylines include PEOPLE, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, HelloGiggles, Scary Mommy, and more.

Jade Esmeralda, MS, CSCS, is a Staff Writer, Health & Fitness. A life-long martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength & conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science and Strength and Conditioning from George Washington University.