Water Polo

Pressing Masterclass

Sunday, September 20, 2026

4:00 PM (60 mins)

Session Overview

Chase Dodd uses UCLA and Princeton film to teach pressing defense as more than chasing steals: stay in front, protect inside water, deny the entry, and keep the player between the attacker and goal. He explains smart underwater contact, staying balanced through drives, forcing attackers toward uncomfortable choices, and recognizing tendencies from film so defenders can anticipate back-door drives and transitions between press, zone, and traps. Useful for athletes learning team defense, communication, and player-specific reads.

Pressing

Half Court Defense

Team Defense

Defensive Communication

press defense

ball pressure

defensive positioning

communication

defensive reads

film study

inside water

team defense

Meet Your Mentor

Chase Dodd

Rightie Attacker

Chase Dodd is an Olympic Bronze Medalist and back-to-back NCAA National Champion, currently competing as an elite attacker for the Los Angeles Athletic Club. A Long Beach native and UCLA alumnus, he earned consecutive NCAA and First Team All-American honors during his championship runs in 2024 and 2025. A four-year member of the United States Men's Water Polo Team, Chase has also earned silver at the 2023 World Cup, gold at the 2023 Pan American Games, and bronze at the 2022 Junior World Championships. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Geography, balancing world-class academics with high-level international competition. Known for his versatility and suffocating defense, he continues to represent the next generation of American water polo pushing towards the LA 2028 Olympics.

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