Underwater hockey

Underwater hockey (UWH; also called Octopush) is a global non-contact sport in which two teams compete to manoeuvre a puck across the bottom of a swimming pool into goals.

Players wear a diving mask, swimfins and a snorkel for play. Safety gear includes ear protection usually in the form of a water polo cap, a mouthguard, and a glove for the playing hand (to protect against pool-bottom abrasion and, in some designs, knuckle protection against puck impact). Players may choose to wear a protective glove on both hands as the current rules permit a player to switch the stick between hands mid-play.

The stick is relatively short (according to recent rules, not more than 350mm in length, including the handle) and is coloured white or black to indicate the player’s team. In tournament play, the colour of the stick and cap are randomly assigned to each team before every game.

The puck is approximately the size of an ice hockey puck but is made of lead or similar material (Adult size weighs 3 lb (1.3-1.5 kg), Junior 1 3/4 lb (800-850 gm)) and is surrounded by a plastic covering, which is usually matched to the pool bottom to facilitate good grip on the stick face while preventing excessive friction on the pool bottom. The puck’s weight brings it to rest on the pool bottom, though can be lifted during passes..

The goals (or ‘gulleys’) are three metres in width and are sited at opposite ends of the playing area on the pool bottom.

source: wikipedia.org

By admin in Events, News and Events on February 7, 2011