Underwater Hockey: 7 Surprising Things I Learned Playing the Craziest Sport on Earth
The first time someone invited me to play underwater hockey, I laughed. I genuinely thought it was a prank. My mind instantly pictured tiny scuba divers on a submerged ice rink, or maybe some bizarre video game concept. "You want me to do... what?" I asked, picturing myself trying to breathe and skate at the same time.
Oh, how wrong I was. The reality is so much weirder, faster, more chaotic, and infinitely more addictive.
Fast forward six months, and I'm one of them. I'm one of those crazy people you see walking into a community pool with fins, a snorkel, and a weirdly small stick. It's a sport of controlled chaos, a 3D battle of wits and lungs played in a world of muffled silence. You're not just playing left and right; you're playing up and down. It's exhilarating, exhausting, and easily the most "in the moment" I've ever felt.
If you're a curious swimmer, a bored athlete, or just someone looking for a sport that sounds like a punchline but plays like a masterpiece, you're in the right place. Forget what you think you know. Let's dive into the bizarre, wonderful world of underwater hockey (UWH). I'm going to share the 7 surprising lessons I learned, from the gear to the rules to the sheer lung-burning joy of it all.
What on Earth is Underwater Hockey (And Why Is It Called Octopush?)
Okay, let's get the basics out of the way. Underwater hockey is a global sport where two teams of six players compete to maneuver a heavy puck along the bottom of a swimming pool into the opposing team's goal. The "goal" is typically a three-meter-long metal tray or "gulley."
The catch? Every player is wearing fins, a mask, a snorkel, and a protective glove. And, of course, the entire game happens while holding your breath. You dive, play, pass, then surface for air through your snorkel, find the play again, and dive back down. It's non-contact (in theory), co-ed, and incredibly fast.
A (Very) Brief History: From "Octopush" to UWH
The sport has a wonderfully quirky origin story. It was invented in 1954 by a British diver named Alan Blake. He was part of a sub-aqua club, and they were looking for something to do in the pool during the cold winter months to keep members engaged and fit.
His first name for it? "Octopush."
This name came from his original rules: "octo-" for the eight players on a team (which has since changed to six) and "push" because... well, you push the puck. The original "bats" were carved from wood, and the puck, called a "squid," was a simple lead weight. The name "Octopush" is still widely used, especially in the UK, and you'll sound like an insider if you use it.
The Core Objective: It's Hockey, But 3D
The goal is simple: score more points than the other team. But the how is what makes it a "3D" sport. You aren't just worried about opponents to your left and right. An opponent can come from above you, diving down to steal the puck. A teammate can be surfacing for air behind you, ready to take over.
This creates a dynamic, fluid game where positioning isn't just about a 2D plane. It's about managing your breath, your depth, and your awareness in all three dimensions. It's chess, but you're holding your breath, and the pieces are all swimming.
The 7 Surprising Lessons I Learned (The "How to Play" Deep Dive)
This is the "how to play" section, framed through my own humbling (and hilarious) journey. These are the things that no one really tells you until you're in the water.
Lesson 1: You Don't Need Lungs of Steel (But Snorkeling Helps)
My biggest fear was that I'd be terrible because I can't hold my breath for three minutes. I imagined elite players were all freedivers. Here's the secret: you're not supposed to hold your breath for long.
UWH is a game of dynamic breath-holding. It's about intense, 10-15 second bursts of action at the bottom, followed by a quick surface to "snorkel breathe" while still swimming and following the play. You're like a little submarine, constantly surfacing for air and diving back into the action. Fitness isn't about one long breath-hold; it's about recovering quickly and getting back down. Your snorkel is your lifeline and your most important piece of gear next to your fins.
Lesson 2: The Gear is... Peculiar (Your Essential UWH Kit)
You show up to your first practice and see the pile of gear. It's... a lot.
- The Stick: It's tiny! It's only about a foot long, made of plastic or wood, and comes in black or white (one color per team). You can only hold it in one hand.
- The Glove: You wear one massive silicone or latex-padded glove on your playing hand. This protects your knuckles from the pool bottom and the occasional (accidental) stick.
- The "Hat": You wear a water polo cap with earguards. This isn't just for telling teams apart; it protects your eardrums from getting slapped by a fin, which can happen in the chaos.
- Mask, Fins, Snorkel: Standard stuff, but fins are usually shorter and more powerful than scuba fins, and masks are low-profile.
Holding that little stick for the first time feels comical. You wonder how you'll ever control anything with it. But in the water, it becomes a perfect, agile extension of your hand.
Lesson 3: The "Puck" Doesn't Float (And It's Heavy)
This was a shocker. The puck is a 3-pound (about 1.4kg) lead disc coated in plastic. It does not glide gracefully like an ice hockey puck. It sinks. Instantly.
You can't "hit" it. You have to "flick" it. This is the single most important skill to learn. You get your stick under the edge of the puck and use a powerful rolling motion of your wrist and arm to send it spinning and tumbling a few feet forward to a teammate. You're not shooting it 20 feet; you're making short, precise passes. Mastering this "flick" is your first major hurdle, and it's so satisfying when you finally get it.
Lesson 4: Understanding the Basic Underwater Hockey Rules
The game looks like pure anarchy from the surface—just a mess of fins and snorkels. But at the bottom, there's a strict set of rules. The most important one: you cannot touch the puck with your non-stick hand (your "glove hand").
You also can't grab, push, or block another player with your free hand. You can't swim between an opponent and the puck to block them (that's an "obstruction" foul). You can only play the puck. This makes it a sport of speed, agility, and positioning, not brute force. It's why co-ed teams are the norm and work so well.
Lesson 5: Teamwork is Everything (Formations & Strategy)
You can't be a puck hog. It's physically impossible. You simply do not have enough air. You must pass. The moment you get the puck, you have maybe 10 seconds before your lungs are burning. You have to look for a teammate, flick it, and then peel off to go get air.
This creates an incredible reliance on teamwork. Teams play in formations, just like soccer or ice hockey. A common one is a 3-3 (three forwards, three backs). The forwards attack, and the backs support and cover. You learn to swim in "channels," staying in your position. The game is all about short passes, smart positioning, and trusting that your teammate will be there when you surface for air.
Lesson 6: It's an Unbelievable Workout
I thought I was in decent shape. I swim, I run. My first 20-minute UWH scrimmage destroyed me. It's a full-body workout that's almost entirely anaerobic (high-intensity, short bursts). You're kicking with your legs constantly, using your core for stability and turns, and using your arms to pass and defend. All while on limited oxygen. It's the best cardio you'll ever get, and you'll be too busy having fun to notice... until you get out of the pool and your legs feel like Jell-O.
Lesson 7: The Community is Incredibly Welcoming
Let's be honest: you have to be a little bit weird to want to play this sport. And that shared "weirdness" creates an amazing, tight-knit community. Every club I've visited has been filled with people who are just passionate about the game and ecstatic that someone new wants to try it. They will lend you gear, patiently teach you the flick, and cheer for you. It's a global family of snorkel-wearing, puck-flicking oddballs, and it's fantastic.
Gearing Up: A Detailed Look at Your Underwater Hockey Kit
Feeling brave? Ready to try it? Let's do a more detailed breakdown of the gear. Most clubs will have loaner gear for beginners, so don't run out and buy all this. But it's good to know what you're looking at.
Note for Beginners: Almost every UWH club in the world will provide you with a stick, puck, glove, and cap for your first few sessions. You usually only need to bring your own "swimming stuff"—a swimsuit, mask, snorkel, and fins if you have them.
The Must-Haves (The "Water" Gear)
- Mask: A low-profile, low-volume mask is best. This means there's less air inside, making it easier to equalize and wasting less of your precious breath. Many players prefer black silicone skirts to block peripheral light and improve focus on the game.
- Snorkel: This is crucial. You need a simple, non-flexible "J-snorkel." Avoid snorkels with "purge valves" at the bottom. Why? In UWH, you're constantly blowing water out the top. A purge valve is just a place for water to get in when you're upside down or turning, and it can leak. A simple tube is more reliable.
- Fins: This is your engine. You need powerful, but not excessively long, fins. Stiff freediving or spearfishing fins are popular. Scuba fins are generally too floppy and large. You need fins that give you explosive acceleration from a dead stop.
The "Hockey" Parts (The "Game" Gear)
- The Stick (or "Pusher"): This is a small, curved tool, usually 25-30cm long. It must be either all white or all black to distinguish teams. The leading edge (the part you flick with) has a maximum thickness and shape defined by the rules. Most are made of high-density plastic, though some players still prefer laminated wood.
- The Puck (or "Squid"): A solid lead disc, coated in plastic or rubber for safety and to make it slide/pass better on the pool tiles. It weighs between 1.3kg and 1.5kg (about 3-3.3 lbs). Its weight is what keeps the game on the bottom.
The Safety Gear (The "Protection")
- The Glove: This is non-negotiable. You wear one thick, padded glove on your playing hand. It's usually made of layered silicone, latex, or other composites. Its primary job is to protect your knuckles from scrapes on the pool floor and accidental contact with other sticks.
- Earguards (Water Polo Cap): Also mandatory. The colored caps (usually blue vs. white) identify the teams. The rigid plastic cups over the ears are critical for safety. A stray fin kick or slap to the ear can rupture an eardrum. This cap prevents that.
- Mouthguard: Highly recommended, and mandatory in many leagues/tournaments. It protects your teeth from the puck, an opponent's head, or the pool bottom. A simple "boil and bite" mouthguard works perfectly.
Mastering the Game: Key Underwater Hockey Rules and Fouls You MUST Know
This is where UWH goes from a chaotic mess to a true sport. The rules are enforced by three referees: one "Chief Referee" on the pool deck who signals with a horn or light, and two "Water Referees" in snorkel gear who are in the pool with you, watching the play and signaling fouls with hand gestures.
The Playing Area: The Pool Bottom is Your Rink
The game is played in a pool that is typically 25 meters long, 12-15 meters wide, and 2-4 meters deep.
- The Goals: At the center of each end-wall is a 3-meter-long "gulley" (goal). It's a metal tray with a small lip. To score, the entire puck must be pushed completely into this gulley.
- Sub Zones: The teams line up on their respective end-walls at the start of play. There are also substitution areas on the sides of the pool.
Common Fouls (And How to Avoid Them)
A foul results in the non-offending team getting a free puck. The teams line up, and one player gets to start with the puck unchallenged for a moment. Most fouls are about safety and fairness.
- Gloving (or Handling): The cardinal sin. Touching, stopping, or directing the puck with any part of your body except your stick. This is usually called when someone tries to stop the puck with their free (glove) hand.
- Obstruction (or "Blocking"): You cannot use your body to prevent an opponent from playing the puck. If an opponent is trying to get to the puck, you can't swim in front of them or put your body between them and the puck. You must "play the puck, not the player."
- Barging (or "Charging"): You can't just swim full-speed into a stationary opponent. This is a safety rule.
- Stick Fouls: You can't hit, hook, or "javelin" (jab) another player with your stick. Your stick is for the puck only.
- Playing Advantage (or "Advantage Puck"): This is an interesting one. If a foul is called against a team (e.g., Team A fouls), the game stops. If Team B's player already has clear possession of the puck, the ref might just yell "Play on!" or "Advantage!" and let the game continue. This keeps the flow going.
The Start of Play
This is one of the coolest parts. At the start of the game or after a goal, the puck is placed in the exact center of the pool. Both teams line up at their end-walls, with one hand touching the wall. When the Chief Ref sounds the buzzer, it's an all-out 6v6 sprint to see who can get to the puck first. It's a pure test of speed and lung capacity, and it's a spectacle.
Infographic: The Field of Play & Basic Setup
It's hard to visualize the "rink" when it's just the bottom of a pool. Here is a simple diagram of the UWH playing area and where players start.
Underwater Hockey: The Rink (Pool Bottom View)
How to Find a Team and Start Playing Underwater Hockey
This is the best part. You're probably closer to a team than you think. UWH clubs are everywhere, hiding in plain sight at university pools, community centers, and local dive clubs.
Finding a Local Club
The easiest way to start is a simple Google search. Try these queries:
- "Underwater hockey [Your City]"
- "Octopush [Your City or County]"
- "Underwater hockey club near me"
You can also check the "Club Finders" on the national organization websites, which I've linked in the resources section below. Most clubs have a website, Facebook group, or contact email. Shoot them a message! They are almost always thrilled to have a beginner ("newbie") show up.
What to Expect at Your First Practice
Here's a realistic play-by-play of your first day:
- Gear Up: You'll meet the team, and someone will shuffle through a giant bin of well-used loaner gear to find a stick, cap, and glove that fits you.
- The "Dry" Lesson: Someone will patiently stand on the deck and show you how to hold the stick and how to (in theory) flick the puck. You'll nod, thinking it looks easy.
- The "Wet" Lesson: You'll get in the water and try to flick the puck. It will not work. You will push it, it will flip over, and you'll feel clumsy. This is 100% normal.
- The "Ah-ha!" Moment: After 20 minutes of frustration, you'll finally get your stick under it just right and the puck will beautifully spin a few feet. It's a magical moment.
- The Scrimmage: They'll throw you into a friendly game. You will be confused. You will be out of breath. You will probably swim the wrong way. But...
- The "Click": At some point, you'll dive down, see the puck, and flick it to another person in your team's color. They'll flick it on. You'll surface, gasp for air, and realize... you just played underwater hockey.
My advice: Just go. Don't worry about being "fit enough" or "good enough." The only prerequisite is being comfortable in the water. The rest, they can teach you.
Trusted Resources for Aspiring Players
You don't have to take my word for it. This is a legitimate, internationally governed sport with world championships. If you want to learn more, check out the official governing bodies. These are the best places for official rules, club finders, and tournament news.
FAQ: Your Underwater Hockey Questions Answered
1. What is underwater hockey?
Underwater Hockey (UWH), or Octopush, is a 6v6 sport played at the bottom of a swimming pool. Players use fins, masks, snorkels, and small sticks to push a heavy puck into the opposing team's goal. It's a fast-paced, 3D sport that relies on breath-holding, teamwork, and agility.
2. Is underwater hockey hard to learn?
The basic skills are simple, but mastering them takes time. The hardest part for most beginners is learning to flick the heavy puck and getting used to the "snorkel and dive" breathing pattern. However, the game is very beginner-friendly, and most people can join a scrimmage in their very first session.
3. Do you hold your breath the whole time?
No, absolutely not! That's the most common misconception. The game is played in short bursts. A player will dive for 10-20 seconds to make a play, then surface, breathe through their snorkel while still swimming, and dive back down. It's about dynamic breath control, not one long hold. See Lesson 1 above.
4. What equipment do I need to start?
For your very first practice, you typically just need a swimsuit and towel. Most clubs will lend you the specific UWH gear: a stick, protective glove, and water polo cap. If you have your own mask, snorkel, and fins, bring them! Check our full gear guide for details.
5. Is underwater hockey dangerous?
It's considered a "non-contact" sport, but like any fast-paced game, bumps and scrapes can happen. The biggest risks are accidental pokes from sticks or fin-slaps. This is why protective gear (glove, mouthguard, earguards) is mandatory. It's generally very safe, and serious injuries are rare.
6. How big is the puck and stick?
The stick is surprisingly small, about 1 foot (30cm) long. The puck is a 3-pound (1.4kg) lead disc coated in plastic. Its weight is what keeps the entire game on the pool floor.
7. Why is it called "Octopush"?
The original name! It was invented in 1954 by British divers. The name came from "octo" for the original eight players on a team and "push" for the act of pushing the puck. The name is still used widely, especially in the United Kingdom. We cover this in our history section!
8. Can anyone play underwater hockey?
Yes! As long as you are comfortable swimming, you can play. The sport is co-ed, and teams feature players of all ages, sizes, and genders. Agility, breath-hold, and teamwork are far more important than size or strength.
9. How do you score a goal?
A goal is scored when a player uses their stick to push the puck entirely into the 3-meter-long metal tray (the "gulley") at the opponent's end of the pool. You cannot kick it or "glove" it in.
Conclusion: Your Lungs Will Thank You (Eventually)
Underwater hockey is, without a doubt, the most beautifully bizarre, exhilarating, and welcoming sport I've ever stumbled upon. It's a 3D ballet of pure, anaerobic chaos. It's a game you can't watch on TV, you can't easily explain to your friends, and you can't play without looking a little bit ridiculous.
And that's exactly why it's perfect.
It strips away the noise. When you're at the bottom of the pool, fighting for that 3-pound piece of lead, there are no emails, no text messages, no distractions. There is only the puck, your team, and the urgent, burning need for your next breath. It's the ultimate "in the moment" sport.
If you're on the fence, I have one piece of advice: Just try it. The best time to start was 10 years ago. The second-best time is now. You will be confused, you will be out of breath, and you will have more fun than you ever thought possible at the bottom of a swimming pool.
Your Turn: Find a local club. Go to one practice. Then come back and tell us what you think. And for the veterans reading this, what was the most surprising thing you learned when you first started?
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