It seems like swimmers have something to prove sometimes to the rest of the world. Take for instance, water polo. It’s as if whenever any sport is created on dry land, the swimming world has to throw their swim cap into the ring as if to say, “We can do that in the pool as well!”
A great example of this is the invention of underwater hockey, in 1954. Alan Blake of the at that time newly formed Southsea Subaqua Club created the sport as an apparent answer to all those hockey enthusiasts who thought the sport was either too dry, or too easy to play while breathing.
The resulting sport is certainly one to behold, though at the same time it is also not the easiest sport to watch. As it takes place in the water, spectators must either enter the water or submerge their heads to catch the action. For this reason spectators are often found at the pool’s edge with snorkeling gear.
Inside the pool the teams consist of six players on each team inside the water, and up to 10 players on each team. At the beginning of play a referee will place a three-pound puck about the size of a hockey puck in the center of the pool. Each team will begin play touching the wall of the goal they are defending.
Once the puck is in play there are few rules regarding player placement and movement, with the object being to maneuver the puck into the opponent’s goal using a short, hand-held, curved stick. The sport does include certain fouls, such as hitting anything but the puck with your stick, blocking a player or dangerous shots or passes at another player’s head.
Beyond that it’s pretty much what one would expect with the description ‘underwater hockey’. That really should say it all.
