Well, I was wondering if anybody here knew much about underwater hockey becuase it looks really interesting and I might join a team. We're moving and the new school has a team and I'm really interested, but don't want to buy the gear if I'm not going to like it or be very good at it and have to stop.

Thanks
Julie

Is underwater hockey anything like submarine race watching?

Or will it be the new Canadian national sport once global warming really kicks in?

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Ah! a question I can help answer (these come up all too rarely BAUT so forgive me if I'm a little over-excited *does a happy dance*) I did this for a (admittedly fairly short) while, I stopped doing it for various reasons, none of which were that I disliked it, just various things overlapped and it fell by the wayside.

I always found it good fun, there's a distinct knack to it since unlike normal hockey (normal or ice) you have to come up for air every so often, and if the opposing team is good that's exactly the point the puck will go flying past you. It helps if you already know how to use a snorkel since otherwise you'll have to do what I did and spend a few sessions learning how not to drown (admittedly I was a bit slow at this). Using a snorkel can be learnt reasonably quickly though so it isn't something to put you off if you can't. It does add a new dimension of challenge to it and is a bit more of a physical strain as a result since you're trying to play a fairly energetic sport whilst only intermittently breathing ( I remember hearing that surfers use it to expand the length of time they can hold their breath, but I don't know if that's true or not).

You're also contending with water which prevents you from really thwacking the puck so you do have to guide the puck a lot more and can't pass as far since the playing "field" is a bit smaller this is somewhat moot though.

I probably ought to mention that the sport is non-contact in case you weren't aware although be prepared to have people swim into you occasionally, this isn't painful but you will notice it.

In short I really enjoyed it and wish I could go back, I can't though so I'll have to be content with recommending it to you (I can't give you much advice on strategy I'm afraid, I didn't do it long enough to learn much of that). Give it a go, you may even find that there are some clubs that will lend you kit for a while so you can try it out or maybe there'll be a shop that will let you hire the kit rather than buy it at first.

Uh, what's "normal" hockey? You know, the hockey without the ice?

Meanwhile, is this just water polo submerged, with a puck?

I can't wait for Space Hockey.

Announcer:

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Dad used to play, both underwater and "normal". Just to mention, the ear protection isn't even remotely optional. Taking a fin across the ear is a good way to blow eardrums.

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Should have called it "field hockey", check this wikipedia article for details, its just that Ice hockey is a bit rarer over here (not unknown just if you said "hockey" to someone over here they would probably think field rather than ice so I tend to think in terms of clarifying that when there is a possibility of confusion by people from countries where its the other way around, but I didn't know the proper name for it (I was still half-asleep when I wrote that). I haven't played water polo but looking at the wiki article they do share similarities, there's a wiki article here if you're interested in further details.

I used to play water polo, but my horse drowned.




Yeah, that's all I've got to contribute to this thread. Sorry.

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Lurker chiming in...

Yes, there are clubs around the world, mostly in Australia, NZ, South Africa, Europe, Columbia, Argentina and North America. You can search for them, though many are listed to pucku.org/tourist. Most clubs are happy to have new players show up and have extra gear. It is a great way to learn to snorkel and get exercise.

Well, there is already a club at Nelson College for Girls (and incase people are wondering why we have a college for girls) here in new zealand college is the same as high school and then we go on to university or a polytechnic

but yeah I'm looking forward to it, but I have to convince mum and dad to lat me because they want to play canoe polo with a family team if we can find a club in nelson that does canoe polo. I really hope they'll let me. But I have to find he time to play sports, do school work, possibly take on some leadership next year, and have a job because I'm saving up for either an OE o just a visit back to colorado.

I'm sure if I do play I will have a blast!

btw the horse drowning comment madde me laugh eventhough my brain is a bit asleep at the moment, but I'm not yet

I always thought it would be safer to lace up the skates and play topside than have to cut that hole in the ice, put on the drysuit. . . and hope the hole doesn't freeze over while you're under . . .