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Iceheart
Undertaker / Pink Star Lover
 
Australia
1157 Posts |
 Posted - 29 September 2004 : 2:52:57 PM
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mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmk, underwater hockey - different.
Anyone ever played this.......sport? I'm intruiged. Apparently we play it in Australia....
Underwater hockey is a very fast moving game that quickly builds swimming and free diving capability. It is played on the bottom of a swimming pool by two teams of six. Players wear fins, mask, snorkel, and a protective glove and headgear. The stick is short, approximately 1 foot long, the puck is heavy, around 3 lb., and the goal is 3 meters (9’) long.
The rules are "non-contact" and players generally cover "zones" around the puck. Success (scoring) ultimately depends on teamwork, since no single person can hold their breath forever. Individual strength is less of an advantage than it is in many other sports. The water nullifies pure mass advantage and emphasizes clever use of torque.
In competition, games are two 15 minute halves, and teams can have up to 4 substitutes on the deck who can enter play on the fly.
The rules of the game inhibit the use of brute force and allow small people to compete effectively and equally with larger people. Play is solely on the bottom of the pool so your effectiveness is also governed by how much time you spend on the bottom ... the air is, of course, on the top. In the game, exertion usually shortens bottom time to less than 30 seconds.
The sport is defined as non-contact in the same way basketball is considered non-contact. The person in control of the puck can not be physically pushed but also may not charge into set opponents.
Rules are simple - no body contact unless your stick is on the puck (i.e., no forechecking or moving screens), no touching the puck with anything but your stick, and no detaining or obstructing another player (even if you do have the puck) by pulling off their mask or fins or holding on to them.
Passing is very possible and is done by throwing the puck off your stick with a flick of your wrist. This is very difficult to learn without help, but can be used to sail the puck more than 10 feet across the bottom and up to 2 feet above it. This technique allows you to break the puck out of a tight spot and send it by opponents.
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Heaven bent to take my hand, and lead me thru the fire.
Be the long awaited answer, to a long and painful fight.
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Underwater Hockey
