Underwater Hockey (UWH), also known as Octopush is a globally played limited-contact sport in which two teams compete to maneuver a puck across the bottom of a swimming pool into the opposing team’s goal by propelling it with a hockey stick (pusher).
Underwater Hockey or “Octopush” as originally named was devised by Alan Blake in 1954. He created the sport as a recreational activity to be played during the winter months and stop members leaving his newly formed Diving Club.
The sport takes Hockey to a whole new dimension with the playing area being the bottom of a swimming pool. It’s a truly unique sport requiring the use of snorkeling gear (mask, fins, and snorkel) combining swimming skills, good fitness, and breath holding as all the action is underwater.
The object of the game is to push the puck (specially designed and weighted) using a small short stick (“pusher”) into the opposing team’s goal. A team can consist of up to 10 people, with 6 players in the water (at any one time) and others acting as substitutes.
A recent development is the tag system used to substitute players during a game; similar to Ice Hockey. This results in fast, non-stop action which increases the speed and exhilaration of the game.
The sport is a great way to keep fit, taking swimming which is widely recognised as superior to maintaining good health and fitness to a whole new level through this truly unique team sport. The low contact nature makes it very safe, giving it a very broad appeal with men's, women’s, and junior teams; with players from 8 years upwards.
The 1st National Championship took place as early as 1968, however it was the 1970’s and 80’s that witnessed the ‘first wave’ of major expansion in the sport. In this period, ‘scuba diving’ (popularised by the late Jacques Cousteau) grew rapidly providing a catalyst for significant expansion of Underwater Hockey.
In addition to expanding in the UK, the sport was growing in popularity in Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, United States, and South Africa.
In the last 25 years the sport has advanced beyond recognition into a truly global sport with well organised and run National and International events, and a World championship staged every 2 years.
West Wickham Underwater Hockey Club was formed in 1973 by a group of divers from West Wickham (BSAC) diving club. The club expanded and quickly established itself in the UK National Ladder (the Underwater Hockey League Table) and advanced through the rankings.
The club’s proximity to London makes us an ideal choice for new players and those wanting to advance in the sport and bid for a place at GB level.