He shoots! She swims, she scores!
Underwater hockey is making a splash in Cambridge this fall as it gains popularity worldwide.
The Chaplin Family YMCA on Hespeler Road is offering programs for children and youth who want to dive in and score, under water.
“We offer underwater hockey for kids, primarily from ages seven and up. We’ve had kids who have played with a parent. And we’ve also had older kids and adults take part as well,” said Liz Johnston, volunteer for the underwater hockey program at Chaplin Family YMCA.
“Right now, we have a mix of kids who have played before, and some new kids have joined in as well. We try to accommodate everyone.”
Johnston said the Chaplin Family YMCA began offering the underwater hockey program in 2016.
“The sport, however, has been around since the 1950’s,” she said.
Originally known as "octopush," the game was invented in Great Britain in 1954 to help train divers and British commandos.
The sport, now played in more than 40 countries, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and is governed by the World Underwater Federation (CMAS).
In 2018, the world championship in Quebec drew 17 nations.
Underwater hockey is a non-contact sport where two teams compete in a pool to manoeuvre a puck across the bottom and into the opposing team’s three-meter-long net. It is played with snorkelling gear and a short stick, different from a regular hockey stick.
According to the Chaplin Family YMCA, participants should be able to swim and tread water but basic snorkelling lessons to enable playing the game will be provided if needed.
“It’s a very different sport. It still has some amount of competitiveness, but it is very physically demanding sport as well. It’s great for training your cardiovascular system,” Johnston said.
“It’s a different kind of challenge with having to hold your breath and use non-verbal communication. It’s a lot of fun.”
New players are always welcome and are encouraged to come out and give the sport a try.
“It’s also got a very different and tight knit community because it is smaller, so everyone is very close, and we all travel to tournaments together. It’s all for fun,” Johnston said.
Registration for underwater hockey at the Chaplin Family YMCA in Cambridge is currently open.
“Especially after the pandemic, we would really like to see more kids come out,” Johnston said.
For more information about underwater hockey at the Chaplin Family YMCA in Cambridge, visit here.
