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 | Underwater hockey player Brad Smith sits on the edge of the pool during practice on Thursday at 8 pm., waiting to rotate in.
The Orion/Jason Halley | |
The coolest game under water
Invented in the 1950s, underwater hockey came to Chico State in 1993
Becky Regan
Staff Writer
October 22, 2003
The hockey player shot the puck with all his might and watched it slide 3 feet, then stop.
In the silent, weightless world of underwater hockey, every inch matters, and water weight often stops the puck just inches from the goal.
Director of recreational sports Mary Wallmark said underwater hockey came to Chico State as a recreational team in 1993. The game allows athletes the freedom to move their bodies in ways that would not be possible in most other sports.
"Water hockey puts you in an environment that is almost like being in space," said Chico State player Terry "Mr. Rub-a-Dub" Decott. "Sometimes I idle in the water like an eel then take off like a shark."
The British Navy invented underwater hockey in the 1950s. It was designed as an aquatic exercise to keep divers fit and relaxed. Australia was the first country to adopt the exercise as a sport, and soon after, underwater hockey emerged in New Zealand and South Africa.
The sport is now played in more than 20 countries, according to www.underwater-hockey.com.
It is one of the few sports where athletes will not injure themselves if they fall down.
"The biggest advantage to underwater hockey is zero percent impact on your body," said Chico State player Chris Marolla.
This doesn't mean foul play isn't going on under the water, but Marolla said fouls often occur at a more competitive level.
In tournaments, underwater referees monitor the game, but since Chico State's team is recreational, no officials are necessary.
Decott said the players practice managing their emotions and staying calm under water to maximize their use of oxygen.
This also teaches the players to stay cool in a fouling situation.
Each player is equipped with a snorkel, mask, fins, protective ear covers and a glove. The glove is covered with soft spongy latex that feels like the modeling clay found in a kindergarten classroom.
It protects the player's hand from the puck and bottom of the pool scraps.
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The lead puck weighs 3.3 pounds and is bright orange, making it easy to spot underwater.
The wooden sticks vary in weight and length, but usually are about 1 foot long.
Team captain Jeff Young said he prefers a light stick because it is easier to swim with and can be moved quickly through water during a game.
Games are played Tuesday and Thursday at 8 p.m.
Steam rises off the 80-degree pool, as the players get ready to start.
Both teams jump in the water and line up against opposite walls, with the puck resting in the middle of the pool. The game begins and players push off, furiously stroking toward the middle, with puck possession in mind.
There are no offsides in underwater hockey, and usually one player will hover above the opponent's goal, waiting for an opportunity to score.
Experienced players can stay underwater about two minutes, but players take turns getting air. Half the team will watch and breathe at the surface, then dive down when a teammate is running out of air.
Since communication is difficult, a player will tap on the pool bottom with a stick if help is needed.
Young said the pool is 10-13 feet deep, and sometimes when new players dive to the bottom, they don't know how to equalize.
To relieve ear pressure, water must be blown out the nose. Any ear popping technique that is used on a drive home from the mountains will work at the bottom of the pool.
The game is played with six players on each team.
The team is divided into one striker, one forward, two halfbacks and two fullbacks. There is no goalie.
"Sometimes if you have the puck and see the open goal, you forget about breathing," Young said.
The Chico State team has only four players who consistently come to practice. Marolla said at least two walk-ons come and there are usually enough players for a five-on-five coed scrimmage.
"The players are pretty helpful and they give you what you need to play," walk-on player Chris Yost said.
Marolla said walk-on players are important because competition is hard to find.
Once a year, the team will usually travel to an underwater hockey tournament held in Sacramento, San Jose or San Diego.
However, this year the tournament is out of state, and the Wildcats will not attend.
But what the team lacks in competition, they make up for in dedication.
"I have to turn the lights off to get them to leave," lifeguard Mallory Hills said. "These guys will play until the last possible minute."
© 2003 The Orion
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