WHO CAN PLAY?

All ages over 10. All genders. All sizes. All fitness levels. All levels of ability (as long as you can swim).

If you can swim with a snorkel and reach the bottom of a normal pool, you can do it. We welcome beginners and we'll teach you all the specific skills you need.

Ages 10+

UWH is a great sport for teenagers, adults and seniors, and you can pick it up at any age!

It requires some agility, speed and new skills so teenagers are often the quickest learners. UWH is also perfect for adults who loved playing team sports but decided running was no longer good for their knees. And, what's awesome is that you can keep playing for your whole life - indeed some of our best players are in their 60s!

However players should be at least 10 years old. At that age they are strong enough, mentally and physically, to take on the challenge of playing underwater sport. Exception may be given for children of existing experienced players who are often natural water babies. A parent/guardian is required to supervise any players 10 to 14 years of age.

Gender

We welcome players of any gender. Our teams comprise a mix of genders. Within SA, we have one competition level, with no separation into male and female teams. However at national and international level, the sport is usually divided into separate Mens and Womens competitions.

Ability

Because underwater hockey is such an unusual sport, we don't expect newcomers to have all the skills...yet! But you'll be surprised how quickly you pick up the basics.

Realistically you need to start with basic water confidence in a 25 metre x 12 metre swimming pool environment. If you can dive down to 2 metres and swim 25 metres of free style without swimming aids, you'll be fine to come and try underwater hockey.

Previous snorkelling experience is an advantage but it is not a requirement. You'll learn how to use a snorkel to dive and then clear it to take a breath. To play, you need to hold your breath while you are underwater and then come up, blow out your snorkel, and take a quick breath before diving down again. As a beginner, you might only be able to hold your breath for 10 seconds but as you practice more, you're breath-hold time will improve.

Only a basic level of fitness is required to enjoy this exceptional sport. New players tend to feel very puffed initially, but rapidly develop “underwater hockey” fitness after having played as little as 6 to 8 games. And when you play regularly, you carry that aerobic and anaerobic fitness into everyday life! It's one of the best work outs you'll ever do and you won't even realise you are doing it as you'll be so focused on getting that puck.

Frequency

Players can play as often or as little as they want, with the teams being decided just before the start of most games especially for our Come & Try and Development sessions. This is great for shift workers as you can just come along when you are able to. For our Competition night, we do have people allocated to specific teams so we encourage experienced players to turn up regularly to ensure your team has its best chance of winning.

Just do it!!