Basic Rules & How to Play

Underwater hockey in a nutshell. Two teams, one puck, the bottom of the pool.

Fast, non-contact, weirdly addictive

Underwater hockey, or octopush, is played in a swimming pool with a plastic-coated lead puck. Two teams of six push the puck along the bottom using short sticks, scoring by flicking it into the opposing goal. It started in Southsea in 1954 and has grown ever since.

How a game works

• Two teams of 6 players in the water, 4 substitutes each on the poolside
• Sticks are coloured black and white to distinguish the teams
• Teams wear white or black/blue water polo caps to help identification
• The puck starts in the middle of the pool, both teams touching the wall on their side
• Goals are 3m long, sitting on the bottom at either end of the pool
• Push the puck into the opposition's goal to score
• Fouls include handling the puck, barging other players, or knocking the puck out of play deliberately

Equipment

As with any sport, the right kit matters. The club has a small amount of equipment available for loan to get you started. Get in touch first to make sure the right size is available, and turn up in good time to get kitted out.

Full rules and referee signals

If you want the proper rulebook, the British Octopush Association has the full set of rules along with referee signals.

Got questions?

Email contact@guwh.co.uk or just turn up to a session.