In 1954, a British diver by the name of Alan Blake invented the sport of Octopush or underwater hockey. The game was originally developed to keep divers occupied during the winter months, when diving expeditions weren’t possible. Since then, the game has developed into an international sport.

    The name came from, octopus for the eight players on each team. The squid is the lead disc that slides around the bottom of the pool. The propelling of the squid, kept being referred to as pushing, so it became logical to refer to the bat as a pusher. The inventor added “push” to the end of octopus and Octopush, was born.

    The players on each team chase a circular lead weight trying to propel it to the opposite end of the pool with a curved bat. Octopush is a fast moving game that quickly builds swimming and free diving skills.  It’s played on the bottom of a swimming pool by two teams of eight.  Players wear fins, a mask, snorkel, a protective glove and headgear.  Ear protectors are required for tournaments, as getting hit in the ear with a fin may pop an eardrum. The stick is short, approximately one foot long and the puck is heavy and weighs around three pounds.

    Octopush is a non-contact sport.  Teams generally play zones, as in basketball, with forward offensive players and back defensive players.  The center tries to get initial possession of the puck.  They are an offensive player and generally positioned directly on or in front of the play. Wings (right and left), score goals and steal the puck from the other team's defense.  Both are offensive players that stay in front of the play for forward passes.  When stopped from advancing, they pass backward to the halfbacks.  Halfbacks (right and left), top the other team and feed the wings.  Strong side (the side the puck is on) follows behind the play closely; weak side is last man back, guarding the goal.  The swingback is a defensive player, second to last player back.  They back up the halfbacks especially when the play is moving from one side of the pool to the other. They play the "pivot point" that the whole defense is based on.  The gulley protects the goal. Scoring ultimately depends on teamwork, since no single person can hold their breath forever.  Individual strength is less of an advantage than it is in many other sports. The water cancels out body size and emphasizes clever use of body movement.

    This little known sport is now played worldwide.  If you’re interested in joining a team you can check the local universities or public swimming pools.