West London Underwater Hockey Club
Welcome to the West London Underwater Hockey Club website.
Our club is home to several Team GB players, and our ladies’ team is one of the strongest women’s teams in the UK. We are ranked amongst the Top 3 UK teams, and regularly take two teams to all the major domestic BOA competitions. We have a club session on Mondays at Egham Orbit Leisure centre from 20:15 till 21:15pm and our players attend other local sessions at Putney and around London.
What is underwater hockey?
Perhaps you’d like to join us, but are wondering what underwater hockey actually involves? Well, read on for some more information!
The British Navy invented underwater hockey in the 1950s to help keep their divers fit and improve their ability to move and work efficiently underwater. Nowadays, it’s a fiercely competitive sport played across Europe, as well as in countries such as America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. Played on the bottom of a swimming pool, underwater hockey combines speed, agility, strength and strategy. And, because it’s played underwater, age, size and gender don’t matter – water is a great equalizer! Players wear fins for speed, along with masks, snorkels, and protective gloves and headgear, and use a short one-foot long stick to flick and manoeuvre a puck along the bottom of the pool. Working in a playing area of roughly 25m long by 15m wide, players aim to score goals in a metal trough of around 10 feet across, placed at each end of the field.
Because the game takes place in water, it’s a truly three-dimensional sport, with your opponents appearing from alongside as well as above and below. Teamwork and anticipation is essential for a successful game! Oh, and the rules are non-contact, so you needn’t worry about ending up black and blue – this is a sport dedicated primarily to having fun in the water.
Why choose us?
We welcome players of all ages – currently our session range in age from 18-65! Anyone is welcome to just come along and all levels of experience are catered for. Our hockey players, whilst they may take their sport very seriously, are always more than willing to help rookies. Fully trained coaches run each session and we have lots of spare kit available for beginners who’d like to give the sport a go. Best of all, your first session with us is completely free and guest sessions after that are only £7 a session.
How can I join you?
We currently train at:
Egham Orbit Leisure Centre
Vicarage Road,
Egham,
London,
TW20 8NL
If you would like to join us, or find out more then please contact Sebastián Viviani (guilly@gmail.com) so we can sort out kit. Just let us know your fin (shoe) size and if you're right or left handed. We look forward to seeing you at one of our sessions soon!
To see underwater hockey in action please follow the YouTube link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?