For many, the term “underwater hockey” may be a foreign concept, especially when compared with field and ice hockey. Is this a new game? How is it played? How long can a person stay submerged? What is it like down there?

FMT speaks with Roshan Babu Balakrishnan from the Malaysia Underwater Hockey Association to learn more about the sport.

1. It has been around since the 1950s

According to Roshan, underwater hockey has been played since the 1950s. It was started in the United Kingdom by one Alan Blake.

“During the winter, it was very cold to go diving in the sea. So, divers resorted to a heated pool, where they used snorkels to push diving weights at the bottom.

“It was then turned into a sport,” Roshan, 35, told FMT, adding that it was originally known as “octopush”.

The game subsequently began making its way to other countries such as South Africa and Canada. Today, it is played in locations such as Australia, Spain, Turkey, France, and – as it turns out – even in Malaysia.

In fact, the Malaysian team was among four countries that competed in the sport during the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, alongside contingents from the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia.

2. Just like in ice hockey, the puck is the prized possession

Similar to ice hockey, the game involves two teams manoeuvring a puck to the opponent’s goal using a mini hockey stick. Obviously, there is one significant difference: an underwater hockey game takes place at the bottom of a pool.

“Six members from each team will play, while the remaining four are substitutes,” Roshan explained, adding that it is a minimal-contact sport where players are not allowed to grab or push one another.

Before the game starts, the puck will be in the middle of the pool, while players wait at each end with one hand on the wall. Upon hearing the buzzer by the referee, the players race for possession of the puck.

There are two halves in a game, each running for approximately 15 minutes with an interval of three minutes in between.

The equipment used include underwater hockey sticks, fins, a glove on the playing hand, water polo caps, masks, snorkels, and mouthguards.

3. No scuba tanks are used, so hold your breath

“People tend to think that players use a scuba tank, but we don’t. A player will need to hold their breath for 20 to 30 seconds before surfacing, take another breath, and go back down.”

Another challenge is the fact that although this is a team sport, no verbal communication is possible underwater.

Therefore, what makes a good player is not only discipline but the ability to play as a team to score goals.

4. You just might find a whole new world down there

Roshan revealed what he loves about the sport: due to the lack of verbal communication, team members “have a unique bond where we trust each other so much”.

“We know that we can pass a puck, and someone will be there waiting for you,” he said. These close ties are thanks in part to feedback sessions held after each game, where the players share how to better support one another.

The association, of which Roshan says he is the national head coach, has approximately 80 members from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Negeri Sembilan, with different coaches working with each state.

“For me, it’s a whole new world down there,” he concluded. “When you go all the way to the bottom of the pool and look up at the other players, I am reminded of fishes in an aquarium, and I find that unique.”

Learn more about Malaysia Underwater Hockey Association via its Facebook and Instagram profiles.