| Welcome
to Underwater Hockey and WASAC
My
name is Colin Deller, and besides being the treasurer for
WASAC, I am also their octopush representative. Octopush was
invented by Alan Blake of Southsea Sub Aqua Club in 1954 as
a game to help divers keep fit over the winter. Today, although
the game is still played by divers, it has developed into
an international competitive sport in it's own right with
over 80 clubs playing in the UK alone.
Underwater Hockey, as it has become better
known throughout the world, is a team game played along the
bottom of a swimming pool by two teams of six players, each
equipped with mask fins, snorkel, a safety(water polo)cap,
a protective glove on the playing hand, and a short stick
coloured either white or black . Each team defends a 3 metre
wide goal at their own end of the pool while attempting to
drive a plastic covered puck into their opponent’s goal.
Teams are allowed four substitutes and usually change ends
at half way through a 30 minute match.
The
last world championships, with 17 competing nations, were
held for the first time ever in the UK in 2006. Videoed matches
from this event can be downloaded from
www.247.TV
What’s
going on in Wales
2008 Welsh Champions - Pembroke
Octopush.
Our National Teams.
At present the Wales squads are in training for the annual
Home International Tournament to be held at Sheffield in July.
In it’s eighth year this competition has been extended
to include elite and masters categories for men as well as
an open under nineteen’s section. We expect to have
entries in all sections as well as the women’s and girl’s
categories. Video records of these matches should be available
after the tournament.
Training and management of our national squads
is controlled by ‘Underwater Hockey Wales’ Chairman
Dave Murphy email- davidmurphy@newportoctopush.com
Both Llwchwr and Pembroke Octopush Clubs have
junior sections with players who compete at the GB national
finals in Loughborough each year. Community Chest funding
is available for any club, even diving clubs! Who wish to
get a junior team up and running. For more information contact
either your local Octopush Club or Colin Deller at colin@merrionvillage.wanadoo.co.uk
Teams in Wales:
Cardiff University(occasional)
Swansea University (occasional)
Bangor Unversity (session details awaited)
email
Llwchwr Octopush Club trains at Ammanford Pool on:-
Fridays at 20:15-21:15.All visitors welcome.
Contact: Robin
Murphy
Newport Octopush Club trains at
The Newport International Sports Village Pool
Monday 21:00 - 22:00 (except bank holidays)
And at Cardiff International Pool on
Wednesdays 21:00 - 22:00
Contact: Ian Williams; 01633 672864. email Steve@Blundell.com
For ‘How to get there’ info plus a video of the
club and more please visit the Newport
Octopush website
Pyle Octopush trains at Pyle pool on Wednesdays at 21.00-22.00.
All visitors welcome.
Contact:Steve
Madelin;
Pembroke Octopush Club trains at Pembroke Leisure Centre on:
Mondays (Seniors and adult visitors only) 21.00-22.00
Wednesdays
Under 13’s juniors 19.00-20.00.
Under 16’s juniors 20.00-21.00
Seniors plus advanced juniors 21.00-22.00.
contact Colin
Deller
All visitors welcome.
If you have any issues regarding underwater
hockey, would like to advertise or promote your club's activities
(or even form a club!), or would just like more information
about the sport, then please get in touch with me.
Colin
Deller |