Octopush With LUUSAC
What is it?
Basically, it's underwater hockey but is more commonly known as Octopush. It was formed in the UK in the 1950s by some swimmers who were bored of just doing lengths, and wanted to do something a bit more fun.
How do you play?
Octopush Training at Leeds International Pool
Two teams try to score in the opponents goal (gulley) by moving a puck across the bottom of a pool. You use a little wooden stick thing to push the puck (squid) across the bottom of the pool, the difficulty is that you obviously run out of breath and need to time your dives well to do it, and work as a team.
Some Basic Rules
- The pool is 25 metres long for the playing area.
- Teams are distinguished by either black or white sticks.
- A proper game lasts for 30 minutes, with a 3 minute break halfway through to change ends and catch your breath, believe me - you need it!
- The puck begins in middle of pool, and on whistle/shout both teams go for it. Everybody has to have one hand against the wall at their end to stop cheating.
- Aim is to get it into the opponents goal. These are metal ledges on the bottom of the pool at each end and about 3 metres across.
- There are six players per side, with 4 substitutes to roll on/off.
What you need to play?
- Mask and snorkel.
- Fins and booties (pool fins are better).
- Trunks/swimming costume.
At the moment we're provided with the other essential bits:
- Stick thingy (either black or white and about length of a spatula).
- Glove (wear this on your stick hand to stop it getting bashed).
- Puck thingy - Now we know it's called a SQUID!! anyone noticing a theme...
- Two goals/gullys.
When do we meet and what do we actually do?
- We get in to the pool at 8pm on Wednesdays, so get there a little bit earlier to get changed etc.
- For the first 10-15 minutes we do some general fitness, practicing duck dives and doing some widths. (all with mask, fins, snorkels etc)
- Then split into two teams and have a go....
- All you need to do is get to the International Pool.
It only costs us £2 each week, this is a contribution to Leeds BSAC who use the pool at the same time for their weekly training.
We have played a number of friendlies against local teams, but we are still very much at the learning stage of the game.
At the moment, Richard Bewell is coming along each week to teach us, and is keen to get more people involved. He plays the sport internationally and is obviously a bit good. We secretly suspect he has gills as can stay down there for longer than seems humanly possible.
We have an email list so we can find out who's going each week. We can then organise lifts from Headingley etc and make sure we've got enough players. If you are a member of LUUSAC you can also browse the mailing list to have a look at what's going on without joining.
Also check out the videos in the links area below.
Rules
Links
- British Octopush Association
- British Octopush Association Shop
- Badass Introductory Video
- Video from our own training session
I'm Interested
Please contact ku.oc.casuul@ofni.