- Theres the rest of life.

And then there's underwater hockey.

Its as far as I'm concerned, one of the ultimate sports without putting maximum strain on your joints.

I work as a tree climber and I use this to relax.

- If you can swim 15 minutes, you can play this game.

Now, swimming 15 minutes is not easy Same thing running 15 minutes is really not very easy.

You protect the puck just like a soccer player or a basketball player, would pass to a friend or defend against, you know, an opposing player.

And here we just try to push the puck in the goal.

When you're looking through your mask, it is like looking out the window of a helicopter.

The puck could fill your field of view or the other players stick, or you can be at the surface and you have the whole bird's eye view.

And decide when you want to drop in on what's going on.

- It's really a spor that, like all ages, can play, and it's a type of spor that you can learn in your 40s.

For new players, we give them an orange stick.

So if they get the puck, they, you know, we let them get some confidence and just some comfort with the puck and score a lot of goals and keep on wanting to come back.

- You're using a lot of energ and its really inefficient... - I used to ski, but once I discovered this, like, I just stopped skiing (laughs).

Its all I want to do.

Like, yeah, it's a lot of fun.

- Another thing: you can't play it like a normal sport, because when you breathe, you're no longer in your position.

So you've got to think about it in a different way from most other sports.

You've got to play a system as opposed to a team positioning game.

It teaches you to persevere.

Right.

You've got you know, you've got to push your body.

You've got to push yourself.

And it teaches you great skills.

And theyre really great people that play it.

I'll make sur that theres underwater hockey before I even look for a job.

So I live to play.

Having a teammate here.

Field of view.

How much pressure on there be?

Because I don't want to, like, body check people.

But yeah, I mean, if you hav the puck, don't worry about it.

If you have the puck on your stick, just play it because you're allowed to.

If you're going for it, try not to bump too hard because then it's barging started.

The only thing I noticed.

Is like.

Let's get back.

Well, listen, six or black six, we got to get it in there.

Half.

Okay.

We've been struggling swirling in our half here.

Let's get it to that end.

All right.

Our objective.

Now to get it in the goal right away.

Our objective is just maintain possession.

So let's get the puck on our sticks.

Let's keep it on black sticks, okay?

Keep passing through, brother, until we get to that goal.

Do not let the white sticks get it.

Okay, that's our objective.

There's no elbowing or pushing or deliberate, intentional contact.

There's a lot of incidental contact.

So it's a it's a great family to be part of.

I think a little bit that.

These are good keepers.

Just put your foot through so it sticks out like this.

And then.

You do that.

This sits on your heels.

Yeah.

So that I would take off your booties.

I have a d you want to try my bitter one?

My litter socks.

Those are pretty thick.

That I have.

So let's try both things.

Let's watch this.

Well, I think we need to duct tape your feet, because.

If you.

Are those.

Originally from South Africa addicted to underwater hockey.

It is a lot of thought.

You've got to think while you're playing.

Right?

And the other great thing about the sport is you are totally dependent upon your teammates, right?

The thing you can't play it like a normal sport because when you breathe, you're no longer in your position.

So you've got to think about it in a different way from most other sports.

You got to play a system as opposed to a team positioning game.

So I love to play.

I'll make sure that it's underwater hockey before I even look for a job.

I've always enjoyed the water and this is the probably to me, the ultimate water sport.

So it's a it's tough.

It's a hard sport.

It teaches you to persevere.

Right.

You've got you know, you've got to push your body.

You've got to push yourself.

And it teaches you great skills.

And they they really great people that play it.

So it's a it's a great family to be part of.

I'm John Norris.

And I'm from Southbury, Connecticut.

And today we're in Cheshir at the town pool, getting ready to play another session of morning underwater hockey.

It's a great game, masked men, snorkel.

Is the equipment here at the Cheshire Pool?

It's six feet deep all the way across.

We play with a 2 pound puck and push it around with about a one foot long stick.

There's no elbowing or pushing or deliberate, intentional contact.

There's a lot of incidental contact, but that's the name of the game.

You got to hold your breath and push the puck around on the floor of the pool.

You protect the puck, just like a soccer player or basketball player would pass to a friend or defend against, you know, an opposing player.

And here we just try to push the puck in the goal.

Yeah, the sticks have different colors.

So one set of sticks are black and one are white.

In a tournament or more competitive play, you'd have the suits and the swim caps would also match.

But you get a lot of peopl that if you can swim 15 minutes, you can play this game now a lot.

Swim in 15 minutes is not easy.

Same thing.

Running 15 minutes is reall not very easy, but we get people that are into those kind of activities and it's not such a challenge.

Well, actually, that's the one thing I don't like about this sport i that I have to hold my breath.

I love everything else about this sport except for that.

For some people it's a great advantage.

And they held their breath and they steal the puck.

They go left, they go right, they circle around and look for a teammate, and then they carry it themselves.

And then it just goes on and on.

I could do I go up and down twice watching them and it's phenomenal.

But I really struggle with the breath hold.

I it's very painful whe you start to run out of breath.

You know what it's like when you're running out of breath.

You feel like you're choking and gagging and you're going to die.

So it's very uncomfortable, but it's something that I feel better.

Learning to deal with it and seeing the whole pool is critical.

And, you know, I tend to just focus in on the puck, and that's what I'm looking at and that's what I'm concerned with.

But it's a riot.

It's like flying when you're looking through your mask.

It is like looking out the window of a helicopter, and you can buzz the wheat field at eye level, and you come right up in the puck and have it fills your field of view.

The puck could fill your field of view or the other players stick, or you can be at the surface and you have that little bird's eye view and decide when you want to drop in on what's going on.

Hopefully without your opponent knowing.

Given the nature of this sport, we never talk.

That's the real key of this game.

Any yelling, anybody, anybody yelling out her is really wasting their breath because they should be using that breath on the floor of the pool.

Well, actually, you can yell into your snorkel and it can be heard.

Sound does trave three times faster underwater.

It's just harder to make it.

You need a hard surface.

So usually we smack a stick into your hand into another stick.

If you have a friend, you could try to do that.

Sometimes you head to the pool has a gutter that's metallic that you can bang into, but you can also yell go!

If somebody has a breakaway and they're not breaking away and they should be breaking away, you yell, go at the top of your lungs through the snorkel, and that can be heard as well.

Yeah.

Other than that, we yelled sticks up, go to start the game.

Then it's all hand gestures to show what the penalty is.

And if there is a penalty and it's not in play.

And if you have something, if you have something to say along the lines of any kind of trash talk, just take the puck and score.

There's not much talking in underwater hockey.

If you had a full pool, you'd have six on six and then up to six maybe usually three on a team.

Subs that go in and out just like ice hockey, so they don't have to wait for a stoppage.

They can go in and out whenever they want, and those games would be 3 minutes, two 15 minute halves, stick handling.

It' another thing you really don't.

You cannot see obviously from the surface, but the better players.

It is stunning how it looks like they have Velcro on it and move it around and you're using the same equipment and it doesn't work the same way.

It's six on six and you know, it's it's one of those sports where you can have all ages and all levels play together.

We we balance out the teams.

So for new players we give them an orange stick.

So if they get the puck they you know, we let them get some confidence and just some comfort with the puck and score a lot of goals and keep on wanting to come back.

Yeah, it's really a sport that like all ages, can play and it's a type of spor that you can learn in your 40s.

And actually, you know, there aren' a ton of people playing it.

So, you know, it's there's a lot of kind of technique with puck handling.

So one of the things I struggle with is flickin the puck underwater really far.

We have some players who can flick the puck that weighs 3 pounds underwater 6 or 7ft over other players, sticks over other player and get it to the forward line.

I you know, so when I can even flick it 3 or 4ft and have it go where I want to go, land where I want it to lan and get it to that next player.

That would be my perfect game and I am not there yet.

I like your hopes.

All I want to do, like, yeah, I like it's a lot of fun and especially when you're playing with like really goo players, it's just a lot of fun.

So it's really something that's all ages, all levels.

You know, it's just about having a good tim and getting some exercise and.

I think it was just a little bit treating it through though.

Yeah.

Steaks up.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Just just watch out for the orange.

Dish.

When.

He does.

So you forced it off his.

Stick to take it.

You want to give the orange stick some resistance but you can't just steal it right.

Off of him.

Okay?

Especially for a brand new player.

Okay.

That's the girl wit the pink is hard to beat this.

We should all.

Be a little.

We gotta get the puck.

Okay?

Oh, right.

Jamie.

You got an orange stick ready to go?

Put up your stick.

For a second.

You guys got an orange stick?

Strike!

Orange.

Yeah, it looks like.

Okay.

Looks like she's ready.

She's got her face for water.

She's got her face.

Yep, we got it now.

She's in the middle of the ball.

Okay.

Hold on, hold on.

Still gotta stay ready.

Here.

Sticks up.

Six on.

Sticks up.

Like, how much pressur on another body should there be?

Because I don't wan to like the body check people.

But yeah I mean if you hav the puck, don't worry about it.

If you have the puck on your stick, just play it because you're allowed to.

If you're going for it, try not to bump too hard because then it's barging.

Dani.

The only thing I noticed is like.

Let's go back six or black six.

We got to get it in there half.

Okay?

We've been struggling swirling in our half here.

Let's get it to that end.

All right.

Our objective.

Now to get it in the goal right away.

Our objective is just maintain possession.

So let's get the puck on our sticks.

Let's keep it on black sticks.

Okay.

Keep passing through, brother, until we get to that goal.

Do not let the white sticks get it.

Okay, that's our objective.

As long as we have possession, we're scoring.

He's got straight.

Zach.

Okay.

Stages, no stresses.

Adjoint.

So, you know I work with my body and I come in here and basically relax and ease out and spread out.

So yeah it's great.

Ready.

Ready.

Just bring them up.

I'm sorry.

You need.

To keep.

Stay on to actually take tha damn tooth out and do it again.

Oh, I like that.

Yes.

Hey.

Contact with this.

Lens right here.

And hardest.

Oh.

Do you have any tattoos or any.

All right.

How does he look?

Are you good?

Yeah.

All right.

You know, talking to you guys, I don't think you were here.

Jaden was saying this highlight in Berlin.

Okay, here's the hard part.

Okay.

Does it hurt?

He's still in there.

I'm going to get in close.

Okay.

All right.

To be clear, you said.

Steph just.

Stephanie just made.

Stephanie.

Sorry.

My wife is Stephanie, and I call her.

Jo.

I'm going to move in close.

Can you say.

This is probably.

The bad guy?

Yeah, you got it.

Like when?

Like, everybody in Colorado loves this sport because everybody.

Loves from Colorado.

Yes.

I do like when we play.

Lakewood twice a week.

We play in a pool of.

At a pool once or twice a week.

I was moving the camera when you guys did that.

Oh, yeah, we could do that again.

All right.

Hello.

That's quite enough.

If you have the first one, guy will draw them to one side or the other.

Where you set up.

Kind of pushing it.

You know, you're using a lot of energy and it's like really inefficient.

And I think it's.

Like three quarters length.

Cool.

That was awesome.

You also had JD on one side and me on the other side.

I know, I know but just just know we're there.

Okay.

So if you do need to give it up to feel free to just push it to one side or the other, we'll take it.

We'll go.

Okay.

Like you're not even.

You're not yourself.

No.

Shadow.

Yeah, sure.

Yeah.

You're doing great.

Boom.

We're also going to get all.

That's all right.

That's working.

All right.

Jamie, can you give us a heads up before you start pushing?

Okay.

Are you sort.

All right?

I kicked my shit.

Up to.

1600.

But this protects your ears.

But mostly it.

This your.

You're still shooting at 16.

So you're going to be.

How's it going?

Oh, good.

Do you want some duct tape?

Yeah.

This will be good.

Hopefully.

Some people use electrical tape.

But the problem with the electrical.

And the duct tape doesn't leave the residue.

That hard to blow it, right?

Well, that looks good.

Here we go.

That's all right.

If I have.

My tooth in, I have to take.

It out.

Because if.

Save.

Overexert or.

Snorkel gets knocked out of.

My.

Mouth.

And I burst.

To the surface.

And breathe in for the deep breath.

I could, there's a risk.

Of swallowing.

It so.

I. Don't play with it in.

Only a smile.

Put it in the smile for the camera.

This is an exception.

Take a strike.

Good for you.

You taught that?

Pass on.

A good play, guys.

I was about a half a secon behind every pass with my camera work from.

The surface.

wouldn't even know how to play.

I was just trying to follow it and barely caught up with it.

But you guys were all there.

Anyway.

Hey, you're always welcome.

We'll see you next weekend then.

A little orange in the inside.