| Playing Area and Equipment for Hockey |
Pool - totally about 300 square metres about 15m wide, 25m long, and 2 - 3.65m deep. Puck - looks like a traditional puck with a tephlon or brass coating and weighs about 1.3kg. Goals - galvanised or stainless steel, 2mm in thickness with all sharp edges removed, 3m long and 20mm high Swimsuit - recommended. At world level, must have one light and one dark coloured for team distinction. Mask - small volume free diving masks are best, but any diving mask will work fine. Swim goggles are not recommended since a mask doubles as a nose plug and face shield and doesn't fog as much as goggles. Snorkel - you want to be able to breathe while scanning the bottom of the pool for the puck and your next position. Large bore (to get air quickly), streamlined designs are best. Soft, flexible ones are required for safety. Ear protectors - required at the tournaments. Getting hit in the ear with a fin may protect your eardrum if done right. Water polo caps work well. One pair of numbered, blue and white caps are required to differentiate players as to which team they're on. Fins - softer free diving fins allow you to maneuver quickly and with speed. Heavy scuba fins are okay, but will beat up other people and your feet. Closed-heel versions without buckles avoid scratches and stay on better. Glove - standard practice is to buy a heavy weight gardening glove and cover it with aquaseal, shoegoo, hot-melt glue or some other hard glue for padding when someone hits your hand instead of the puck (oops) or scrapping your knuckles on the pool bottom. A pair is required if you play the puck with both hands. Custom-made, padded, electrical tape versions work well. Stick - about 12 inches long, made of one homogenous material that floats (usually wood), painted black or white to distinguish the teams. About 3cm wide, 2 cm tall and 30cm long, it has a handle at one end and a curved-backwards shooting end. See "rules" for specifics. |