Rochdale Underwater Hockey

Rochdale Snorkelling and Underwater Hockey Club is looking forward to earlier sessions at Oulder Hill Leisure Centre pool following our move to Thursday evenings at 7:30pm.

Rochdale Snorkelling and Underwater Hockey Club has been based at Oulder Hill for 27 years and is looking for new players for the new pool sessions.

The club teaches snorkelling techniques and practices underwater hockey at Oulder Hill Leisure Centre (Rochdale OL11 5EF) 7:30 to 8:30 pm on Thursday evenings.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with octopush, or underwater hockey as it’s known outside the UK, this sport is played on the bottom of the pool by teams of 6 players using a small wooden bat (or pusher) and a “puck” instead of a ball.  The Rochdale junior teams have been playing since 1978 and have enjoyed successes in recent years with several players having gone on to represent Great Britain at Under-19 and Elite levels.

Training improves personal fitness, builds confidence in the water, teaches playing techniques and teamwork.

The game is suitable for anyone who can swim at least 2 lengths and who is confident in the water. All equipment can be provided for starters.

The Thursday session is suitable for all juniors and adult beginners and we are looking for new recruits.

If you are planning to come along or would like more information, please call Mick Hyde on 01706 646988 or Barrie Whitehead on 01706 373967.

Rochdale Snorkelling and Underwater Hockey Club is looking forward to returning to Oulderhill School pool following on from the  recent refurbishment which has taken place during the previous 18 months.

Rochdale Snorkelling and Underwater Hockey Club has been based at Oulderhill for 25 years and is looking for new players for the new pool.

The club teaches snorkelling techniques and practices underwater hockey on Wednesday nights at Oulderhill Pool 8:30 to 9:30 on Wednesday evenings.

Underwater hockey is played on the bottom of the pool by teams of 6 players using a small wooden bat and a “puck” instead of a ball.  The Rochdale junior teams have enjoyed successes in recent years and several players have gone on to represent Great Britain at Under-19 and Elite levels.

Training improves personal fitness, builds confidence in the water, teaches playing techniques and teamwork.

The game is suitable for anyone who can swim at least 2 lengths and who is confident in the water, all equipment can be provided.

The Wednesday session is suitable for all juniors and adult beginners and we are looking for new recruits.

If you are planning to come along or would like more information, please call Mick Hyde on 01706 646988 or Barrie Whitehead on 01706 373967

The attached picture is of Adam Morris,  who represented Great Britain Under 19’s Team at the World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Tags: News

The junior members of Rochdale Underwater Hockey Club swam 2 miles underwater last week to raise money for Sport Relief.

In small groups, swimming relays, the juniors swam a total of 320 widths underwater in Oulderhill Pool to raise over £750 for Sport Relief.

A lot of the young people participating in this charity event, have only recently joined the snorkelling club and it is a major achievement for many of them to be able to complete just one width underwater.  Most of the people taking part completed at least 10 widths and some did in excess of 20, which enabled the club to exceed our target in just under 20 minutes.

A former Rochdale junior player, Mark Price who has recently been selected for the Great Britain Squad, took part in a challenge to swim a mile underwater individually in Glasgow over the weekend.  Along with two members of the GB Ladies Elite Team they each swam 71 lengths of a pool.

Underwater hockey improves confidence in the water and is a great team sport for all,  the Rochdale Club meets at Oulderhill Pool on Wednesday evenings 8:15pm for juniors and beginners and at Manchester Aquatics Centre on Monday evenings for experienced players.

Anyone interested in finding out more about underwater hockey can call Mick Hyde on 01706 646988.

Tags: News

2008 Junior National Championships held at Loughborough University

Rochdale Mantas, the under 16s team, competed in the National Finals in Loughborough last weekend.

Twenty four teams from all over Great Britain took part in the competition.  The majority of the Mantas team are relatively new to the sport, with most having been playing for less than 12 months and some for only 3 months.   

Continue Reading »

Tags: News, tournament