About Us and the Sport
About Us
West Wickham UWH was started in the early 1970's as part of West Wickham BSAC Diving Club. For many years we were one of the top clubs in the UK and also in Europe, winning many competitions like the Anglo Dutch, the BOA Finals...
As a club in the late 1990's up until mid 2000, we were still a top flight team but stuggling to win any of the major competitions. But now we have some new faces, some younger blood for us to hopefully challange the big teams in the UK and Europe and be back on top for many years to come.
As a club we have just had 3 of our top players represent Great Britian and 2 that narrowly missed getting in. Those 3 players were Scott Allen, Dorian Lunderstedt & Diederick Engelbrecht. Also Karl Speed currently the West Wickham Captain has also been representing the GB Master (Over 35), which as part of that set up he was Vice Captain. The West Wickham Coach, Steve Baldwin is also part of the GB Elite and GB Masters set up.
So this can prove that as a club we have a good set up arround us and hopefully push us for the title that is rightfully ours...
For many years we have had a trophy for our clubs Player Of The Year. After all the competitions have finished, we will all get together and go out for a meal. Half way though our meal the club member will write down there 2 nominations for who they think has either been the best player, most imporved player or done the most for the club. This has been going since the early 1980. Click here to see our proud club history of our nominated Players Of The Year.
As a club in the late 1990's up until mid 2000, we were still a top flight team but stuggling to win any of the major competitions. But now we have some new faces, some younger blood for us to hopefully challange the big teams in the UK and Europe and be back on top for many years to come.
As a club we have just had 3 of our top players represent Great Britian and 2 that narrowly missed getting in. Those 3 players were Scott Allen, Dorian Lunderstedt & Diederick Engelbrecht. Also Karl Speed currently the West Wickham Captain has also been representing the GB Master (Over 35), which as part of that set up he was Vice Captain. The West Wickham Coach, Steve Baldwin is also part of the GB Elite and GB Masters set up.
So this can prove that as a club we have a good set up arround us and hopefully push us for the title that is rightfully ours...
For many years we have had a trophy for our clubs Player Of The Year. After all the competitions have finished, we will all get together and go out for a meal. Half way though our meal the club member will write down there 2 nominations for who they think has either been the best player, most imporved player or done the most for the club. This has been going since the early 1980. Click here to see our proud club history of our nominated Players Of The Year.
About the Sport
The sport started in the early 1950's. It was a very cold winter and Southsea BSAC Diving club werent able to go diving. So during this time Alan Blake came up with the idea of pushing a lead weight from a weight belt around on the bottom of the swimming pool with a snorkel. At this time the game of Underwater Hockey was known as Octopush. Then in 1963 John Towse and John Powell introduced Octopush into the Southsea BSAC training program.
Crazy idea but this led to a whole new sport. Underwater Hockey is now known in possibley 20-30 countrys World Wide and seems to be fast growing.
The game like many others has moved on alot as time goes on. Old team folding and new teams taking there place. The equipment changed with the lead weight is now a puck, kind of like an ice hockey puck but much heavier so it sinks. The snorkels that they used to push the weight with are no made of either wood, plastic of a very hard rubber.
Then in the December 1968, the first ever National Competition was arranged.
The first World Championships was held in Vancouver, Canada in 1980 (Right is a picture of the first ever GB Mens Team). The first European Championships was held in London, England in 1985.
Crazy idea but this led to a whole new sport. Underwater Hockey is now known in possibley 20-30 countrys World Wide and seems to be fast growing.
The game like many others has moved on alot as time goes on. Old team folding and new teams taking there place. The equipment changed with the lead weight is now a puck, kind of like an ice hockey puck but much heavier so it sinks. The snorkels that they used to push the weight with are no made of either wood, plastic of a very hard rubber.
Then in the December 1968, the first ever National Competition was arranged.
The first World Championships was held in Vancouver, Canada in 1980 (Right is a picture of the first ever GB Mens Team). The first European Championships was held in London, England in 1985.
