Descending into an ear-popping depth of 12 feet, members of the Seattle Seahammers vie for a neon puck on the slanted end of a pool. Thousands of tiny bubbles fill the underwater rink as players quickly attempt to outmaneuver each other to score.
Continuing the tradition of the underwater hockey club, from its 1988 inception at Western Washington University, the Seattle Seahammers meet twice a week for practice. This June 28 practice marked its last scheduled practice in Edmonds’ Yost Pool and included both veteran players and newbies.
“It really makes Seattle feel like home. … They are like my Seattle family,” Decker Onken said. Onken, who was previously a competitive swimmer, moved to Seattle six years ago. He said he was able to meet some of his closest friends on the team.
Raymond Antos, part of the team’s steering committee, says that it is helpful to have a strong swimming background or experience in aquatic sports like water polo. He describes the sport as having a high barrier to entry, but explains that keeping at it can lead to a long-life passion.
This month, six veteran members of the Seahammers will participate in the 21st Underwater Hockey World Championships in Australia.
“There’s four major tournaments a year,” longtime member John Kulsa said. “A number of the players have represented at the international — for the world’s team.”
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