The scales may even be tipped in women's favor just a bit. The water's a real equalizer. Underwater hockey is not well-known in the United States, there are only about 1,000 people in the whole country who participate in the sport, despite its recognition by the U.S. Olympic Committee. But it is very popular in other parts of the world, especially Europe where they routinely tile the bottom of their pools, said Caryn Collopy, SJSU Aquatic Center manager. The game has to be played in a pool with a slick surface, otherwise the puck won't slide across the bottom.
Tiles provide such a slick surface.
We rented four firehoses and used the hydroplane effect to slide the mat off the deck and into the water, then the guys gently pushed it down to the bottom of the pool. There are actually two courts lying on the bottom of the pool, but when the swim teams have meets, they need more room, so the mats have to be moved. The hockey players have to pick up one entire mat and slide it down over the other one. PVC walls were added to the perimeter of the courts, and can be positioned in the up or down position thanks to removable corners and hinges. They prevent the puck from sliding out of bounds when the walls are up and the down position allows the Aquatic Center to use the pool for other activities.