How to play

Two teams. One puck. Lots of splashing. Here is the whole game on one page.

Safety first (read it out loud before every game)

Pool Hockey is a fun game, and the water needs respect. Here are the rules that come before everything else.

Under 18? An adult is always watching. Anyone under 18 must be supervised by an adult at all times while playing Pool Hockey. The adult stays at the pool, awake, and watches the water for the whole game. No adult, no game.

  1. A grown-up Water Watcher. An adult always watches the pool, with no phone and no side chat. Swap watchers every 15 minutes.
  2. Comfortable swimmers only. Everyone should be a comfortable swimmer where you play. If someone is not, they play only where they can stand, with a life jacket if the adult says so.
  3. Shallow and standing water. Play where everyone can stand, or in the shallow end. No diving in. No jumping in on top of players.
  4. Going underwater is optional. Players can dive down for the puck and hold their breath, but nobody has to. Keep it in shallow water where you can stand. Take a break after every few dives. Come up right away if you feel tired, dizzy or uncomfortable. The Water Watcher keeps eyes on every player who is under.
  5. No breath-hold contests. No "how long can you stay down." No fast, deep breaths before going under. Just a normal breath. If a player stays under or looks wrong, the Watcher stops the game right away.
  6. Come up any time. No penalty. Nobody can make you go under, and nobody goes under alone or out of the Watcher's sight.
  7. Soft gear only. Use soft sticks and a soft puck, with no hard sticks, no metal and no sharp edges. Wear a mask or swim goggles.
  8. Hands off. No grabbing, pushing, dunking, or holding anyone under or on the bottom.
  9. Sticks stay low. Keep your stick in the water, below your waist. Never swing it above the surface.
  10. Whistle, "STOP" or lightning. Everyone stops, stays still and listens.

*Our rules are a living draft. We are still testing them and getting them reviewed by safety and legal experts, and they will change. They are a starting point, not a substitute for adult supervision, swim lessons, or advice from a qualified aquatics-safety professional.

The game in 30 seconds

  1. Pick two teams. Any size, equal if you can. Choose team colors with swim caps, towels or jerseys.
  2. Start. Puck in the middle. Both teams start on their own wall with one hand on the wall. An adult says "GO."
  3. Move the puck with your stick only. No hands, feet or body on the puck.
  4. Score. Push the puck into the other team's goal. After a goal, the other team starts with the puck at their wall.
  5. Out of bounds. If the puck leaves the play area, the team that did not touch it last gets it back in play.
  6. Win. First team to 5 goals, or most goals when the timer ends. Then shake hands or fist-bump.

Three fouls. That's it.

  1. Hands and bodies stay off other players. No pushing, grabbing or blocking with your body.
  2. Sticks stay low and soft. No swinging, hitting or poking.
  3. Be a good sport. No yelling at others, no cheating, no arguing with the adult.

After a foul: Stop and say "foul." The other team gets the puck where it happened. The team that fouled steps back 2 big steps (about 3 feet). If the same player keeps fouling, they sit out for 1 minute.

What you need

Required

  • A mask or swim goggles. Pick whichever fits you better.
  • A stick for each player. Use a soft one: a foam paddle, a pool noodle piece, or a soft kids' hockey stick.
  • A puck. A floating foam puck or a soft ball or disc.

Optional but recommended

  • Fins. Short fins are fun and help you move around. They are optional, and we recommend them.

Not needed

  • Snorkel. Not required in our first-generation game.
  • Mouth guard. Not required in our first-generation game.
  • For the future, a snorkel and mouth guard may be an option for more advanced players. We will say so here when that happens.

Goals: Pool noodles laid on the surface, two cones or floats, steps, or a marked section of wall. Make them about as wide as 3 or 4 players side by side. Pool size: Any size. Small pool, fewer players: about 2 per side. Big pool: up to 4 to 6 per side. Timer or score target: First to 5 goals, or play 10 minutes. Clean up: Take all gear out of the pool when you are done. Check first: Follow the pool owner's or venue's own rules, and ask before you bring sticks, pucks or goals.

Make the game fit your pool

  • No-goalie: nobody may stand in front of the goal.
  • Mini pool: 2 on 2, first to 3.
  • Big pool: 4 on 4, or play with 2 pucks.
  • Rotate: everyone swaps out after each goal.
  • Everyone touches: each teammate must touch the puck before a goal counts. Great for mixed ages.
  • Older kids, with an adult's OK: a sinking soft puck on the bottom, in shallow water where everyone can stand. Never beyond a comfortable breath, and never a contest about time underwater.

Checklist for the grown-up

  • An adult Water Watcher is assigned and paying attention.
  • You have checked each child's swimming ability.
  • Gear is soft, with no sharp edges, and gets removed from the pool afterward.
  • No breath-hold challenges.
  • The pool owner's or venue's rules are followed.
  • You know where the phone is and how to call 911.

Ready to play?

Find a pool you can ask about, or read the full rules. Find a Pool Read the rules