There’s a new sport that’s been making waves in South Florida communities.

People are playing underwater rugby, where the only thing more intense than the tackles is the desperate fight to avoid drowning.

What’s not to like? “It’s a sport played in the deep end of a swimming pool,” said Cyrus Katrak, an underwater rugby enthusiast. “Six versus six. We’re trying to put a negatively buoyant ball into a goal at the bottom of the pool.”

Played in a 12-foot deep swimming pool, underwater rugby is a game of breath control, endurance, and physical strength.

“It can be a little intense,” Katrak said. “It just takes time and patience and training to get to the point where you can maintain your composure in a situation especially when you have two, maybe three people tackling you.”

The game originated in Germany in the 1960s, and it is beginning to gain traction around the world and across the U.S. The world’s current champions for both the men and women’s division are Columbian.

Just last April, teams from all over the U.S. met at the 2024 USA Underwater Rugby National Championships in Coral Springs Florida.

The mixed teams ended with the New Jersey Hammerheads taking first place, and the San Francisco Sea Bass in 2nd. With stronger, heavier players, the Florida Inter UWR team beat the Boston Narwhals for third. The Narwhals are the oldest active group in the U.S., composed of a group of very fast teenagers with some very experienced players, and are expected to peak soon.

The teams all say that they welcome players of all skill levels to join them at their practices, including beginners. So if you think you might enjoy getting entangled in a sport where the action is sure to be slippery, then dive right into underwater rugby! You’re guaranteed to come out feeling like a drowned rat, even if you win.