Foundation badges represent the core competencies required to participate
safely and effectively in underwater hockey.
All players must complete the Foundation badge set before entering the
ranking system. Completion of the full set results in the player achieving
Coral rank.
Foundation badges use a Bronze → Silver → Gold progression.
Bronze represents basic capability, Silver represents controlled execution,
and Gold represents confident performance under normal gameplay conditions.
- Mask & Snorkel Control
- Fin Propulsion Control
- Dive Control
- Body Position (Cobra)
- Puck Control
- Passing
- Curling
- Individual Positioning
- Supportive Play
- Basic Positions
- Basic Formation
- Bronze — 25m surface swim maintaining relaxed breathing without lifting head or removing snorkel.
- Silver — Demonstrates three clean snorkel clears and equalization during descent without removing snorkel.
- Gold — Controlled surface-to-bottom transition with equalization and stable breathing on recovery without coach cue.
- Bronze — 25m surface swim using straight-leg propulsion without bicycle kick.
- Silver — 25m swim maintaining consistent body alignment with no knee-dominant propulsion.
- Gold — Controlled dive followed by 5m bottom travel using efficient flutter or dolphin propulsion.
- Bronze — 5 head-first descents and 5 fins-first descents.
- Silver — 5 controlled descents landing directly below start point with stick arm in front of the body.
- Gold — 10 controlled descents landing in cobra position ready to play.
¶ Body Position (Cobra)
- Bronze — Maintain cobra position for 15 seconds.
- Silver — Maintain cobra while receiving and passing the puck.
- Gold — Maintain cobra while swimming with the puck during drills.
- Bronze — Move the puck 5m without panic.
- Silver — Maintain puck control under light pressure.
- Gold — Maintain puck control while actively challenged and scanning the play.
- Bronze — 5 controlled flick or push passes to a teammate.
- Silver — 5 accurate passes while swimming.
- Gold — Successful pass under defensive pressure.
- Bronze — 5 controlled flat-body curls each direction with a stationary puck.
- Silver — 8 controlled curls each direction while moving 3m with the puck.
- Gold — 5 clean curls each direction maintaining puck protection from a passive defender.
- Bronze — Demonstrates ability to attack with the puck and defend against it.
- Silver — Maintains correct defensive-side positioning.
- Gold — Anticipates transition and recovers defensive shape.
- Bronze — Can receive a pass from a teammate.
- Silver — Remains down and receives a pass from a teammate.
- Gold — After passing, remains down as a second support option.
- Bronze — Understands assigned role and area within the team structure.
- Bronze — Plays in the basic formation decided by the coach.
- Silver — Maintains formation during transition.
- Gold — Adjusts formation based on puck movement.
- Foundation badges should be signed off through normal drill observation.
- Do not interrupt sessions to run formal tests unless necessary.
- Only sign off when performance is consistent and repeatable.
- If unsure, reassess in the next session.
Foundation badges represent the minimum competency required to participate
safely in underwater hockey.