Luke's pursuit-USA Elite Underwater Hockey Team

My name is Luke Bousley and I am asking for your support as I pursue a lifelong dream. In the narrative below, you will learn a little about me, my goals, and how you can play a part in helping me continue this journey.

On March 19th, 2023, I accomplished a goal that I have been working on for a long time – trying out and being selected as a member of the United States Men's Elite Underwater Hockey National Team. This team is at the highest level of competition and performance in this sport and is made up of the best-performing 12 individuals from throughout the United States. As a member of this team, I will represent the United States at the World Championships this summer in Brisbane, Australia from July 18-30th. This event will have teams from several countries throughout the world and represents the best of the best competition.

You may be asking, what is Underwater Hockey?

It is the ultimate sport and is played at the bottom of a swimming pool, with a typical depth of two meters deep. The game is played six-on-six with players using a short one-handed stick to maneuver a weighted puck along the bottom of the pool. The game is played holding your breath wearing a water polo cap with a snorkel and a mask. The goal of the game is to work as a team and get the puck in the other team’s goal on the other side of the pool. The competition is played in two 15-minute halves and teams score goals similar to traditional hockey.

What is my story?

My story starts six years ago at the Door County YMCA. At a young age, I was a natural swimmer and was on the swim team. One day after swim practice, Kendall Banks, taught our team about Underwater Hockey and that he and his wife Sue were starting a junior underwater hockey program and they were looking for people to sign up! I decided to try it, and I was hooked. I absolutely loved it.

From that time, I started playing more and more. I advanced to playing with the Sturgeon Bay club team and eventually started playing in tournaments with them. Through our local team, I had the opportunity to compete in Marquette, Denver, Orlando, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles. My goal of making the US Men’s Elite Team began in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in the spring of 2017. Three of my underwater hockey teammates had just completed practice and were taking pictures outside the pool with shirts that said, “Team USA.” They were about to leave to represent the United States at the Underwater Hockey World Championships in Hobart, Australia. They were part of the women’s junior team. It was on that day when I wished them good luck and walked out the doors that I said to myself, “I am going to do that someday.” Flash forward six years and countless hours in the pool, intense training, many tournaments throughout the nation, concluding with the recent national tryouts, and here I am. I have not only accomplished my goal but am solidifying my place as the youngest qualifying member of the team representing our nation at the World Championships in Brisbane, Australia in July 2023.

Making this team has not been easy. It requires a tremendous amount of time, dedication, and commitment. Currently, I am in the pool training five days a week, early morning and late-night practice, including one day of scrimmage on the weekend at the University of Minnesota pool. Since September, I have been traveling to destinations all around the United States, attending tournaments, training camps, and national team tryouts. This is a big financial commitment to fly, usually just for the weekend to these destinations. Not to mention, I am a full-time second-year student at the University of Wisconsin Stout pursuing a degree in Education with an emphasis on Technology Education and have been able to maintain an 17-credit course load while maintaining a 3.8-grade point average. On a typical weekend, I fly out right after class gets done on Friday and return prior to my 8 a.m. class on Monday. When I’m not training or traveling, I am almost always, either in class, working on school work, or working at my job at my campus's outdoor program which involves working at the campus climbing wall or leading student trips to different locations around the local area.

What I have so far.

Participating in Underwater Hockey has been a large financial commitment mostly self-funded by the work I do on campus. In January, an anonymous group of donors came forward and provided me with a scholarship to cover my travel expenses to and from national team events and tournaments beginning January 2023 through the World Championship in July. This scholarship covers my transportation and lodging while I am attending these high-level competitions. I am extremely grateful for the generosity of this group and their support. Without their support, this opportunity may not be possible.

My fundraising goal.

I am seeking your support as I take the last step in accomplishing my goal of preparing and participating in the world championship event. I need assistance as I continue to travel to training camps in Denver Colorado, the national tournament in Minneapolis, and continued team training in Lake Tahoe, NV from mid-June through the world tournament in July. I am looking to raise $4,000 to help pay for expenses that are not covered by my scholarship. These expenses include food, additional gear, Team USA uniforms, and other unanticipated expenses that I will incur on my travels. Please see a breakdown of my anticipated expenses below:

Gear and Uniform Estimate $800

Food 21 days $2,100

Unanticipated Expenses $1,100

Fundraising Goal $4,000

Your generosity and support will help me as I continue the journey to Brisbane, Australia. Connecting with each of you is important and as a result, I will be creating a blog and a Facebook page for people to follow along on my travels and experiences leading up to Australia, as well as experiences during and after this life-changing competition.

I am humbled by the support I’ve received up to this point and am grateful for your support and generosity as I pursue this life-long dream.

Thank you for your support and generosity,

Luke Bousley