Field Hockey Rules & Guidelines PDF

Field Hockey History of Hockey World History A crude form of the game was played in Egypt 4,000 years ago and in Ethiopia around 1,000BC, whilst an ancient form of the game was also played in Iran in around 2,000BC. Museums offer evidence that a form of the game was played by the Romans and...

Field Hockey History of Hockey World History A crude form of the game was played in Egypt 4,000 years ago and in Ethiopia around 1,000BC, whilst an ancient form of the game was also played in Iran in around 2,000BC. Museums offer evidence that a form of the game was played by the Romans and Greeks as well as by the Aztecs several centuries before Columbus arrived in the New World. The modern game of hockey emerged in England in the mid-18th century. The first hockey association was formed in the UK in 1876 and drew up the first formal set of rules. The Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) is the current international governing body for hockey and was finally formalized in 1982. Today, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) consists of five Continental Associations, 137 National Associations and is still growing. History of Hockey South Africa Men's’ Hockey among the unenfranchised was played as far back as 1948 mainly in the Kimberley and Port Elizabeth areas. In 1962, at an inaugural meeting of the Western Province Men's Hockey Union, a committee was formed to draw up a constitution and subsequently officials were elected. Currently the Governing body for field hockey in South Africa is the South African Hockey Association (SAHA). SAHA was established in 1992 which control and regulate both men’s and women’s teams. How the game is played The objective of a hockey game is to hit a ball into your opponent's goal using a stick. A point gets awarded to your team each time you play the ball inside the opponent's goal net. The winning team is the one with most goals at the end of the game. The ball is passed from teammate to teammate to move the ball towards the opponent’s goal post and can only be done using a hockey stick. The defending team must try to win possession of the ball using the stick as well. The only player allowed to touch the ball with their hands and feet are the goalkeepers when trying to defend a ball from going into the goal. Rules and Regulations There are 11 players in a hockey team. The team comprises 1 goalkeeper and 10 outfield players. Hockey rules UK allow a maximum of 5 substitutes in a match on the bench. Hockey has rolling substitutions which means players can go on the field again after they have been substituted off. A coin toss begins the match. Whoever wins the toss can either choose at which end they would like to defend first or if they would like to have possession of the ball first. Play begins with a pass from the center of the halfway line at the start of each half or following a goal. A match consists of 4 quarters of 15 minutes (2-min between quarters) and a halftime interval of 15 minutes. The ball is out of play when it passes completely over the side-line or back-line/base-line. Each team tries to score a goal in the opponent’s half, each goal only counts as one point as in soccer. Rules and Regulations (Continued) Hockey players can only hit the ball with the flat side of their stick. Hockey players (other than the goalkeeper) are not allowed to use their feet, or any other parts of the body, to control the ball at any time. A goal can only be scored either from a field goal, a penalty corner, or from a penalty stroke. A field goal is a goal scored from open play and can only be scored from inside the ‘striking circle’, in front of the opponent's goal. If the hockey ball is hit from outside the circle and goes into the goal, it does not count as a goal. In-field players are not allowed to raise their hockey stick above waist height or hit an opponents stick intentionally with theirs. Long corner: If the ball is unintentionally hit over the baseline by the defending team, the ball must be taken by the attacking player from the 25-yard line where the ball crossed over the baseline. Important skills needed to play field hockey 1. Passing The act of moving the ball from player to player with the hockey stick. Push Passes (short distances) The ball will start on your stick, you will take a step toward your target while pushing your stick forward and keeping the ball on your stick as long as possible. No hitting sound should be heard when doing this pass Drive pass (medium to long passes) This pass takes a back swing no higher than the middle of your chest, making contact with the ball on the down swing and following through with the stick pointing to the target. Sweep pass (long field passes) Create a back swing with the bottom edge of your stick still in contact with the ground. When you sweep your stick forward you will need to get low enough for your entire stick to be on the ground and shift your weight to your front foot. Important skills needed to play field hockey 2. Dribbling Moving with the ball in a desired direction with the guidance of the hockey stick Straight Dribble Ball never leaves your stick, allowing you to protect it from the grasp of your opponents. Loose Dribble Similar to the straight dribble but instead of keeping contact with the ball, you continually tap it forward while sprinting. This allows for quicker ball advancement up the field. Indian Dribble Push your ball flat to the left, rotate your stick again and push your ball flat to the right. To dribble, just keep pushing the ball to the left and right. Important skills needed to play field hockey 3. Elimination Skills 3D air dribble Refers to the act of lifting and manipulating the ball in the air with the aim of evading a tackle. Pop Hit the rolling ball into the ground at a 60-degree angle to cause the ball to pop over the opponent’s flat stick tackle. Jinks Rolling the ball in one direction to another, then using the momentum of the roll to lift the ball up on the stick and move i t up and over a tackle. Important skills needed to play field hockey 4. Shooting The way the ball is propelled with the aim of scoring a goal pass the goalkeeper. Drives A back swing no higher than the middle of your chest, making contact with the ball on the down swing and following through with the stick pointing to the goal, very powerful shot. Slap Shot Only a half backswing is used to lift the stick into the air. When you hit the ball, open the face of the stick a little to get some lift on the ball. For maximum power, contact the ball down near the neck of the stick. Flick Shot To perform the flick, one must be able to tilt the head of the stick at an angle to get slightly underneath the ball and then flick their wrist. The shot is not as powerful, but it is airborne. Push Pass shot The shot is taken without a backswing. As there is no backswing, the player can aim better, and this makes it an ideal shot if you’re looking to score a goal. As there is no backswing the shot relies on the player’s body strength to power the pass. Important skills needed to play field hockey 5. Trapping The skill used to slow down a ball to gain control in initiating a dribble or pass. Step 1 Get your stick down early, keeping it low to the ground with a nice firm but relaxed grip. Bend from the knees, not just the waist. Your hands should be approximately 30cms apart. The left hand should be near the top of the stick and the right hand further down. Step 2 Bend your knees and absorb the ball against your stick out in front of the right foot - it should feel as though you are allowing your stick to "give" a little on contact. Keeping your hands relaxed at the point of contact will help. Step 3 Your body should be in line with the ball as it approaches. You may need to angle your stick down to help control the ball. If the ball is bouncing, hold the stick in a more upright position. Hockey player infringements Hockey fouls or infringements occur if a player: Tries to hit the ball off another player on purpose or intends to cause harm to that player. Uses a body part with intent to assist in moving, or stopping, the ball. Hits the ball with the rounded side of their hockey stick. Raises their stick above waist height. Hits their stick off their opponent's stick to interfere with normal play. Players must not play the ball with any part of the stick when the ball is above shoulder height. Exception: players can use it at any height to stop or deflect a shot at goal or to stop an overhead pass. Penalty Corners Procedure: A maximum of five defending players (including the goalkeeper) line up behind the back line either inside the goal post or on the back line at least five meters from the ball (usually marked by a 5m line). All other players on the defending team must be behind the centre line. One attacking player places themselves on the back line, with the ball in the circle at least 10 meters from the nearest goal post (also marked by a 10m line) on either side of the goal. The remainder of the attacking team players place themselves on the field outside of the shooting circle. All players other than the attacking player on the back line must not have any part of their body or stick touch the ground inside the circle or over the centre line until the ball is in play. The attacking player on the back line is allowed one foot within the circle, but the other foot must remain behind the back line The attacking player on the back line pushes the ball into play. The players may then enter the shooting circle or cross the centre line. Before a shot at goal can be taken, the ball must first travel outside the circle. In a typical penalty corner, the attacking player on the back line will push the ball to a player at the top of the circle who will stop the ball just outside the circle. Another player will take the stopped ball and push or drag it back into the circle before attempting to shoot at goal. Penalty Corner Demonstration Infringements leading to a penalty corner A penalty corner is awarded: a) For an offence by a defender in the circle which does not prevent the probable scoring of a goal (doesn’t prevent a clear-cut opportunity to score). b) For an intentional offence in the circle by a defender against an opponent who does not have possession of the ball or an opportunity to play the ball. c) For an intentional offence by a defender outside the circle but within the 25-yard area they are defending. d) For intentionally playing the ball over the back-line by a defender. e) When the ball becomes lodged in a player’s clothing or equipment while in the circle they are defending. f) When the ball touches the defending team’s feet in the circle, they are defending in. Penalty Stroke Procedure: The penalty stroke is between any chosen attacking player and the defensive goalkeeper. The penalty stroke is taken from the penalty spot which is 6.4 metres (7.0 yards) directly in front of the centre of the goal. Before the penalty stroke is taken, the goalkeeper must be standing with both feet on the goal line and the attacker within playing distance of the ball. When the umpire blows the whistle, the attacker may play the ball at goal using a "push, flick or scoop" motion. The attacking player must not feint (pretend to hit) and can only play the ball once (there is no rebound). The goalkeeper is not permitted to move their feet until the ball is played. A goal is scored if the ball completely crosses the line. Otherwise, play resumes with a defensive 15 m free-hit. Any infringement by an attacking player during the stroke concludes in a 15 m free-hit, an infringement by a defensive player may result in the penalty stroke being retaken if a goal has not been scored. Penalty Stroke Demonstration Infringements leading to a penalty stroke A penalty stroke is awarded: a) For an offence by a defender in the circle which prevents the probable scoring of a goal (prevents a clear-cut scoring chance). b) For an intentional offence in the circle by a defender against an opponent who has possession of the ball or an opportunity to play the ball. Free Hit Procedure: A free hit is awarded to the opposing team when a foul occurs on the field and must be taken near the spot where the violation occurred. A special kind of free hit is given to a defending team called the 16-yard hit. When the attacking team fouls the defending team while in the defending teams goal circle or if the ball comes off an attacking player last before going over the defending teams goal line. A free hit, which is not a ‘self-pass’, requires the ball to move at least one meter before it can be played by a teammate. All other players must be at least 5 yards from the hit. The free hit should not be penalized when the ball lifts slightly off the ground if the intention to play along the ground is clear and the hit itself is not dangerous and/or does not lead to dangerous play. Infringements leading to a free hit A free hit is awarded: a) For an offence by any player between the 25-yard areas. b) For an offence by an attacker within the 25-yard area their opponents are defending, c) For an unintentional offence by a defender outside the circle but within the 25-yard area they are defending. d) A 16-yard hit is given when the offensive team described above commits an offence in the defenders shooting circle or they are the last to touch the ball that goes over the defending teams goal line. A free hit for the offensive team just outside or within the attacking 25-yard area must be moved at least 5 metres before it can enter the shooting circle. Personal penalties awarded for infringements Green card: Player is warned and temporarily suspended for 2 minutes of playing time. Yellow card: Player is temporarily suspended for a minimum of 5 -10 minutes of playing time. Red card: Player is permanently suspended from the current match. Temporarily suspended players (green and yellow card) must remain in a designated place until permitted by the umpire who suspended them to resume play. Permanently suspended players (red card) must leave the field and its surrounding area. For the duration of each temporary green and yellow card suspension of a player on or off the field, the offending team plays with one fewer player. For each permanent suspension, the offending team plays for the remainder of the match with one fewer player. Playing Field Dimensions and Layout Playing Field Dimensions and Layout Field hockey pitch dimensions are 100 yards long (side-line) and 60 yards wide (endline or baseline). In the metric system it is (91.4m x 55m). The field has three lines running across the width (two 25-yard lines and a half-way line). The 25- yard lines are also called 23 metre lines in the metric system. There is a goal, measuring 4 yards wide in the middle of each end line. The end line that lies within the posts is known as the goal line. A 16-yard line marks the goal shooting semi-circle area section. Penalty spots 150 mm in diameter are marked 7 yards from the goal line. Playing Positions and Structure General positions are proposed in hockey but may change with the formations. Generally, hockey teams follow a basic formation strategy similar to the sport of soccer, wherein players play in strategic formations, such as 4-3-3 or 3-3-4. In these formations, the first line is made up of the attackers, the second line of the midfielders, and the third line has the defenders. Lastly, the goal-keeper is positioned behind the defenders in the circle. Playing Positions and Structure ATTACKERS: Three players play in the attacking position: the right wing, center forward, and the left wing. Their main responsibility is to convert the opportunities created by fellow players into goals. MIDFIELDERS: Generally, teams' field three players in this position: the right mid, center mid, and the left mid. Midfielders known as links have the job of playing both offense and defense, so they are running back up and down the field going back and forth between offense and defense. These positions require great stamina, as they are expected to support the attackers during the team's attack and fall back to support the defenders during the team's defense. DEFENDERS: Most of the teams prefer fielding four players in the defense line: the right half, centre half, and the left half. Primary responsibility of the defense is to ensure that the opposition team can't create any scoring opportunities for their attackers. Officials in hockey A field hockey umpire is the person with the authority to make decisions on the pitch. He/she should do so under the laws of the game. There should be two umpires in a hockey match. They are responsible for decisions taken on their respective half of the field, but practically they control on either diagonal half of the field. A reserve umpire also gets appointed in many higher-level events. Appointed in addition to the two field umpires to act as a back-up in the event of injury or other issue preventing a field umpire from commencing or continuing a match. A video umpire is also appointed besides the field and reserve umpires for international competitions. These umpires relook at difficult situations on a replayed video footage to make better game changing decisions. Attire worn in hockey Each team has their own specific kit that doesn’t clash with opponents colours. Field hockey players typically wear loose fitting shorts or skirts for mobility and sleeveless vest are the standard attire Players are numbered from 1 – 16, however as in soccer, players opt for numbers of personal preference as long as no other player has the same number. Players use cleats, with long rubber studs on the bottom of the shoe. Cleats allow for good torque and grip when accelerating, decelerating and changing direction. Players use protective shin guards to prevent any injuries to the lower leg from either the ball or an opponents stick. Long toweled socks are used to cover the shin guards up to the knee. These socks should also prevent blisters from occurring due to constant changes of direction. Attire worn in hockey Equipment used in hockey Field hockey stick Each player carries a "stick" that normally measures between 80 and 95 cm. Was made of wood but, are now often made with fiberglass, Kevlar or carbon fiber composites. The stick has a rounded handle, has a J-shaped hook at the bottom. The stick is flattened on the left side (when looking down the handle with the hook facing upwards). All sticks must be right- handed; left-handed ones are prohibited. Equipment used in hockey Field hockey ball A standard field hockey balls are hard spherical balls, made of solid plastic (sometimes over a cork core). usually white, although they can be any colour as long as they contrast with the playing surface. The balls have a diameter of 71.3–74.8 mm (2.81–2.94 in) and a mass of 156–163 g (5.5–5.7 oz). The ball is often covered with indentations to reduce aquaplaning that can cause an inconsistent ball speed on wet surfaces. Equipment used in hockey Goalkeeper equipment A fully equipped goalkeeper must wear a helmet, leg guards and kickers (padded boots), and like all players, they must carry a stick. Goalkeepers may use either a field player's stick or a specialised goalkeeping stick provided always the stick is of legal dimensions. Usually, field hockey goalkeepers also wear extensive additional protective equipment including chest guards, padded shorts, heavily padded hand protectors, groin protectors, neck protectors and arm guards.