Field Hockey


Background
Field hockey is the second largest team sport in the world and is played in over 100 countries.  In most countries it is known simply as ‘hockey’, and it is only in North America that the “Field” is added to distinguish it from ice hockey.  The sport goes back to Greek times and was made popular in the late 1800s when it was taken from the UK to Pakistan, India, and then world-wide.  The curved stick has one flat side to play the ball; left and right handed players play with the same flat side.  Field hockey uses every fitness component - strength, speed, endurance, mobility, and flexibility.  It is one of the fastest games in the world.

Competition at the Games
Field hockey players at the Under 14 age level will be competing at the 2010 BC Summer Games.  This age level helps athletes prepare for and complements the Under 16 Provincial developmental teams, leading to Under 18 Nationals, and the Junior World Cup.  It is important to identify talent early, to encourage players to develop better skills and to stay involved in field hockey.  The BC Summer Games allows athletes to compete against other zones in an intense, multi-sport environment, and at the same time enjoy the social aspect of sport. 

The BC Summer Games allows coaches to identify athletes who work well under pressure.  It also develops, through team training, skill and tactical development and the opportunity to compete using proper technical protocol for field hockey tournaments.

At the 2010 BC Summer Games, the field hockey tournament will be played on artificial field turf for the second time in Games history.  At the international level, all field hockey games are played on water based artificial turf.

How to Watch Field Hockey
Field hockey is a sport played with two teams of 11 players.  Teams may have up to five substitutes on the bench and can rotate their players in and out of the game in an unlimited fashion.  The field is 100 yards long and 60 yards wide, and has a scoring circle at either end of the field.  The scoring circle is actually a semi circle that extends 16 yards from the middle of the net and is also called the “D” due to its shape.

Players use a stick to control the ball, and attempt to score more goals than the other team.  There are a few important rules to watch for – players must only use the flat side of their stick to play the ball, players may not play the ball with any part of their body, and goals can only be scored from inside the scoring circle.  Notably, goalkeepers wear high density foam padding and a helmet, and are permitted to play the ball with their body or the flat side of their stick as long as they are inside the scoring circle.  If a foul occurs anywhere on the field the umpire will blow their whistle and the team who did NOT cause the foul will get a free hit.  In this situation, all players on the offending team move at least five metres from the player taking the free hit.  The player taking the free hit may pass the ball to another player on her team, or may start dribbling the ball to start the play.

If the defending team commits a foul inside the scoring circle, the attacking team is awarded a penalty corner.  In this case, the attacking team plays the ball from the end line to the top of the circle, and then takes a shot on goal.  The defending team starts with five players (including the GK) behind the end line, and may run out to defend the shot once the attacking team passes the ball to the top of the circle.  The rest of the defending team’s players must start at the centre line and then run back to help defend, while the attacking team can have as many players as they want around the outside of the scoring circle.

There is no offside in field hockey so the game is a fast-paced, wide open, and exciting sport to watch!

For more info on Field Hockey - Girls, contact Field Hockey BC at www.fieldhockeybc.com or (604) 737-3046.