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Field Hockey is a very interesting Game. Objective Teams of eleven players compete to score the most goals.
Layout The field is 91.4m by 60m, with white lines dividing the field into four quarters. There are two goals, each in the centre of a semicircle in the far quarters. At the start of the game, each team begins on their own side of the field, and sides are swapped at halftime. The long sides of the field are referred to as sidelines. The short sides, on which the goals are located, are called backlines. Description The eleven players in a team, ten field players and one goalie, begin the game on their side of the field. Field players use the flat side of their sticks to move the ball up the field and attempt to score a goal. Hockey sticks are mostly straight with a curve on the end that contacts the ground. Players are only permitted to touch the ball with the flat area of the stick. All sticks are right-handed for safety reasons during a tackle. It is the Goal Keeper’s job to protect the goal. A goal keeper must wear a helmet, ‘kickers’ on their feet and leg guards. Many also wear additional equipment such as padded shorts, hand protectors, chest guards, neck guards etc. Goal keepers may also use any part of their body to prevent the ball from entering the goal. Rules The ball is not allowed to touch a player’s body or leave the boundary of the field. Tackles are allowed if the tackler doesn’t touch the player or their stick before touching the ball. If the ball touches a player’s feet, but the player gains no advantage, the penalty may be postponed or ignored. If the ball crosses a sideline, the free hit is awarded to the team that was not last to touch the ball. If the ball crosses the backline off the stick of an attacker, the defending team may take a free shot from the 15m mark. If the ball crosses the backline after a defender last touched it, then a Long Corner is awarded to the attacking team, which take a free hit 5m from the corner closest to where the ball crossed the backline. A Short Corner is more complex, and occurs when the defending team commit an offence within their goal circle, or if the defenders pass the ball over the backline within the circle. At the start of the Short Corner only the goal keeper and 4 other defenders are permitted to start within the goal. All other defenders must be at the half-way line on the field. Attackers can start anywhere outside the circle, except for one who pushes or hits the ball into the corner from 10m on one side of the goal. Strategy, Tips and Tricks Keeping possession of the ball is often the key to winning a game, whether it is the individual or pairs keeping possession. Good Tackling is also important. Last update : 13-12-2007 18:51
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