Perhaps the most important position in field hockey is that of the goalkeeper. Sometimes the goalie is the only thing between the ball and the goal. Being in the direct line of fire necessitates more equipment and protection than other positions in field hockey.

Step 1:
Dress properly in goalie gear so that you won’t get hurt.

Step 2:
Maintain a good, ready stance in front of the goal: keep your feet together, knees bent, head up, and weight on the balls of your feet so you can easily change direction. Keep your left hand open and your right hand on your stick.

Step 3:
Be careful with your foot placement when you move back and forth in front of the goal so that the ball won’t enter the goal through your legs. Move one leg to the side with a short step and follow quickly with the other. Keep your body facing the field and your attackers so you don’t turn your back on the action.

Step 4:
Stand approximately three meters out from the goal when you’re meeting an attacker. This closes the angle of attack. Sometimes from here, the goalie can actually interfere with the shooter’s line of vision to the goal. By standing out from the goal a little bit, the goalie increases the area of shots she can defend.

Step 5:
Remember that your lower legs and feet will block most shots. To do this, bring your legs together in front of the ball. Let the ball drop in front of you and kick it out of the goal area. Try to kick it to the side of the field so your opponents don’t get another shot.

Step 6:
Use your stick to steal loose balls from attackers and then pass them to one of your team-mates. Use your hand to stop shots above your waist and get the ball to your feet so you can clear it out of the goal area.

When executed with strength, precision and good form, the field hockey flick shot is a formidable weapon for getting by a defender, scoring or passing in a competitive field hockey game. With a few simple steps, you’ll be flicking your way toward victory.

Step 1:
Take a moment to determine whether the flick shot is the best tactic at the time for moving the ball. Are there no direct lines of passing on the ground? Are you heading toward a goalie who’s positioned low?

Step 2:
Whether you’re standing still on the sidelines after a call was made in your team’s favour or in motion heading toward the goal, position yourself so that the foot opposite your strong arm is in front and the shoulder opposite your strong arm is rotated inward so that it points ahead.

Step 3:
Bend your knees and wedge your stick under the ball so that your stick is at about a 45 degree angle. Goal shots can arc higher while flicked passes must remain low. Vary the angle depending on how much arc the referee will allow and how low your opponent’s stick is on the ground.

Step 4:
Gain forward momentum by shifting your weight from the back leg to the front leg. Rotate your shoulders as you shift your weight so that eventually the shoulder in back comes around.

Step 5:
Keep your strong hand low on the field hockey stick as you come forward through your hips. This low hand placement will give you precision which is crucial in performing an accurate flick that will not be called reckless and consequently penalized by the referee (if directed at another player above her knee).

Step 6:
Flick in a smooth, quick motion. Follow through with your stick facing down and pointing toward the target. If you have performed the flick well, your wrists will have flipped over. The faster you can shift your weight and rotate your wrists, the faster and harder your flick will move the ball.

Moving the ball in field hockey is fundamental. Passing to a team-mate is always helpful, but when your passing lanes are shut or you have room on the field, dribble. Dribbling is moving the ball with your stick while running. The goal is to out-manoeuvre your opponent and maintain possession of the ball.

Step 1:
Dribble straight when you have open space without opponents to move in. Keep an open stance when you have more room. The farther out from your feet the ball is, the faster you can run. This does not, however, work well with opponents right in front of you.

Step 2:
If you find you need to change the direction you are dribbling the ball. To turn the stick over and maintain control, keep your right hand as a loose guide and twist your left hand towards the left, if you are having difficulty keeping your left hand loose and not turning it try sliding a cylindrical object e.g. a toilet roll down your stick and gripping that while you twist your stick, making sure that your left elbow is pointed out to your left hand side not tucked up towards your chest.

Step 3:
Keep your hands well apart on the stick - but if you get them too far apart, you will have to bend over too far and won’t be able to watch where you’re going.

Step 4:
Try to keep your back straight and head up with your weight balanced over both feet to enable sudden direction changes.

Step 5:
Cradle the ball in the hook of your stick, moving it where you want it to go while advancing up the field.

Hitting enables a stronger faster paced pass which is ideal for use from a free hit situation or shot on goal, it is also used for a longer pass to another player, all of which makes it extremely important to gain control and accuracy, as these are all high pressure situations.

Step 1:
Remember that you must only hit the ball with the flat face of your stick. The stick’s hook has a flat edge and a rounded edge. When you hold the stick in a regular fashion the flat edge will face to your left.

Step 2:
Practice holding your stick by shaking hands with it. Your left hand will be at the top end; make an inverted “V” shape on the handle with your thumb and forefinger. Place your right hand halfway down the stick toward the hook keeping your palm against the back of the stick.

Step 3:
Practice hitting the ball slowly at first, concentrating on the motion and hand placement. Your left hand will control the stick, and your right hand will give power and steadiness to the stroke, the swing of your stick should not be much higher than knee height.

Step 4:
Maintain a light grip, with your head up and knees bent for balance. Hitting the ball is simply a transfer of your body weight from one foot to the other with a snap of your wrist at the end.

Step 5:
Vary this basic hit just a little bit in order to clear the ball a long way Upfield. Close the distance between your hands on the stick and point your left shoulder in the direction of the stroke.

Step 6:
Reverse your stick if you need to hit the ball to your right, so that the hook is facing you and the flat edge of the stick is facing right. Practice turning your stick and hitting in the reverse direction often - it will make this shot less clumsy.

The whole game of field hockey often comes down to one team moving the ball better than the other. Being able to pass and hit the ball are necessary skills. But another option for ball movement is pushing the ball. This keeps the face of the stick against the ball for ultimate control which helps to avoid interception.

Step 1:
keep your knees slightly bent with your body facing the ball.

Step 2:
Remember that pushing is used instead of hitting, so keep the face of your stick against the ball. Tapping the ball can risk interception.

Step 3:
Make a forward push with your right hand while your left moves slightly in the opposite direction, like pushing a broom. It is this movement in opposite directions that gives the push its force to move the ball in the direction you choose.

Step 4:
Point your left foot and left shoulder in the direction you want the ball to go.

Step 5:
Shift your weight from your right rear foot to your left front foot, keeping the stick on the ball, and it will start to move. Be careful not to bend too far over at the waist so you don’t lose sight of where you’re moving.

Tackling, or intercepting, is the goal of defence in field hockey. Once you lose possession of the ball, tackling is the way you’re going to get it back. It puts pressure on your opponent and allows you to take the ball from them.

Step 1:
Know that tackling is done by aiming your stick at the ball when your opponent’s stick is not on the ball. A good time would be when your opponent is in the middle of dribbling or passing. It’s a penalty to hit your opponent or their stick.

Step 2:
Try the straight-on tackle - it’s more like a block. Be in an open stance facing the attacker, put your stick in the way of the ball and capture it on the hook of your stick while the attacker goes by. You take the ball right out from under them.

Step 3:
Practice lunging - it’s a form of tackling used when you are far enough ahead of the dribbler to have time to position yourself. Go to the right side of the attacker. With your stick, reach in the area in front of your attacker’s stick where the ball is being played and knock it out without interfering with her stick.

Step 4:
Remember that jab tackling can be done with only one hand - your left - on the stick, which will allow for more mobility. This also requires that you be able to control the stick with only one hand! You can practice this so that it feels comfortable. Also think about keeping your stick lower to cover a possible change in the ball’s direction.

 Step 5:
Keep in mind that success in tackling depends on the quickness of the thrust of your stick, not the speed of your body. Don’t charge full steam into your opponent - she can easily move to the side, and you’ll miss.

Step 6:
Take short steps when moving into your opponent, and be ready to move to either side so you can reposition yourself as the situation changes. Let your opponent be the one to commit to a direction first and then you can follow.

Defence - MarkingThe heart of defence in field hockey is guarding your opponents and keeping the ball from them. Field hockey uses a blend of marking, which is like man-to-man defence, and covering, which is like zone defence. They often flow easily from one to the other.

Step 1:
Pick the opponent you are going to guard and move to the space where she goes.

Step 2:
Stand between your opponent and the goal in a spot that gives the most room for you to tackle, or intercept, the ball. Try to be goal side, which is between your opponent and the goal, keeping the player stick side.

Step 3:
Watch the ball, not your attacker. You’ll be less susceptible to falling for movement designed to distract you so she can move toward the goal.

Step 4:
Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. The more balanced you are, the faster you’ll be able to respond to your opponent’s changes in direction.

Step 5:
Be careful of using fake moves to distract your opponent; you may end up missing the play. Be patient and watch where the ball is going. When you have an opportunity, try to steal the ball or intercept a pass.

Step 6:
Use zone defence when you are not marking a specific player or if you have more than one to mark. Cover the space to the side and rear of your team-mate so, if the attacker beats her, the marker, you become the marker until your team-mate recovers. Think of it as a rotation.

In the 2009 rulebook, the free hit rule has been re-worded. It now incorporates two variations on the old rule: the option to ‘auto’ or ‘self’ pass and the restriction when hitting the ball directly into the circle from the attacking 23 metre area.Outlined below is the actual wording issued by FIH. Under each part of the rule, there is a guide to umpires and a brief commentary to provide some clarity. Please feel free to contact me (027 2211 492 - Craig Gribble) if there are any aspects that require further explanation.Note: In all cases below, when the term ‘free hit’ is used, the rule will also apply to side-line hit ins and long corners inside the attacking 23 metre area. Note also that the ‘auto pass’ can be used to start the game, or to re-start after a goal has been scored.

13.1 Location of a free hit:a a free hit is taken close to where the offence occurred‘Close to’ means within playing distance of where the offence occurred and with no significant advantage gained. The location from which a free hit is taken must be more precise inside the 23 metre area. Commentary and guidelines: Around the field, the placement of the free hit has become more liberal. In particular when a team takes a free hit back from where the infringement occurred, a 10 – 20 metre tolerance may be appropriate. Clearly when the ball is taken ahead of the spot, then maybe a 5 metre tolerance is acceptable. Inside the attacking 23 metre area, free hits (and auto passes) need to be managed more closely.b a free hit awarded within 5 metres of the circle to the attack is taken at the nearest point 5 metres from the circle

Commentary and guidelines: Most turfs have the dotted line marked 5 metres from the circle edge. No attacking free hit (or auto pass) is allowed within this line and the circle edge. Instead, the ball needs to be taken directly back and outside the dotted 5 m line.c a free hit awarded outside the circle to the defence within 15 metres of the back-line is taken up to 15 metres from the back-line in line with the location of the offence, parallel to the side-line.Commentary and guidelines: Using old terminology – “Take it up to the 16″d a free hit awarded inside the circle to the defence is taken anywhere inside the circle or up to 15 metres from the back-line in line with the location of the offence, parallel to the side-line.

Commentary and guidelines: If a free hit is awarded inside the circle, it can be taken anywhere from inside the circle (or straight up to “the 16″).13.2 Procedures for taking a free hit, centre pass and putting the ball back into play after it has been outside the field:a the ball must be stationaryCommentary and guidelines: In many cases the ball will not be stationary. However, it needs to be made clear that the free hit (or auto pass) has been taken.

b opponents must be at least 5 metres from the ballIf an opponent is within 5 metres of the ball, they must not interfere with the taking of the free hit or must not play or attempt to play the ball. If this player is not playing the ball, attempting to play the ball or influencing play, the free hit need not be delayed. Commentary and guidelines: Allow play to carry on in the spirit of open, flowing hockey. Deal with players who interfere deliberately under misconduct. However, if a player chooses to ‘auto pass’ then they should not be permitted to try and manufacture a foul by running at the opposition who may not have finished retreating 5 metres. The ‘auto pass’ rule is intended to speed up the taking of free hits – not to create an opportunity for a manufactured foul.c when a free hit is awarded to the attack within the 23 metres area, all players other than the player taking the free hit must be at least 5 metres from the ball Commentary and guidelines: Self-explanatoryd the ball is moved using a push or hitCommentary and guidelines: Self-explanatorye the ball must not be raised intentionally directly from the free hit

Commentary and guidelines: Self-explanatory f if the player taking the free hit is the next player to play the ball, the actions of taking the free hit and of next playing the ball must be two separate actionsCommentary and guidelines: This rule describes the ‘auto pass.’ It means that the auto pass needs to show clearly that the free hit (to ones self) has been taken. Therefore a player should attempt to make the ball stationary and pass to himself or herself, before say dribbling down the field with the ball. The temptation might be for players to carry on when the whistle goes without formally auto passing. This rule requires them to make the auto pass and their next action, two separate events.g before another player of the team which took the free hit is allowed to play the ball, the ball must move at least 1 metre The ball does not have to move 1 metre before the player taking the free hit may play the ball again.Commentary and guidelines: The movement of the ball one metre to a player of the same team (conventional pass) is now an established rule. However, it too has been liberalised. The movement of the ball one meter at a free hit allows for opposition players to compete for the ball more safely when contesting the ball at an overhead pass situation. However, note that when a player does an ‘auto pass,’ then the ball does not need to move one metre.h from a free hit awarded to the attack within the 23 metres area, the ball must not be played into the circle until it has traveled at least 5 metres or has been touched by a player of either team other than the player taking the free hit.Commentary and guidelines: Under no circumstances may a player play the ball directly into the circle from a free hit (or auto pass) within the attacking 23 metre area. The ball must first have traveled (moved) 5 metres (conventional or auto pass) or be touched by another player of either team.

To be Advised

Season start Term 2 Week 1.