People often mistake Ice Hockey and Field Hockey as the same game with the only difference being the surface that the game is played on. But they are in fact different games that come with different sets of rules. Sportycious has already described Ice Hockey and the National Hockey League, and now it’s time to learn all about Field Hockey.
History of Field Hockey
The game of Field Hockey is also part of the field hockey family, just like Ice Hockey, but is played in a completely different way. Field Hockey’s roots are in Scotland and the Netherlands. Field Hockey’s supreme governing body is the International Hockey Federation or IHF. Field Hockey is also known as Grass Hockey or simply “field hockey.” A field field hockey team consists of 11 players and can be played both indoors and outdoors. Various equipment are required to play Field Hockey, such as field hockey sticks, a field hockey ball, shin guards, mouth guards, specially made helmets and much more.
Rules of playing field field hockey
The game of field hockey is played on a grass field or turf. There are two teams and each team plays with 11 players. Players use a wooden field hockey stick to pass the ball to their teammates in order to score a goal. A player scores a goal directly by placing the ball inside the goal post or by taking advantage of a corner, penalty stroke or penalty corner awarded by the referee when necessary.
The popularity of field field hockey
Field hockey is the national sport of Pakistan. The game of field field hockey has become very popular in all parts of Western Europe and the Indian subcontinent. Although it is not official, Hockey has become so popular in India that people have come to know it as the national game of India. The game is also popular in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Korea, Malaysia and Argentina. The name “Field Hockey” actually originated in the US and Canada, where ice hockey is much more popular.
After learning all about Field Hockey and the equipment used to play the game, now it’s time to learn some amazing facts about Field Hockey.
Some amazing facts about Field Hockey
- The modern game grew out of Scotland in the early 19th century.
- The original name of Field Hockey is “Shinty.”
- Ice Hockey is the most popular sport in Canada, but most Canadians know nothing about Field Hockey.
- Field Hockey can be played both indoors and outdoors. In Field Hockey, each team has 10 players plus a goalie, while in Indoor Hockey, each team has 4 players plus a goalie.
- Players can be substituted any number of times and at any time during the game.
- Only right-handed field hockey sticks are used in the game. Left-handed field hockey sticks are not allowed.
- There are two referees conducting the game on the field hockey field.
- When a player is blocked, intentionally or unintentionally, it is called obstruction.
- A hit that has passed inside the goal post from outside the 16-yard semicircle does not count as a goal.
- Unlike soccer, there is no Off-Side rule in Field Hockey.
- To be considered an official field field hockey game, it must be played on an FIH-approved turf, which can be grass, astroturf or water turf.
- There is only one water turf in the world, which is available at the Cassie Campbell Community Center in the city of Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
- There are more field field hockey players in college than in any other sport in the world.
- In 2012 at the London Olympics, Field Hockey was the 3rd most watched sport.
- Field Hockey has the fastest swing speed, even more than golf and baseball.
- Field Hockey is played by more than 3, 000, 000 players spread over 100 countries and 5 continents.
- There are three different ways to score points in Field Hockey – goal, penalty corner and penalty stroke.
- Along with soccer and cricket, Field Hockey is the third most watched sport in the world.
- Field Hockey is an Olympic sport. It is also played in other tournaments and major sporting events.
- Major Field Hockey tournaments are the FIH Hockey World Cup, the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games, the Champions Trophy and the Sultan Azlan shah Trophy.
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