HOCKEY

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

Hockey as a game has a very long history and even dates back to the days of the early Greek history. During this early time the game was played with hooked sticks. The game was brought to England after it was seen in France. Then it became known as hockey in England. Following the development of ice hockey, the name was changed to hockey or field hockey. Originally, the game was played by men only, but in 1887 women joined in playing the game.

Field hockey must have been introduced into Nigeria through our colonial contact with Britain. Today, the game of hockey is among the popular sports in Nigeria played at national, state, and school levels. Nigerian teams have always taken part in international competitions.

THE GAME

Hockey is a game played by eleven players on each side and they occupy playing positions on the field similar to the football field. Hence, there are five forwards, three mid-fielders, two full backs, and one goal keeper. The purpose of the game is to move the hockey ball into the opponents’ goal from the proper striking area. Usually the game is started from the centre with a bully. The team that scores more goals wins the game.

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

Basic hockey facilities and equipment include the field, the stick, the ball, and pads.

The Field of Play (Hockey Field)

The hockey field is similar to the football field, and is rectangular in shape. It is 91 m long and between 55 – 60 m wide. It is divided into two equal halves. The width forms the goal line while the length forms the side-line. All other markings on the hockey field are shown in the diagram below.

1) THE STICK

The hockey stick is made up of the shaft and the blade. The part of the shaft nearer to the blade is the splice, the curved portion of the blade is referred to as the heel, while the curved section of the stick is known as the toe.

2) THE BALL 

The hockey ball has the size of a tennis ball but is made of cork and string covered with leather. It weighs between 156g and 163g and has a circumference of between 22.2 cm and 23.5 cm.

3) THE PADS

Pads are used by players to protect themselves – then legs with shin guards. Goal keepers also use pads to cover themselves from the thigh downwards. All players wear special hockey shoes which resemble football boots.

STARTING THE GAME

The game is started when all players have taken their positions in their sides of the field. To start the game, two centre-forward players from each side come together to bully the ball into play. A normal game is played for 70 minutes divided into two equal halves of 35 minutes each, with an interval ranging from 5 – 10 minutes. All players dress like footballers.

OUTLINE OF THE BASIC SKILLS IN HOCKEY

1. Gripping or Holding the Stick: To hold or grip the stick, place it on the ground in front of you with the left hand. (The learner grips the top of the stick as if in a handshake). Spread the fingers round it and place the right hand below the left 5.1 – 10.2 cm away; the flat face of the stick should face forward.
2. Roll-in: This is the act of putting the ball into play when it goes out of the field of play or out of bounds. The ball is rolled in or thrown in from behind the side line.
3. Bully: The bully is the means of putting the ball into play. Two players come beside the ball, tap the ground with the stick, and each taps his opponents’ stick three times before tapping the ball.
4. The Dribble: Dribbling is a means of carrying on with the ball during play to free oneself in order to make a pass or to shoot. During a dribble, the ball is always in front. Keep the head over the ball while maintaining a view of direction of movement. As the ball is tapped in different directions, the player can change his direction of movement.
5. Fielding the Ball: This is the act of stopping or catching the ball with the stick. The hockey ball is fielded in the same way that goalkeepers catch ground-balls in soccer. The ball is fielded by firmly placing the curved surface on the side of the ball.
6. Dodges: A dodge is the act of pulling the ball away from the opponent and changing direction in order to avoid an opponent. The player can dodge to the left or to any other preferred direction, and tap the ball as he moves.
7. Tackling: Tackling is the means of dispossessing the opponent of the ball. To execute a tackle, you should advance or moveforwardwithyourstickandplaceitverticallyonthepathoftheball.Ils movement should be well timed so that the ball will roll onto the stick, thereby obstructing its movement.
8. The Drive: The drive is the act of hitting hard on the ball with the stick to make it travel a long distance in the field of play. This is executed with a good swing of the stick sideways and a strong hitting of the ball.
9. The Push Pass: The push pass is a short pass used to get the ball across to a team-mate at a short distance. It is also useful in cases when there is no time to execute a back swing. To execute the push pass, place the blade of the stick beside the ball, push, and straighten the arm.
10. The Flick: The flick and push pass are similar. In the flick, the stick is rotated anti-clockwise as the ball is lifted from the ground with a snapping of the wrist. The flick pass is useful for making a pass to a guided team-mate.
11. The Scoop: The scoop is a stroke used to make a pass or to take a shot at the goal. It can also be used to execute a dodge. As the ball is on the ground, lower the hand with the face of the blade facing upandlet the toeof the blade be under the ball. From this position lift the hand upward and forward. In order to improve on these skills, the learner or player should regularly practise the various activities.

SUMMARY OF THE RULES OF THE GAME

1. Substitution: Each team is allowed to make two substitutes when the game is in progress.
2. Captains: Each team should appoint a captain who will toss for the start of the game and signal to the officials (umpires) for a substitute to be brought into the game.
3. Umpires: For a game, there shall be two umpires who conduct the game. Also, there should be a timekeeper.
4. The Goal: The goal is located on each half of the field and is marked by 2.13 m tall posts which are 3.66 m apart and joined by a cross-bar. Both the goal posts and the crossbar are rectangular in shape.
5. The Shooting Circle: A shooting circle is marked out in front of each goal. The shooting circle is 14.63 m from the goal-line and parallel to it. It is indicated by a line 3.66 m and 7.6 cm wide, which is extended to meet the goal-line.
6. Scoring a Goal: A goal is scored when the ball is hit from within the shooting area and crosses the goal-line between the posts and below the crossbar.
7. Off-Side: A player is offside if he is nearer to the opponents’ goal-line than the ball at the time it is hit. For being offside, the opposing team is awarded a free hit which is like a free kick in soccer.
8. Penalty Corner: A penalty corner is a short corner taken on the goal line at a point 9.14 m from the goal posts. During the penalty corner, all players are to be abou: 4.57 m away from the ball.
9. Penalty Stroke: A penalty stroke is taken at a spot 6.4 m from the goalline. The penalty stroke is determined by the umpire based on the infringement of the rules by the offending player.
10. Ball is Out of Play: The ball is out of play when it crosses the goal-line outside the posts or when it crosses the sidelines. In the event of the ball going out of the field of play, a free hit is taken from the spot where it occurred.