Pembroke County Hockey Club

Introduction To field Hockey

Field Hockey is a stick and ball game with origins dating back to the 19th centuary. It is traditionally played on grass, but more often these days - especially at the top levels and in certain countries - hockey is played on synthetic surfaces.

Hockey teams are made up of f 11 players 1 of which must be a goalkeeper or a kicking back, there are the 10 outfield players who take up similar positions to football players with defenders, midfielders and forwards.

Matches are played with 11 players on each side on the pitch but a hockey squad can be 16 players as hockey allows you to have rolling substitutions.

Here is a breakdown of suggested attributes for each position.

Goalkeepers

The goalkeeper is arguably the most important position on the hockey field! A good goalkeeper can win you games. It is therefore paramount that goalkeepers get the attention and time they deserve at training sessions.

The goalkeeper is responsible for the defensive circle and a strong goalkeeper will often take a
leadership role on defence.

Key attributes of a good goalkeeper:

• Fast and agile
• Proficient with both the left and right foot
• Ability to judge and close down shooting angles
• Ability to make aerial saves with the glove (left) and stick (right)
• Ability to go down correctly at defensive PC’s and / or remain standing depending on circumstances
(hit / flick)
• Good communicator and organiser of the defence

Main requirements of the position:

• To save straight shots at goal
• To clear the ball wide of the goal
• To organise the defence so that the attacking team’s ability to score is minimised
• To communicate with other defenders

Please see the video below: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-IHsh8BeD8&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL76DC309B34FA114E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqQf8EWnFec&feature=related

Defenders.

Right Half, Left Half, Right Back, Left Back

The primary role for the back four is defensive. They must work as a unit and ensure that the opposition has limited opportunities to score.

Key attributes of a good defender:

• Fast and agile (ability to turn and get back quickly, or move up on a player)
• Strong basic skills, particularly trapping, passing, tackling
• Ability to channel opposition attack away from the danger zone
• Understanding of both man to man and zonal defence, and ability to correctly decide which
approach to use
• Vision – understanding of where other players are, and where the best passing opportunities are

Main requirements of defensive positions:

Right Half Left Half

• Defensive responsibility first
• Mark opposition Left Wing (mixture man to man and zonal defence)
• Ability to overlap (move into the strikers or midfield) and occasionally join the attack
• Responsible for taking the majority of free hits on the right hand side of the field
• Priority passes include Inside Right, Right Wing, Centre Forward, Centre Half
• Outlet passes include Right Back, Left Back
• Defensive responsibility first
• Mark opposition Right Wing (mixture man to man and zonal defence)
• Ability to overlap (move into the strikers or midfield) and occasionally join the attack
• Responsible for taking the majority of free hits on the left hand side of the field
• Priority passes include Inside Left, Left Wing, Centre Forward, Centre Half
• Outlet passes include Left Back, Right Back

Right Back Left Back

• Defensive responsibility first
• Mark opposition Centre Forward or operate as the ‘free man’ (see note below)
• Move forward with the attack picking up the free central striker and be available as an outlet pass
• Responsible for taking the majority of 16 yard and free hits in the defensive 1/3, right side of the field.
• Priority passes include opposite fullback, Left Half, Centre Half, Inside forwards and strikers
• Outlet passes include Right Half, - right side players (Inside Right, Right Wing)
• Defensive responsibility first
• Mark opposition Centre Forward or operate as the ‘free man’ (see note below)
• Move forward with the attack picking up the free central striker and be available as an outlet pass
• Responsible for taking the majority of 16 yard and free hits in the defensive 1/3, left side of the field.
• Priority passes include opposite fullback, Right Half, Centre Half, Inside forwards and strikers
• Outlet passes include Left Half, - left side players (Inside Left, Left Wing)

See video below for some tips on tackling: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVvkbe1W1Q

Midfield

Inside Right, Inside Left, Centre Half

The midfield is the engine room of the team. It is required to support and contribute to the attack
(especially the Inside Right and Inside Left), but also has key defensive responsibilities - ensuring the
opposition cannot make clean breaks through the middle of the field.
Midfielders must be good distributors of the hockey ball and have exceptional game awareness.


Key attributes of a good midfielder:

• Fit, fast and agile with good acceleration.
• Strong all-round basic skills, including passing, receiving, ball carrying and shooting.
• Vision and game awareness – understanding of where other players are, and where the best
opportunities are.
• Ability to switch play or change the point of attack i.e. move the ball from one side of the field to the
other efficiently.
• Understanding of both man to man and zonal defence, and ability to correctly decide which
approach to use.
• Ability to appropriately weight passes.
• Understanding of angles and lines of attack and defence in midfield play.

Main requirements of midfield positions:

Inside Right

• In the shooting circle, will normally be positioned around the circle edge, for rebounds, direct and post (deflection) shots.
• Responsible for marking the opposing Inside Left.
• One Inside must support the Centre Half in providing an outlet to the back four when in possession at the back.
• Be mobile when receiving the ball and look to go forward as a first priority.
• Can take quick free hits anywhere on the right hand side of the field, or alternatively offering up a pass for the wing half, full back or Centre Half.
• Priority passes include Right Wing, Centre Forward, Left Wing, Centre Half and Inside Left.
• Outlet passes include Right Half, Centre Half, left and right full back.

Inside Left

• In the shooting circle, will normally be positioned around the circle edge, for rebounds, direct and post (deflection) shots.
• Responsible for marking the opposing Inside Right.
• One Inside must support the Centre Half in providing an outlet to the back four when in possession at the back.
• Be mobile when receiving the ball and look to go forward as a first priority.
• Can take quick free hits anywhere on the left hand side of the field, or alternatively offering up a pass for the wing half, full back or Centre Half.
• Priority passes include Left Wing, Centre Forward, Right Wing, Centre Half and Inside Right.
• Outlet passes include Left Half, Centre Half, left and right full back.

Centre Half

• Responsible for marking the opposing Centre Half and occupying the centre of the field.
• When on attack in the shooting circle, will normally bepositioned at the top or just outside the circle, for rebounds, direct and post (deflection) shots.
• Has a key role in providing an outlet pass for the fullbacks and must be available when the fullbacks
are under pressure.
• Be mobile when receiving the ball and look to go forward as a first priority.
• Responsible for taking free hits in the centre of the field (roughly in the attacking 2/3 of the field).
• Priority passes include the Inside Left, Inside Right, Left Wing, Centre Forward, Right Wing, Right and Left Half.
• Outlet passes include either of the fullbacks, Right and Left Half.

Please see video below for passing and dribbling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK_QoCmTPE4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVJcex1fSMk&feature=related

Forwards

Right Wing, Left Wing, Centre Forward

The striker’s number one role is to generate and convert scoring opportunities. Strikers must do this by:
• working as a unit,
• creating depth and width on attack,
• linking well with the midfield, and
• making the most of the opportunities they are presented.

In saying this, strikers are also the first line of defence, and their ability to ‘reverse press’ (putting
defenders under pressure) is a critical component of the game. A strong reverse press results in less
time for the opposition to construct effective attacks, and generates turnovers in advantageous
positions.

Key attributes of a good striker:

• Fast and agile with good acceleration and change of pace
• Good basic skills, including receiving, ball-carrying and shooting
• Ability to identify and execute the best shooting opportunity (e.g. direct shot v deflection v pass
around etc.)
• Vision and game awareness
• Constant movement – leading, creating space and attacking opportunities,
• Ability to put pressure on opposition defence
• Ability to use skills to force a Penalty Cornors or attacking free hit at the right time
• Appropriate weighting of passes
• Understanding of angles and lines of attack and defence

Main requirements of striker positions:

Right Wing

• Look to receive the ball in behind the defence and link with the Centre Forward and Left
Wing.
• Receive the ball going forward where possible, and take on the opposing Left Half.
• Accelerate ahead of the ball carrier – use the baseline.
• Shoot where possible, or create a shooting opportunity for another striker.
• Be ready for the ball in the attacking circle at all times e.g. deflections, rebounds.
• Responsible for marking the line to the Left Half and forming the first line of defence.
• Priority passes include, Centre Forward, Left Wing, Inside Right , Inside Left.
• Outlet passes include the Inside Right, Right Half, and Centre Half.

Left Wing

• Look to receive the ball in behind the defence and link with the Centre Forward and Right Wing.
• Receive the ball going forward where possible, and take on the opposing Right Half.
• Accelerate ahead of the ball carrier – use the baseline.
• Shoot where possible, or create a shooting opportunity for another striker.
• Be ready for the ball in the attacking circle at all times e.g. deflections, rebounds.
• Responsible for marking the line to the Right Half and forming the first line of defence.
• Priority passes include, Centre Forward, Right Wing, Inside Right, Inside Left.
• Outlet passes include the Inside Left, Left Half, and Centre Half.

Centre Forward

• Look to receive the ball in behind the defence and link with the Right and Left Wing.
• Receive the ball going forward where possible and take on the full backs.
• Run hard to get ahead of the ball carrier – use the baseline.
• Shoot where possible, or create a shooting opportunity for another striker.
• Be ready for the ball in the attacking circle at all times e.g. deflections, rebounds.
• Link with the midfield to create attacks.
• Responsible for setting the first line of defence and applying pressure to the opposition full backs.
• Priority passes include, Left Wing, Right Wing, Inside Right, Inside Left.
• Outlet passes include, Centre Half, Inside Right, Inside Left, Right and Left Half.

Different shooting skills can be seen in the videos below: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ViK_m_Bn1I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6SYXaPZOuE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8IlXOMe-AU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm-QaZLRrp8


Stick Skills
An essential skill necessary for playing hockey is the ability to control, pass, push, stop and shoot the ball with your hockey stick. These can all be seen in the videos.

Extra stick skills can be seen in the following videos: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vzSjfmQ1dU

These skills are very impressive to watch but a player using these skills still needs there team mates to help a team win as no individual makes a team especially in a game of hockey, it is all about trusting the players around them It is important to know that the head of a hockey stick has a rounded side (the right-hand side) and a flat side (the left-hand side). It is only with the flat, left-hand side of the stick and the edges of that side that you are permitted to play the ball.

No Feet.

It may seem like common sense, but it is worth mentioning that in hockey, field players are not allowed to use their feet (or any other parts of their bodies) to control the ball. Only the goalkeeper is allowed to use hands, feet and any other part of their body to stop or deflect the ball when defending in their own D.

Scoring

Scoring a goal in hockey is very interesting. There are only certain ways it can be done: from a Field Goal, from a Penalty Corner, and from a Penalty Stroke.

Field Goals

A field goal is a goal scored from open, continuous play. Field goals may only be taken from the 'shooting D', a roughly semi-circular area in front of the opponents' goal. If an attacker hits the ball from outside the 'shooting D and it goes directly into the goal or is only touched by a defender on the way, it does not count as a goal, If an attacker deflects the ball it is a goal.
Penalty/short Corners

If a defending team concedes a foul inside the D a penalty/short corner is given, A penalty/short corner can also be given if an intentional/serious foul is committed within the last third of the pitch by a defending player.

Taking a penalty/short corner.

The Defending team are allowed 4 players and the Goalkeeper and all must be situated behind the baseline either inside or outside the goal, all the other defending players must be on or behind the half way line.
The attacking team can have as many as they would like to use in attack but generally it is about 7 attacking players. There will be one player to inject the ball from the baseline and depending on the team’s set up; there could be a stopper at the top of the D. When the ball is injected it must go outside the D before it can re-enter the D and shot at goal. The first shot must be below the back board if it is a strike for it to be counted, however if it is a flick/drag flick or a deflection it can end up anywhere in the goal and be counted. Please see the videos below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp4R5e39n2I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp8mYgR22XQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RC08bLeNnU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpHAYZd4964

Penalty Strokes/flicks

A penalty stroke/flick is given when an infringement happens inside the D when there was a definite goal scoring chance. A penalty Stroke/Flick is an free shot taken by an attacker with only a goal keeper to beat. (All other players must stand outside the D, about 23 metres/25 yards away.) The shot is taken from a spot 6.4 meters (7 yards) directly in front of the goal. Match time is stopped when a penalty stroke/flick is being taken. See videos below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGn2UwAmUNc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLfceg0tuGk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhXsNM1Rxpw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEsWwNDrBBA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVTiy6iKeIE

Duration of a match

A regulation length hockey match lasts 70 minutes - which is broken into two halves of 35 minutes each.. It is also possible for a match to end in a draw. But in some matches - like in a tournament such as the World Cup or Olympics, or in a championship game - there must be a winner. In those cases, a match which is tied at the end of regulation time, then goes into extra time (the first team to score in extra time wins), and if necessary, to a penalty stroke/flick competition.

Free hit rule

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGiHc-4yKyk

Self pass rule

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j63hYOlJBDE&feature=player_embedded

Just for fun, have a look at this skill: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAzbXbPyQog[/[url=url]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUV40JyFMdk
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUV40JyFMdk


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMEA9QmMNZo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTb-r7Dh6pQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL2h8ZwIs2s&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLA00792F390029F27