Field Hockey Tip

Field Hockey Tip: Learn the Basics

Campers should be equipped with the appropriate Field Hockey gear they need for every summer camp they attend!

Are you new to playing field hockey? It’s important to learn the fundamental rules before you hit the field! If you're interested in trying out field hockey for the first time, come to a Nike Field Hockey camps, open to players of all skill levels!

Objective: Each player has a field hockey stick they use to hit the ball around the field. The objective is to get the ball into the goal to score 1 point. The team that ends up with the most goals at the end of the game is the winner!

Duration: Field hockey matches vary in time depending on the level of play. In collegiate field hockey, the game consists of two 35 minute halves, equally a 70-minute game. Sometimes matches are shortened to 60 or 50-minute games, broken into halves at the professional and junior-level games.

Positions: In field hockey, there are 2 teams with 11 players on each team. The players consist of 1 goalie and 10 field players that are broken up by defenders, midfielders, and attackers.

Equipment: A hard ball and a field hockey stick, typically wooden, are used to play throughout games and practices. Each player also wears shin guards and mouth guards for protection, while the goalkeeper wears a face mask, gloves, chest padding, and leg guards to keep them protected. Some field players opt to wear facemasks and eye protection for additional levels of protection!

Rules:

• A goal has to be scored from within the 16-yard area marked on the field
• Only the flat side of the field hockey stick can be used, and no body part is allowed to be used to move the ball
• Fouls:
  • Intentional use of a body part to move the ball
  • Intentional harm caused to opposing players by hitting them with the ball
  • Using the rounded side of the stick to hit the ball
  • Bringing the stick above waist height
  • Using their stick to interfere with their opponent

Read more field hockey tips and find a Nike Field Hockey Camp near you.