With the 2024 fall sports season right around the corner, there’s no better time than now to familiarize yourself with the rules of college field hockey.
(Note: NCAA field hockey International Ice Hockey Federation Field Hockey Rulebook.)
Field
The size of a standard field hockey field is similar to that of soccer, with a few differences that are very specific to the sport. The field is approximately 100 yards (91.4 meters) long and 60 yards (55 meters) wide.
25 yards (23 meters) from the end of the field, there is a halfway line along both lines.
A field hockey goal is 7 feet high and 12 feet wide. There is a shooting circle around the goal – about 16 yards (15 meters) from the goal line, then a half circle back to the goal line. These rounds are the only places where players are allowed to shoot the ball. Any shots on goal outside of these semi-circles do not count. There is also a dashed circle that runs parallel to the shooting circle, which runs about 5 meters from the shooting circle.
Other supporters that make up the field include the penalty spot, 7 yards (6.4 m) from the goal, the penalty corner mark, the two foot long lines 5.5 yards (5 m) and 11 yards (10 m) from the center of the backline for attacking and defensive players, and the 5 (5 long line) long corner of the foot. meters) from the back line. It is important to note that the long corner sign is no longer used in NCAA field hockey. It may still appear on the field, but it is not used in any way.
Field hockey is usually played on a water-based astroturf. The sport can also be played on regular astrotours.
Gameplay
The goal of every ball hockey game is to score more goals than your opponent before time runs out. The game is divided into four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes. If the fourth quarter is tied after the clock expires, the tie will be taken. Overtime, overtime, and the specifics of the shootout vary from game to game and from tournament to tournament.
In a shootout, a single attacking player faces the goalie, similar to ice hockey. The offensive player then has eight seconds to try to score. They can shoot as many times as they want during their possession and within eight seconds.
To start the game, 11 players from each team take the field, as the game starts when one team starts the ball on the halfway line.
The team in possession of the ball will try to direct the ball towards the opposing team’s goal through various movements such as passing, lifting and dribbling.
A pass is a direct transfer of the ball between two teams, a lift is an aerial pass usually aimed at a player of the other team, and a dribble is a light touch to oneself to move the ball downfield.
One of the main differences between dribbling and dribbling in ice hockey is that in field hockey, a player is only allowed to touch the ball on one side of their stick, the flat side. The other side of the bowl is called the rounded side. If a player touches the ball on the round side, the other team has the ball.
Defensive play is quite similar to football or hockey, with a few exceptions. The defender is allowed to attempt to steal the ball with his stick from the side or front of the attacking player. The defender is not allowed to try and steal the ball from behind.
Substitution
Another important aspect of ball hockey that potential fans should be aware of is substitutions. Unlike soccer, field hockey allows an unlimited number of substitutions. A move can be made at any time after the substitute has left the field, as long as the substitute has entered the field.
Penalty
Severe penalties are divided into three categories: green, yellow and red cards. These penalties are usually given when a player commits a dangerous foul play. Green cards are sometimes issued for more common fouls, such as substitution violations, deliberate delay of play, and being within a five-meter radius of the ball when attempting to defend a free kick.
Dangerous play fouls include excessive body contact with another player, dangerous misuse of the stick, lifting the ball five meters away from another player, or playing the ball above shoulder height when deemed dangerous.
- Green cards: Once a player receives a green card, he is suspended for two minutes.
- Yellow Pages: Once a player receives a yellow card, he will be suspended for five to ten minutes, depending on the referee’s decision.
- Red cards: Once a player receives a red card, he will be permanently removed from the game without any substitutions.
Another way to distinguish minor penalties in field hockey is free kicks. An opposing player is awarded a free kick for hitting the ball with anything other than the flat part of the stick, including kicking or hitting the ball with other parts of the body.
Free kicks are also awarded if a team is interfered with by a third party. A third-party obstruction, similar to a backboard or screen in a basketball or soccer game, is illegal in field hockey. A player may not use his body to protect the ball from another player.
Corners and free kicks
There are two types of corners in field hockey – long corners and penalty/short corners.
Long corners in the NCAA are taken on the 25 yard/23 meter line where the ball crosses the goal line instead of the long corner marker. This happens when a defender accidentally hits the ball behind his own goal line.
The defenders are ready to defend the penalty corner
A penalty corner is called a short corner and takes place on the penalty corner mark on the goal line. These occur when a defender intentionally hits the ball behind his own goal line or commits a foul that cannot stop a legitimate scoring opportunity within the shooting circle. All offensive players and defensive players must leave the shooting circle until the ball is put into play again. The ball is usually hit to a player near the top of the shooting circle, stopped, and then shot into the goal.
Penalties, which are quite different from the penalty kicks mentioned earlier, occur when a defender commits a foul against a player who has a legitimate chance to score in the shooting circle. The ball is placed on the penalty spot in the shooting circle, and like puck and hockey, the shooter has only one shot past the goalie.
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