Indoor field hockey

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Indoor field hockey is an indoor variant of "traditional" outdoor field hockey. It is not to be confused with other indoor hockey variants such as rink hockey or floorball. Image:Indoor hockey stick2.jpg Image:Indoor hockey stick.jpg Indoor field hockey is commonly called indoor hockey in the countries where rink hockey is not played. It is traditionally and mainly played as a pastime by outdoor field hockey players during the off-season, when the outdoor pitches are frozen, or alternatively conditions are too hot for outdoor play. Indoor field hockey is played in regular national and international championships. The first Indoor field hockey cup was organized in 2003. It included countries which do not compete at the highest level of the outdoor game.

Indoor field hockey differs from its outdoor parent in several ways:

The playing field is smaller than the outdoor pitch. An indoor pitch is 18m to 22m wide by 36m to 44m long, divided by a center line. The shooting circle is a semi-circle measured out 9m from each goal post. Side-board planks mark the sidelines helping to keep the ball in the field. The pitch is made of wood or synthetic gum.
The goal cages are smaller: 2m high by 3m wide and a minimum of 1m deep.
A team consists of 6 players on the pitch, 5 field players and 1 goalkeeper, with at most 12 players on a team.
The game is divided into 2 periods of 20 minutes.
The players may not hit the ball, but only push it or deflect it, and may not raise the ball except in the shooting circle, with the purpose of scoring a goal.
The balls and the sticks are similar, but players prefer lighter sticks than for the outdoor game.

The small field and sideboards make indoor field hockey a quick, technical and physical game.

[edit] History

Indoor Hockey developed in Germany during the 1950's, quickly spreading to other European nations. Luckily, Belgium was one of the countries to adopt the field hockey variant, as in 1966 Rene Frank, a native of Belgium, who was later to become President of the FIH, persuaded the German Hockey Associations to give responsibility over the rules of Indoor Hockey to the FIH. This lead to the FIH recognising indoor hockey in its constitution in 1968.<ref>FIH - A History of the Rules of Indoor Hockey</ref>

The first FIH sanctioned tournament matches of Indoor Hockey were played in 1972.

[edit] External link

The FIH

[edit] Notes

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