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Playing area

A competitive hockey match is played on a large rectangular grassy field or, more typically, an artificial turf that is 91.40 m (100 yards) × 55 m (60 yards).

Inside the pitch are a series of very precise inner markings:

• Goal - these are placed at the end of the pitch and consist of two posts and a crossbar. The inner edges of the posts must be 3.7 metres wide, the bottom of the crossbar must be 2.1 metres above the ground and the goal must be 90 cm in depth.
• Penalty circle - a goal in hockey can only be scored if the shot is struck inside the penalty circle and fully passes over the goal line. A goalkeeper can play the ball with any part of their body in this area and defenders who foul attacking players inside the area will be punished with a penalty corner for the opposition.
• Half way line - this line divides the pitch in two and is used to begin and resume a match following a goal.
• 23-metre line - a number of rules relate to this line with the umpire awarding free-hits from this position. In addition, it is also used by the attacking team to resume play when a ball has passed the backline.
• Penalty corners - although this does not have a specific mark on the pitch, a penalty corner is taken on the backline inside the circle from a mark at least 10 metres from the goal post, from whichever side of the goal the attacking team prefers.

Players

A hockey team consists of 11 players per side and is divided into forward, midfield, defending and goalkeeping positions. Like most sports the team has very clear roles to support their overall success:

• Goalkeeper - the goalkeeper is responsible for the defensive circle and should support the leadership of the defence.
• Defenders - similar to all invasion games, the defence must work as a unit and limit the opposition's chances of scoring. However, the modern game dictates that they also have attacking responsibilities. Defence positions include:
  • right half
  • left half
  • right back
  • left back
• Midfielders - the midfielders are required to support and contribute to the attack through the inside right and inside left positions, whilst maintaining key defensive responsibilities. The midfield needs to stop attacks through the middle of the field and in possession be good distributors of the ball. Midfield positions include:
  • inside right
  • inside left
  • centre half
• Attackers - the attackers are responsible for generating and scoring opportunities, but they are also the first line of defence. A team's ability to 'reverse press' (putting defenders under pressure) is an essential part of the modern game. Attacking positions include:
  • right wing
  • left wing
  • centre forward