Hockey has a long and very successful history in Australia.
Hockey Australia is the governing body for hockey within Australia, and Hockey Victoria in Victoria. FIH is the world governing body.
Within Southern United we participate in three forms of the hockey game: Outdoor (full field), Outdoor (1/2 field) and Indoor Hockey. We also have available a Hookin2Hockey program available for young children.
Outdoor Full Field hockey is the hockey that Australia excels in at the world level. The Australian men’s team, the Kookaburras, have achieved 5 bronze medals, 3 silver and one gold medal in the summer olympics since 1964. The Australian women’s team, the Hockeyroos, has achieved 3 gold medals since 1984.
I don’t understand hockey.
The rules of hockey may seem complex at first, but don’t fear, the basics are simple. The videos provided by FIH is a great starting point to understand some of the rules. The Hockey Australia Guide to Hockey is also a great one pager.
Like any sport hockey has its own vocabulary. A glossary to help you understand the language around you.
Hockey Handbook
The hockey handbook provided by Hockey Victoria is a great guide to hockey, and hockey in Victoria.
How to hockey.
FIH provides a series of videos to help learn the basics. If new to hockey episode 1 is the place to start.
What do I need?
The what do you need to play hockey is often a question people ask. The answer is “not that much”. The basics are: Hockey Stick, shin pads, and mouth guard. Choosing a hockey stick can seem complex. The price range of sticks varies. The size of the stick is also import. For children, as they grow, so should their stick. Generally for children, the stick should reach their hip.
Where to start?
For new families to the club, we have new parents guide available.
Teams
A team playing on a full size hockey field has 11 players on the pitch, with up to five substitutes. Every team has a goal keeper, and the remaining 10 players are “field players”, these players are subdivided into attackers, midfielders and defenders.
The Hockey Stick
All hockey players must play right handed. The stick has a rounded side, and a flat side. The ball can only be played with the flat side of the stick or the edges. A player learning to handle the ball with the stick is key to controlling, pushing, passing and stopping the ball. Keeping the ball under close control is dribbling.
Feet.
Field players are not allowed to use their feet or any part of the body to control the ball. The goal keeper can use any part of the body or gear to stop the ball.
Scoring a goal
There are three methods of scoring a goal, one is through a field goal, through a penalty corner, and the third through a penalty stroke.
Field Goal
The field goal can only be scored when an attacking player touches, hits, pushes the ball in the ‘circle’.
Penalty Corner
A penalty corner is awarded when the defending team offend within the “D” – the attackers “shooting circle”, a penalty corner can also be awarded for significant offences outside the “D” inside the 23m defending area.
A penalty corner stops play, and players take their position for the “set play”. The ball is injected into the D by an attacking play from the back line, up to five defenders are behind the back line prior to running out and defending the goal. The ball must pass outside the D before a shot on goal. When the shot at goal is a hit or slap shot, the ball must enter the goal no higher than the back board, if the shot at goal is a “flick” it can be at any height.
Penalty Stroke
A penalty stroke is awarded for an offence by a defender which prevents the probable scoring of a goal. A shot by one attacker is taken at goal from the penalty spot, with only the goal keeper defending.
