Smart Ball Field Hockey? Quick Answer

The smart ball to play hockey anywhere, learn new techniques and improve your skills. Once you have bought the ball, all you have to do is download the APP on your smartphone and put your skills into practice at home. You have up to 30 different styles of play that you can do in a given time with the ball and racquet. The more points you get, the higher the reward for being able to customize your avatar. Share and challenge your friends and become the best player with smart ball.

Positions (The Players)

There are eleven players in each team – ten outfield players and one goalkeeper. Formations on the field vary depending on the coach’s strategy, but include attackers, midfielders, defenders and goalkeepers. The attackers are the main scorers. They can contain wings, inside forwards and a forward. The midfielders are the most versatile players on the field. They contribute to both offense and defense. Defenders are primarily responsible for defense. The deepest defending back can be used as a sweeper. The goalkeeper is the last line of defense and must protect the goal area. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to touch the ball with her body, but only within the shooting circle.

Ice hockey nations are ranked by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the governing body of field hockey at the international level. This ranking system was introduced in 2003. Rankings are created based on game results. So here are the top 10 countries in field hockey right now.

#10 Malaysia

Malaysia is ranked 10th in the FIH rankings. His has a total score of 1427.18. Malaysia has done a great job in the game of hockey in recent years which has led to their success.

#9 Spain

The European country of Spain has come a long way in the game. With 1532.34 points you are in 9th place in the current world rankings.

#8 New Zealand

Despite being one of the most sparsely populated countries, New Zealand has emerged as a great sporting nation in all sports. In the current world rankings they are 8th with 1598.25.

#7 Argentina

The South American nation has a great image in time-bound sports. Argentina is ranked 7th in the current FIH World Ranking with a total score of 1826.11.

#6 UK

As we know, European countries are great at almost every sport. England is not back. England is ranked 6th in the current FIH world ice hockey rankings with a total score of 1990.63.

#5 Germany

Another European giant and a great country in field hockey Germany is ranked 5th on the FIH Rankings. Germany has an overall score of 2038.71 according to the FIH.

#4 Netherlands

The Netherlands is the third European nation on this list. The Netherlands has 2234.34 points in the FIH points table and is therefore in 4th place in the current world rankings.

#3 India

The bronze medalist at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, India, is ranked 3rd in the current FIH world rankings. You have 2296.04 points in the FIH points table. India was a great country in ice hockey in the 1900s, but it lost its image after losing in major events, but after winning the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, it has revived its image yet again.

#2 Belgium

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medalist Belgium is the best European team to make this list. Belgium has recently seen its list drop. However, Belgium is now the second highest team in world hockey according to the FIH rankings with points of 2632.12.

#1 Australia

The giant of the game Australia took first place with 2642.26 points. Australia has always been a great country in field hockey. They also won the silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. They were 2nd after the Olympics, but now they’ve knocked Belgium out of 1st place and got their revenge on the Olympic final.

A mesh net on a stick, a goal at either end of the field, and a bouncy ball to maneuver through the opposing team’s goalie – lacrosse is an exciting and intense game!

But is lacrosse harder than field hockey? Oh well! Lacrosse is a more difficult sport than field hockey due to its speed, stricter rules, and generally more complex techniques required to successfully move the ball from one end of the field to the other.

I’ve been fortunate enough to play both over several seasons and in this article I’ll tell you all the differences between these two noble sports!

Read on to learn in detail how many ways lacrosse and field hockey differ and why lacrosse can be considered the tougher sport of the two.

1. Offside Rules

The first reason I think lacrosse looks more challenging than field hockey is the stricter offside rule in the former.

In lacrosse, if a team has more than six players in the offensive half of the field, it is considered offside. An offside penalty means a loss of possession for the team and therefore players must keep a close eye on each other member of their team should they cause a penalty.

In contrast, field hockey has no offside rules, making it much easier for players to score without worrying about other team members’ positions.

2. The crosse against the hockey stick

Another reason lacrosse is the more difficult sport is the design of the lacrosse stick (aka “crosse”).

You probably got the idea right now: the head of the lacrosse stick is roughly triangular in shape and features loose netting to secure and carry the ball once in your possession (a maneuver known as cradling is).

The shape makes it a challenge to pass the ball to a teammate or steal it from the opponent.

In comparison, a hockey stick has a curved head that’s perfect for passing, shooting, attacking, or dribbling the ball. This is much easier than having to catch the ball in the Crosse net.

3. Maneuvers

Because field hockey requires the ball to stay on the ground, the hockey stick does not have to perform too many complex maneuvers to transport the ball across the field.

Although you can only hit the ball with the flat end of the hockey stick, the ball remains earthbound.

Unlike field hockey, in lacrosse games the ball is usually airborne. This means that keeping the ball, tackling an opponent, gaining possession and scoring a goal are all feats that require multi-faceted control of both the racquet and the ball.

It’s not a big deal for professional lacrosse players who have had a lot of practice, but for new players it can be a deciding factor between the two games.

4. Lighter Ball

Another important difference between lacrosse and field hockey is the dimensions of the balls in the game.

In field hockey, the ball has a bit more weight, making it easier to throw and manipulate.

The lacrosse ball, on the other hand, is lighter because it has to be held and carried in the racquet.

The lighter weight of the ball makes it more difficult for players to ensure it flies in the right direction when thrown.

Also, factors like weather and wind will affect a lighter ball much more than a heavier one. So, a light ball makes gameplay more difficult compared to a slightly heavier ball in field hockey.

5. Safety Equipment

Another way in which lacrosse is more challenging than field hockey is in all of the safety gear required for lacrosse.

As mentioned earlier, in field hockey the ball stays on the ground and therefore shin guards, mouthguard, gloves and goggles are the only safety gear required.

On the other hand, in lacrosse, the ball is hit in the air with speed and intensity.

This means that lacrosse players must wear helmets (men only), goggles, cleats, mouth guards, gloves, and elbow and shoulder pads to protect themselves during play.

Wearing all of this safety gear makes quick movements and maneuvering more difficult for lacrosse players compared to those who play field hockey. And despite all that gear, a lacrosse player is still more likely to get injured than a field hockey player.

6. Injuries

We just mentioned that lacrosse players need more safety gear, and not without reason.

Lacrosse players, on average, suffer more injuries than field hockey players. There has been some fairly extensive research into the type and number of injuries that are common in lacrosse. (Source)

The probability of the ball landing on an unprotected part of the body is very high since in lacrosse the ball is usually airborne. This is a detail that we must take into account when deciding which game is more difficult to play.

You guessed it, our vote is for lacrosse!

7. Faster pace

Pace is probably one of the most important game aspects of lacrosse, making it more difficult to play than field hockey.

While both games are played for a total of 60 minutes, field hockey is played in two 30-minute halves and lacrosse is played in four quarters of 15 minutes each.

This timing makes lacrosse much more intense and faster compared to field hockey as players focus on scoring before the end of the quarter.

The pace also explains the level of difficulty one might associate with lacrosse when watching a game in action.

8. Gender differences

An interesting feature of lacrosse is the differences between male and female games.

The main difference is the amount of contact allowed on the field. When playing women’s lacrosse, limited physical contact is allowed.

In addition, the dimensions of the field, the equipment and even the number of players on the field are different; almost creating two different versions of lacrosse. So if you’re a woman who plays lacrosse, maneuvering the ball with limited contact between players could be even more difficult.

9. History and Heritage

In the old days, lacrosse was called The Creator’s Game and was played by hundreds to thousands of players on each team at the same time!

The game was much more intense and lasted a good two to three days – the game was almost a spiritual act for Native Americans played for the “Creator”.

Wrap up

While the fascinating heritage associated with lacrosse doesn’t necessarily make it any harder to play, a sense of respect for the sport is definitely expected. As a recognized Olympic sport, lacrosse also lends its sense of seriousness.

There has been a lot of negative attitudes surrounding lacrosse lately.

The main reason for this is not the game itself, but the clichés and culture surrounding it. People don’t know enough about the game to judge it fairly, so they look at player likeability as a factor in their judgment.

The “lax bro” (lacrosse player) stereotype is common, but players defy those labels every day.

Whether you are well versed in lacrosse and field hockey or just starting out, we hope our detailed comparison will help you make a better decision on which game to invest in. The difficulty of the sport can play a role in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, there’s no reason to feel inadequate.

So get out your hockey sticks or crosses and gather a team of players – you’re in for a fun game one way or another!

Field hockey comes from the Greek classics and is still one of the oldest team sports in the world. Hurling, the sport played during the Greek Classics, closely resembled the modern sport. However, field hockey got its name in England in the 14th century. It is also recognized as one of the oldest collegiate sports in America. Today, field hockey is practiced primarily as a women’s sport in the United States and Canada, with over 250 single-team colleges and universities. Still, there are many who don’t fully understand the sport, which is why we’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions about collegiate field hockey to help new fans get ready for the upcoming season.

What is field hockey?

Simply put, field hockey is a game where teams come together on a field and use hockey sticks to hit a ball into a net to score points. The winner is determined by whoever has the most points at the end of the game.

What is the difference between field hockey and ice hockey?

The main difference is that one is played on a grass or artificial turf pitch while the other is played on ice. However, there are many other differences as well, including the number of players required to play, their origins, the equipment used, and the length of the game.

When is college field hockey season?

College field hockey is a fall sport. Typically, the regular season starts in mid to late August and ends in late October, early November. Post-season games are often held in November.

How long is a college field hockey game?

At the collegiate level, field hockey games are divided into two halves, each lasting 35 minutes, with a seven-minute half in between.

What are the positions in field hockey?

Each team consists of 11 players, a goalkeeper and 10 field players. Outfield positions include defenders, midfielders, and attackers. The number of positions on the field depends on what style a team is using and who has the ball.

How does the field look?

Field hockey is played on a turf or turf field that stretches over 100 yards long and 60 yards wide. Three lines run across the width to show players specific sections of the field. At each end rests a four-meter-wide goal with a 16-yard line around it, showing players where they are allowed to shoot inside. This is called the shooting circle, or “D” for the defense team. Goals scored outside of this section do not count as goals and the ball is passed to the other team from there.

How many points is a goal worth?

Each goal scored in field hockey earns the team a single point. However, there are different types of goals. A field goal is a traditional goal scored within the shooting circle. A penalty corner goal is a goal scored after play has been stopped and repositioned within the shooting circle in response to a foul by a defender. A penalty stroke goal is scored after a more serious foul where a player is able to shoot one on one with the goaltender.

Is a puck used in field hockey?

no Field hockey uses a hard ball weighing between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces. Some hockey balls have small dimples on the surface. Usually the difference depends on whether the game is indoors or outdoors. However, all are surrounded by an inelastic plastic sheath.

What are the rules of field hockey?

While there are many rules in field hockey, like any other sport, there are also a few basic ones that should allow fans to understand what is happening in the game.

Rules include:

-Players must have a hockey stick and may only hit the ball with one side of the stick.

-The ball must be passed with the bat or moved across the field. No part of the body may intentionally come into contact with the ball.

-A foul or rule violation occurs when a player attempts to knock the ball off another player to cause damage to that player, intentionally uses any part of the body to advance the ball, hits the ball with the rounded side of the racquet, raises the ball above the waist, plays the ball dangerously (e.g. kicks the ball in the air), prevents an opposing player from reaching the ball as an outsider, or hits another player’s stick to end the game disturb.

There are two referees who call each game, each occupying one side of the field. For players who repeat an infraction, the referees can issue green, yellow and red cards. A green card is a warning, a yellow one bans a player for at least five minutes, and a red one ejects the player from the game.

Who is the best field hockey team?

While that answer may change depending on who you ask, Syracuse is the defending champion in DI field hockey this year after beating North Carolina 4-2 in Ann Arbor, Michigan last year. At DII and DIII, East Stroudsburg University and Middlebury College are respectively the defending champions of their departments.

MORE: TUE: NCAA field hockey RPI rankings

Who are the best field hockey players?

Again, that answer may change depending on who you ask, but currently there are a number of women who topped their divisions in certain statistics last year.

2015 DI ​​Executives

Category Name School Pro Game Assists Elizabeth Hitti Penn 1.13 Goals Charlotte Veitner UConn 1.70 Saves Maria Krull Colgate 11.50

2015 DII Guide

Category Name School Pro Game Assists Molly Cuevas Adelphi 0.70 Goals Erika Kelly Stonehill 1.29 Saves Laura Lawson Mansfield 12.69

2015 DIII Guide

Category Name School Pro Game Assists Dani DeGregory Skidmore 1.05 Goals Rachel Kennedy Bowdin 1.57 Saves Gabryele Pochron Hendrix 18.71

RELATED: Five powerful players to watch out for this year

Who Invents the Rules of Field Hockey?

The International Hockey Federation, the international governing body for hockey, develops the Laws of the Game and updates them whenever they feel something needs to be changed or clarified.

What makes a sport great? Some would say money or sponsorship, some would say viewership, some would say level of participation, but I think I say the combination of fun and challenge.

In this post I wanted to clarify why I consider ice hockey to be the best sport in the world and why I chose it over other sports.

Let us know below in the comments if you agree with this or if you can think of any other reasons to add.

10 reasons why ice hockey is a great sport

1. Fast and dangerous

By adding new rules like the Self Pass, this has helped improve the speed of the game, giving teams less time to set up and a better flow of the game. The Advantage Rule is also a great way to ensure play continues without unnecessarily interrupting play. Also don’t forget how fast the ball can fly.

According to ESPN Sports Science and an article in USA Field Hockey Members’ Magazine, here is a comparison of swing speeds in different sports:

Table tennis stroke – 22 mph

Table Tennis Slap – 22 mph Ice Hockey Slap Shot – 60 mph

Cricket Stroke – 67 miles per hour

Tennis serve – 75 mph

Baseball swing – 76 mph

Golf Drive – 100 mph

Men’s field hockey hit – 103 mph

Because the ball is flying at high speed, it also adds an element of danger that is exciting and gets the adrenaline pumping.

2. Physical toughness

Ice hockey is one of the most physically demanding sports on the body. Compared to most other team sports, players cover greater distances in less time.

Hockey players need to be fit, fast, strong, powerful, and agile, performing many sprints throughout the game, often with little time to recover between each sprint. In addition, the synthetic artificial grass that hockey is played on is not as forgiving as other surfaces.

3. High level of qualification

Hockey is one of the most skillful games. Most other sports only have one ball, but using a racquet requires a higher level of skill and coordination. Think of some of the technical skills that are required, such as B. hitting the ball, tomahawk, overhead, push, slap, flick, dragflick, 3D skills, eliminating a player, dribbling the ball, catching the ball, etc. Great to watch and feels even better as a player, if done correctly.

4. Big banter

I don’t know about you, but most of my closest friends are people I met through hockey. Many people play for years because of the people they have met who are like minded and of course there are always great jokes.

Not only are most people great, ice hockey is a team sport, there are so many other benefits that you don’t get in individual sports. It has something to do with working together with others to achieve a common goal.

5th part of the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are the largest sporting event in the world. What else do I have to say?

For me, the London 2012 Olympics was overwhelming as I rubbed shoulders with some of the most elite athletes with over 18,000 fans cheering on the ice hockey teams. With so many people from different sports and so many countries around the world, it’s not something every sport can experience.

6. Passion

What other sport has such a high participation rate but isn’t known as a professional or high-paying sport? It is the third most popular sport in the world, behind only football and cricket (both professional). Many people flock to other sports for the money, but true hockey fans stick with the sport out of sheer passion and love for the game. Or maybe madness?

7. A sport for everyone 7. A sport for everyone

Hockey is suitable for all ages, sizes and genders. It is one of the few sports where men and women can play in mixed teams and with different abilities. Some club sides may have players as young as 14 playing alongside a 50-year-old champion player. What a great way to learn from those with more experience.

8. Scoring is an art

Bad defensive mistakes aside, scoring goals isn’t that easy to achieve compared to some other sports. The goal area is relatively small and the goaltender has ample padding to get in the way and complete shots. You cannot score from outside the D, making goal scoring more accurate and increasing the challenge of the game.

9. No offside rule

Some sports like football/soccer still use the offside rule, but hockey has evolved which I think makes the game faster and better for a more aware passing. You can also use this to manipulate the ball and defenders into positional areas, which can help set up the next attack.

10. Card System

In hockey, you are less likely to receive a red card or suspension unless you commit a serious foul such as B. a hit against the opponent. The green and yellow card system helps calm players by forcing them to leave the field for 2-10 minutes. This also helps bring more respect to referees compared to some other sports.

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shinty, also called shinny or shinney, Gaelic camanachd, outdoor game played with sticks and a small, hard ball in which two opposing teams try to hit the ball through the opposing goal (hail); It is similar to the Irish game of hurling and field hockey. Shinty probably originated in chaotic mass games between Scottish Highland clans as early as the 17th century and is still played in Scotland under the authority of the Camanachd Association (established in 1893), which considers it a ‘national game’.

Shinty A shinty game. Sologal

The modern game is played on a field 146 m long and 73 m wide with goals 3 m high and 3.7 m wide and a crossbar at both ends. The sticks (camáns) are curved at the striking end, small enough to fit through a 6.3 cm (2.5 in) diameter ring and slightly shorter than a field hockey stick. The ball is 17.7-20.32 cm (7-8 inches) in circumference and weighs 70-85 g (2.5-3 oz). There is no offside rule, but an attacking player may not run ahead of the ball into a marked semi-circular area 10 yards (9.1 m) in front of goal. Teams are 12 on a side.

Similar games are played less formally in other parts of the world, sometimes on ice with players wearing skates.

A field hockey ball is used during a field hockey game with the aim of kicking it at goal. A field hockey ball is made of solid plastic and is very hard. Sometimes it also has a cork core. An outdoor field hockey ball is generally cleated to provide consistent speed when played on turf or wet surfaces. Typically the color of the ball is white and the same for both indoor and outdoor use. A field hockey ball can be customized for a specific team or logo.

For the recreational variant, see street hockey

Ball hockey is a team sport and an off-ice variant of ice hockey. The sport is also a variant of one of several floor hockey game codes, more specifically a variant of street hockey.

Ball hockey is modeled after and closely related to ice hockey except the game is played on foot on a non-ice surface, the player equipment is different, and an orange ball is used instead of a hockey puck. The aim of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by shooting the ball into the opposing team’s net.

Gameplay[edit]

Teams consist of five runners and a goalkeeper. The five runners are divided into positions of three forwards and two defenders, right and left. The forwards are further described by position names: left wing, right wing, and center. These positions are the same as in ice hockey. Tournament ball hockey rules are numerous and too long to list in this article. A listing of the Official Ball Hockey Tournament Rules of the I.S.B.H.F. can be found online.[1] For general information, ball hockey rules usually prescribe the following basics, i.e.: H. if you play by these rules, then you play ball hockey:

Offside is determined by a “floating blue line”. The concept can be difficult to grasp for non-hockey enthusiasts, but the simplest explanation is as follows: when the ball crosses the defending team’s blue line, the attacking team is on the side. The attacking team then has the entire zone up to the halfway line to work around the ball and still be considered offside. Once the ball crosses the middle red line, the attacking zone is “lost” and the attacking team’s players must clear (retreat past) the defending team’s blue line and allow the ball to enter behind the defending team’s blue line in order to to be back on the page.

Icing is called “flooring” in ball hockey.

You can raise your stick over your shoulder to call for a pass.

You can close your hand around the ball provided you bring the ball straight down to your feet and don’t change the direction you’re moving.

The dimensions of the international ice rinks are the same as the international ice hockey rinks 197 ft × 98.4 ft.

The dimensions of the North American ice rink are the same as the North American ice hockey rinks, 200 feet × 85 feet.

Equipment [ edit ]

The ball used is a ball specially designed for ball hockey and street hockey. The International Street and Ball Hockey Federation, the world governing body of official street hockey tournaments and leagues, officially recognizes two types of balls for play: a hard (Pro) version for adult play in warm climates and a soft version for younger teens for off-summer play. At the highest levels of ball hockey, teams use a hard, orange, small, round, and smooth 3-inch diameter orange/reddish ball. This allows players to curve the ball, overshooting or underdoing a windup and following through their shots. Some ball manufacturers now market the balls with the temperature range that the ball is rated for on the packaging itself. Although there is no certified industry standard for the balls as there is no street hockey standardization organization, all hockey ball manufacturers sell their balls according to the following temperature range: red/orange = hot/warm above 60 degrees (15 C), pink = cool – between 40-60 degrees (4.5-15 C) yellow = cold – below 40 degrees (4.5 C).

Most non-international tournaments introduce the following equipment requirements for runners:

Helmets are compulsory for players.

Some type of gloves must be worn, and they do not have to be hockey gloves, but they must not drop strings. Special gloves for the sport of ball hockey have been designed and are manufactured and sold to ball hockey players.

Some type of shinguards must be worn, and they don’t have to be hockey shinguards. Special pads for the sport of ball hockey have been designed and are manufactured and sold to ball hockey players.

Teams must have matching jerseys with numbers. These can often be t-shirts with numbers.

Appropriate footwear for walking.

A kind of official hockey stick

NOTE: Special helmets, shin guards, and gloves for the sport of ball hockey have been designed and are manufactured and sold to ball hockey players, but players are not required to wear them at all tournaments.

The following equipment requirements apply to goalkeepers:

Goalie helmet with full face mask

chest protector

thigh pads

Goalie Leg Pads

Goalie glove or trapper

Goalie Blocker

goalie stick

Shirt that fits OVER all chest devices

Appropriate footwear

The flooring used for ball hockey tournaments is typically a specific type of playing field, often referred to as a “sports field”. Athletic fields are, quite simply, modular plastic tiles, typically 1 square foot, that snap together for quick installation and removal. Sport Court, is the preferred turf design in Montreal at the famous Arena Le Rinque. The tiles come in different colors and are manufactured by different companies. The tiles are often pre-made with lines on them forming the markings required for tournament play, such as B. Center and blue lines, face-off circles and goal folds.

For official international tournaments, the I.S.B.H.F. Rules apply and players must wear protective gear as specified in their rule book.

governing bodies[edit]

international [edit]

The sport’s official world governing body is the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation (ISBHF),[2] which operates out of the Czech Republic and Canada. The federation is made up of 39 countries and recognizes hundreds of thousands of players playing in organized leagues around the world.

Canada[ edit ]

The Canadian Ball Hockey Association [3] is the official governing body of ball hockey in Canada, however numerous leagues operate independently of this organization in Canada. Official leagues sanctioned by the CBHA include:

British Columbia

BC Ball Hockey Association

West Coast Minor Hockey Association

alberta

Wild Rose Ball Hockey Association

Alberta Minor Ball Hockey Association

Saskatchewan

· Prairie Central Ball Hockey Association

Manitoba

· Manitoba Ball Hockey Association

ontario

· Ontario Ball Hockey Association

Quebec

· Quebec Ball Hockey Association

New Brunswick

· New Brunswick Ball Hockey Association

Nova Scotia

· Ball Hockey Association of Nova Scotia

Newfoundland & Labrador

Newfoundland & Labrador Ball Hockey Association

United States[edit]

The governing body for ball hockey is USA Ball Hockey.[4] In the United States there is an officially sanctioned league, the National Ball Hockey League.[5]

Europe and Asia[edit]

Several European and Asian countries have their own governing bodies where the sport has enough players to have a national following and presence. A list can be found on the ISBHF website.[6]

history [edit]

In North America, natives were first observed playing a variant of the game in 1572. [citation needed] In the 1960s, Canada became the first nation to play the sport in organized leagues, followed by the United States over the next decade, then countries in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s. The most historic game was the 2022 British Columbia Provincial Peewee Championship. The game was between the Valley Warriors and the Surrey Wolverines. The game is so remarkable that Valley finished the game in less than a second, 0.9 seconds to be exact. Valley won the game early in sudden death overtime, defeating the Surrey Wolverines 5-4

Recreation Levels[ edit ]

For a more detailed description of the recreational game, see the Street Hockey article.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Media related to Ball hockey at Wikimedia Commons

Sports equipment for ice hockey

A hockey puck is either an open or closed disc used in a variety of sports and games. There are designs for use on an ice surface such as: in ice hockey, and others for the various variants of floor hockey, including the roller skate variant of inline hockey (aka roller hockey). They are all designed to perform the same function as a ball in ball games.

A closed disc made of vulcanized rubber is used in ice hockey. The closed disc was also known as a “flat ball”. Ice hockey pucks are designed for use on ice rinks, dry ground, or underwater, although open disc designs have only been used on ground ]

Open disc hockey pucks are used in a specific style of floor hockey and should not be confused with ringette rings, which are toruses. Ringette rings are items designed for use in the sport of ringette and have one of two designs: one design for use on ice and the other for use on dry ground used in gym ringette. The ring used for the ringette ice game is a pneumatic rubber torus. The Gym Ringette Ring is a torus made of a spongy material and unlike the Ice Ring is not hollow. The Ringette “Practice Ring” (aka “Turboring”) is not a torus but a small open disc used on ice to help ringette players develop and improve passing taking skills.

This article mainly covers the sports and game pucks, which are closed discs.

Etymology[ edit ]

The origin of the word puck is unclear. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the name is related to the verb to puck (a cognate of poke), used in the games of shinty and hurling for hitting or pushing the ball, from Scottish Gaelic puc or Irish poc , meaning “to poke, hit or hit”:[2][3]

It is possible that settlers from Nova Scotia, many of whom were Scots and Irish who played shinty and hurling, introduced the word to Canada. This is aided by Canada’s prevalent use of the word “shinny” for an informal or “pick-up” game of hockey, also derived from the Scottish game of shinty. The first known printed reference was in Montreal in 1876 (Montreal Gazette 7 February 1876), just a year after the first indoor game was played there.[4]

A hockey puck is also known colloquially as a “biscuit”. Putting the “biscuit in the basket” (colloquial for the goal) means to score a goal.

In ice hockey[edit]

Ice hockey requires a vulcanized rubber disk. A standard ice hockey puck is black, 1 inch (25 mm) thick, 3 inches (76 mm) in diameter, and weighs between 5.5 and 6 ounces (156 and 170 g); some pucks are heavier or lighter than standard (see below). Pucks are often marked with screen-printed team or league logos on one or both sides. Pucks are frozen before play to reduce bouncing during play.[5]

history [edit]

The first ice hockey pucks[ edit ]

The first ice hockey pucks[6] were made from frozen cow dung and leather liver pads. These early pucks lasted about a game before becoming too soft or too hard for playability, so they were replaced with wooden ones.

Ball games on ice[ edit ]

The sport of bandy, prior to its first official organization in Britain, had spread its informal variants to North America, where it and game concepts of lacrosse, shinty, and hurling served as precursors in some formats for ice hockey. These informal games used different types of balls while being played on ice until the second half of 19th century Canada. After that, the ice hockey game and the ice hockey puck took on their official form.

Shape and material[ edit ]

By the 1870s, flat pucks were being made from both wood and rubber. Initially, pucks were made in the shape of a square. Records from the first indoor ice hockey game used a wooden puck to prevent it from leaving the playing area[7], although new evidence has shown that cuts from large corks were also used.[citation needed]

Rubber pucks were first made by slicing a rubber ball and then trimming the slab square. The Victoria Hockey Club of Montreal is credited with making and using first-round pucks in the 1880s.

Variations[edit]

There are several variations on the standard 170 g (6 oz) black hockey puck. One of the most common is a 110 g (4 ounce) blue puck used for training younger players who are not yet able to use a standard puck. Heavier 10-ounce (280 g) training pucks, typically reddish-pink or reddish-orange in color, are also available for players looking to develop the strength of their shots or improve their racquet handling skills. Players looking to increase wrist strength often practice with steel pucks that weigh 2 pounds (910 g); These pucks are not used for shooting as they could seriously injure other players. White pucks are used for goalie practice. These are regulation size and weight but made of white rubber. A hollow, lightweight, fluorescent orange puck is available for street or floor hockey. Other variants, some with plastic ball bearings or sliders, are available for street or roller hockey use.

Two major developments were made to improve puck visibility on television broadcasts, but both were short-lived:

fire puck[ edit ]

The use of a “firepuck” in the early 1990s was the first attempt to increase the visibility of hockey pucks on television. This invention incorporates colored retroreflective materials from either embedded lens elements or prismatic reflectors laminated into indentations on the flat surfaces and vertical edge of a standard hockey puck. Yellow was the preferred reflected color. A spotlight had to be positioned on top of the television camera and focused on the center of the viewing area.

A short demonstration tape of the Minnesota North Stars skating with the firepuck was shown during intermission at the 1993 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal. The International Hockey League (IHL) tested the Firepuck with its inventor Donald Klassen. The next television show was the IHL All-Star Game in Fort Wayne, Indiana January 1994 where the firepuck was used for the entire game. The IHL tested the firepuck in two more games, and eventually the East Coast Hockey League used it for their All-Star game on January 17, 1997.

The use of the Firepuck has been discontinued for the following reasons:

The slight structural change increased the puck’s tendency to bounce on the ice. This made it difficult for the goalkeeper and resulted in an increased score.

The skaters objected to the use of camera spotlights reflected off the ice.

The Firepuck’s television contrast was not noticeably improved when the camera view was on the entire rink, as that was the most common camera shot.

The Firepuck name was trademarked in the 1990s but has since been discontinued.

Smart Puck[ edit ]

The FoxTrax “Smart Puck” was developed by Fox television when it owned the United States broadcast rights of the National Hockey League (NHL). The puck had onboard electronics to track its position on screen. a blue stripe traced the puck’s path across the ice. The stripe would turn red if the puck was shot particularly hard. This was a broadcast experiment designed to help viewers unfamiliar with hockey follow the game better by making the puck more visible. It was poorly received by many traditional hockey fans but appreciated by many of the more casual viewers. The system debuted to much publicity at the NHL All-Star Game at the Boston Fleet Center on April 20. The system was shelved when Fox Sports lost the NHL broadcasting rights three years later.

In game[edit]

During a game, pucks can hit speeds of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) or more. Zdeno Chára, whose slapshot hit 108.8 miles per hour (175.1 km/h) in the 2013 NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills competition, broke his own previous record.[9] The current world record is held by Denis Kulyash of KHL’s Avangard Omsk, who hit a puck at a speed of 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) at the 2011 KHL All-Star Game Skill Competition in Riga, Latvia ]

Fast-flying pucks are potentially dangerous for players and spectators. Puck-related injuries at hockey games are not uncommon. This led to the development of various types of protective gear for players, most notably the goalie mask. The most notable incident involving a spectator occurred on March 18, 2002, when a 13-year-old girl, Brittanie Cecil, died two days after she was struck by a hockey distraction into the crowd at an NHL game between the two -Puck was hit in the head Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus. This is the only known incident of this nature in league history. Partly as a result of this event, the glass or plexiglass panels that sit on the rinks of hockey rinks to protect spectators were supplemented with mesh netting that extends beyond the top edge of the glass.

manufacture [edit]

NHL rules pucks were not required for professional play until the 1990-91 season, but were standardized half a century earlier by Art Ross in 1940 for consistent play and ease of manufacture. Major manufacturers of pucks can be found in Canada, Russia, the Czech Republic, the People’s Republic of China[5] [better source needed] and Slovakia.[10]

The puck’s black rubber is made from a blend of natural rubber, antioxidants, binders, and other chemicals to achieve a balance of hardness and durability.[11] This mixture is then rotated in a machine with metal rollers, where workers add additional natural rubber and ensure the mixture is even. The samples are then placed in a machine that analyzes whether the rubber will cure at the right temperature. An automated device called a pultrusion machine[5] extrudes the rubber into long, 3-inch (7.6 cm) diameter round logs and then cuts it into 2.5-cm-thick pieces while it is still soft. These preforms are then manually placed into molds that are exactly the size of a finished puck.[11] There are up to 200 mold cavities per mold pallet, which can produce up to 5,000 pucks per week.[5] The shapes are then compressed. This compression can be done cold[5] or with molds heated to 149°C (300°F) for 18 minutes[11] depending on the manufacturer’s proprietary methods. They come out hard and are then allowed to sit for 24 hours. Each puck is manually cleaned with a trimmer machine to remove excess rubber. The molding process adds a diamond-shaped cross hatch around the edge of the puck to create more friction between the racquet and the puck for better puck control and handling.[11]

The practice pucks are made using a similar but faster process, using larger preforms 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 inches) thick, automatically placed in molds, and using more pressure and heat to compress the pucks over a shorter period of time Standard size puck. This allows about twice as many pucks to be produced in the same amount of time compared to the more demanding production of NHL regulation pucks. People sometimes freeze pucks to prevent them from sticking to the ice.[5]

The list of former or current major producers includes

In roller hockey[ edit ]

Roller hockey, puck a.k.a. inline hockey puck

Roller hockey pucks, also known as inline hockey pucks, are similar to ice hockey pucks but are made of plastic and are therefore lighter. They have small ribs protruding from their top and bottom that limit contact with the surface, allowing for better sliding movement and less friction. These pucks are most commonly red in color, but can be found in almost any color, although bright, visible colors such as red, orange, yellow, pink, and green are typical. Roller hockey pucks were designed to allow inline hockey and street hockey players to play with a puck instead of a ball on surfaces such as hardwood, concrete, and asphalt.

In underwater hockey[ edit ]

Originally known as the “Squid” in the United Kingdom and now commonly known as the “Octopush”, underwater hockey uses a type of puck that, while similar in appearance to an ice hockey puck, differs in that it has a lead core weighing about 3 pounds ( 1.4 kg) within a Teflon, plastic or rubber coating. This makes the puck tight enough to sink into a pool, although it can be lifted during passes while providing some protection to the pool tiles.

A smaller and lighter version of the standard puck exists for junior competitions and weighs approximately 0.80-0.85 kg (1 lb 12 oz) and is similar in construction to the standard puck.

Although there are numerous regional differences in colour, construction and materials, all international regulations that dictate overall dimensions and weight must be complied with. The regulations state that pucks should be a bright, distinctive color, such as conspicuous pink or orange, and that these are the only acceptable colors for world championships.

In sponge[ edit ]

Spongee[14], also known as “Sponge Hockey”, is a cult organized recreational game that originated in Canada in the 1950s and is played in the Canadian city of Winnipeg. It gets its name from the puck used: a softer sponge puck is used instead of the hard vulcanized rubber puck used in regular ice hockey.[15] At one point, some locals began referring to him as a “tweeter” based on the sound the original pucks made. The game is a variant of ice hockey and was influenced by Canadian street hockey players and ice hockey players playing shinny on outdoor lanes in running shoes and winter boots. The game is played exclusively on outdoor ice rinks during winter (no matter how cold), no skates are used, and there are less-contact codes. Sometimes broom ball shoes are used.

The sponge puck [15] [16] came about when someone took a red, white, and blue toy handball and cut out the center, leaving a rough approximation of a standard hockey puck. Eventually, manufactured types of sponge pucks also came into use, some developed in Slovakia and having a spring interior. Spongee pucks are softer than hockey pucks and have more bounce.

In other sports and games[edit]

The term “puck” is also sometimes used for similar (though often smaller) playing discs in other sports and games, including novuss, shuffleboard, table shuffleboard, box hockey, floor hockey, and air hockey.

Alternative uses[edit]

Ice hockey pucks with a regulation 3 inch (7.6 cm) diameter and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thickness can be used as mechanical vibration damping isolators at locations such as feet for light industrial air compressors and air conditioners because of the regulation materials and therefore consistent in manufacture, size and shape and are made of a repeatable and consistent vulcanized rubber material.

Because the material is rubber, it can easily be drilled or milled to a fixed depth as rubber feet, or used as rubber spacers or gasket material.

A slotted hockey puck is very commonly used as an adapter between the metal base of a floor jack and the rocker (sill) of an automobile. The sill has a spot welded lip that fits into the puck’s slot and would otherwise be bent or marked by the metal foot.

In November 2018, faculty at Oakland University in Michigan received hockey pucks and were trained to throw them against active shooters as a possible last line of defense. The American Association of University Professors distributed pucks to its 800 members and is working with student groups to distribute an additional 1,700 pucks to students.[17]

See also[edit]

Stick for propelling the puck in ice hockey

Girl with a field hockey stick

A hockey stick is a sporting device used by the players in all forms of hockey to move the ball or puck (depending on the type of hockey) either to push, pull, hit, hit, flick, to direct, launch or stop the ball/puck during play with the aim of moving the ball/puck around the field with the stick and then attempting to score a goal.

The word “stick” is a very generic term for equipment, as the different disciplines of ice hockey require significant variation in both the shape and size of the stick used in order to be effective in the different sports. Field/ice/roller hockey all share a visually similar stick shape, with a long shaft or handle that can be held with two hands and a curved and flattened end. The tip and curvature of these sticks are generally the most visible differences between sticks for these sports. A modern underwater hockey stick bears little resemblance to a field/ice/roller hockey stick as it is much smaller to be used solely with one hand and also needs to be made in one of two colors to identify it for which of the participating teams a player plays.

Field hockey[ edit ]

field hockey stick

Field hockey sticks have an end that is shaped differently depending on the player’s position. In general, there are four main variants of the head:

A broken wooden hockey stick without a case

The “Short” is mainly used by players who want to have control over the ball and improve their maneuverability. This particular head is most associated with the midfield position. (or Ice Hockey Center)

The ‘Midi’ is used by players who hit the ball a lot and need to be strong on their ‘back’. This particular head is most associated with the forward or “front” position.

The ‘Maxi’ is similar to the ‘Midi’ in that it has a larger surface area useful for hitting. However, due to its strength, it can be used much more effectively to stop the ball. This head is used by “defenders” and “attackers”.

The ‘J Hook’ again has a large surface area. However does not have the effectiveness of the ‘Midi’ for hitting the ball, it has a greater thickness making it ideal for stopping the ball. This head is most commonly used by “defenders”. Field hockey sticks vary widely in length and price, ranging from 26″ to 38.5″. Major racquet brands include TK, Grays, Slazenger, Byte, Kookaburra, Malik, Dita, Voodoo, Adidas, Gryphon, Uber Hockey, Woodworm, Brabo, Mercian, Mazon, Zoppo, Tempest, Matador, King Karachi, NedStar, The Indian Maharaja , Stag, Wasa, No Fear, BHP, Taurus, Wasp, Princess, IHSAN, Mohinder, Chryso, Piranha, Rage, Sachin and Edge.

The size of racquet that is most effective for a particular player is judged by that player’s size. A 28″ racquet would be most commonly used by a player under 4ft, while a 38″ racquet would be used primarily by players over 5ft 10. It can be used for longer range when stopping a moving ball. The “attackers” prefer a shorter racket because it allows better control over the ball.

ice hockey [edit]

Ice hockey sticks on a shelf

Ice hockey sticks have traditionally been made of wood, but in recent years sticks made of more expensive materials such as aluminum, aramid (Kevlar, Nomex, Twaron brands, etc.), fiberglass, carbon fiber, and other composite materials have become common. Composite sticks not only weigh less, but can also be manufactured with more consistent flexibility characteristics than their wooden counterparts. They also don’t have the natural variations that wooden sticks possess, so a batch of the same sticks will all work roughly the same. There were a few die-hard NHL pros who still liked the feel of wooden bats in 2010, like Paul Stastny, son of Hall-of-Famer Peter Šťastný. Some of these clubs have replaceable wood or composite blades, while others are one-piece sticks with no replaceable blades. Composite sticks, despite their higher cost, are now commonplace at almost every level of competition in the sport, including youth hockey. Some of the top brands of composite racquets are Bauer, Easton, Reebok/CCM and Warrior. These new sticks are lighter and allow for faster puck release, resulting in a harder and more accurate shot. Although the new materials allow for harder shots, the improved durability and lighter materials can make the transition from wood to composite racquets more difficult for less experienced players. A shortcut used by numerous players is to use a weighted system, such as B. Kwik hands, [1] to quickly adapt to the new sticks. More expensive hockey sticks (such as Bauer Vapor 1X, Bauer Supreme 1S, Bauer Nexus 1N, CCM Ribcor Trigger PMT2, CCM RBZ FT1, CCM Super Tacks 2.0, Easton Stealth CX, Easton Synergy GX, Warrior Covert QRL, Warrior Alpha QX, Warrior Dynasty HD1) are typically the lightest racquets on the market (390-470 grams in a senior racquet). In addition to the increased torque these composite sticks possess, the sticks do not warp or absorb moisture like their wooden counterparts.

When the player stands on their skates, stick upright, on tip, perpendicular to the ice, the tip of the shaft should end just below or above the chin, depending on personal preference. Defenders tend to use longer sticks, which offer greater range when poke checking.

Ice hockey sticks are also used in rinkball.

Inline hockey[ edit ]

In roller hockey, one-piece sticks are usually synonymous with ice hockey sticks. But when graphite shafts are used with replacement reeds, it is quite common for the replacement reeds to be primarily fiberglass with a narrow wood core. Fiberglass will peel over time on concrete, athletic field, and asphalt surfaces where traditional wooden ice hockey replacement blades are more likely to chip, splinter, and/or break on these surfaces.

Underwater hockey[ edit ]

Drawing showing the maximum allowable dimensions of an underwater hockey stick (or pusher) under the International Rules, Tenth Edition.

The stick (also known as a pusher) for underwater hockey is relatively short compared to that for field/ice/roller hockey and should be colored either white or black in its entirety to indicate the player’s team. Racket shape can affect playing style and is often a very personal choice.

A variety of racquet designs are allowed under the Rules of the Game, the main rule being that the racquet must fit in a box measuring 100 x 50 x 350 mm (approximately 4″ x 2″ x 14″) and that the racquet must not fit in be able to enclose more than 50% of the circumference of the puck, nor any part of the hand A rule regarding the radii of protrusions and edges attempts to mitigate the risk of the stick unintentionally becoming more of a weapon than a game tool.

Building materials can be wood or plastic, and current regulations now replace those that previously required rods to be homogeneous, although they almost always are anyway. Many UWH players make their own wooden sticks in their preferred shape and style, although there are increasingly more mass-produced designs that fit the majority (such as Bentfish, Britbat, CanAm, Dorsal, Stingray, etc.), resulting in the In most cases the case is molded nylon or PTFE, and many styles are available for both hands.

The rules allow the use of a symmetrical double stick, i. H. one that can be held in either the left or right hand, and this can give two-handed players the opportunity to switch hands during play, although the rules are also very clear that the racquet can only be held in one hand at a time may.

Invented in 1954 as a sport originally known as Octopush in Southsea, England, modern-day underwater hockey (UWH) has always used short sticks or pushers similar to those described above, but a very similar game, also called underwater hockey, developed some Years later this in South Africa. This game used a “long stick” which was very similar in shape to an ice hockey stick, although considerably smaller at about 50 cm (20 inches) long and required two hands to hold and use. The “long stick” version of the game, played primarily in the southern hemisphere, eventually gave way to the more popular “short stick” version, and since about 1980, the year of the first UWH World Championship, the original “short Stick” game played all over the world.

Other uses of the term[edit]

In cha-cha and rhumba dancing, the “hockey stick” is a figure in which the dancer moves along a straight line, with an angled curve at the end.

On aircraft liveries, a hockey stick is a cheat line — a line that extends down the side of an airplane — that ends up pointing up and running up the tail fin.