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With a historic win of the bronze medal for the Men’s team in the Olympics and a record-breaking 4th place for the women’s team, India is abuzz with the sound of hockey all around. The sport is being widely talked about, people are interested in the game and above all, a formal recognition much due has come by. The article that follows therefore stands to enlighten us with the basics of hockey- from the number of players to the ground rules. The aim is to simplify the national sport and present it to the youth- the group who are expected to bear the glory brought forth once again. It is not unknown to us how many players and superstars were produced by India in hockey, so with that in the backdrop, let’s start right away.
READ MOREHockey is a sport in which two teams compete against each other by using a hockey stick to manoeuvre a ball or puck into the opponent's goal. Bandy, field hockey, ice hockey, and rink hockey are some of the different styles of hockey.
In most of the world, the name hockey refers to field hockey, although it commonly refers to ice hockey in Canada, the United States, Russia, and most of Eastern and Northern Europe. The word "hockey" was first mentioned in Richard Johnson's (Pseud. Master Michel Angelo) 1773 book Juvenile Sports and Pastimes, to Which Are Prefixed, Memoirs of the Author: Including a New Mode of Infant Education, whose chapter XI was titled "New Improvements on the Game of Hockey."
Field hockey, most popular in India is played with a small, hard ball of 73 mm (2.9 in) in diameter on gravel, natural grass, or sand-based or water-based artificial turf. In many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina, the game is popular among both boys and ladies. In most nations, the game is played between single-sex teams, while mixed-sex teams can also compete.
The International Hockey Federation, which has 126 members, is the governing organisation (FIH). Except for 1912 and 1924, men's field hockey has been played at every Summer Olympic Games since 1908, while women's field hockey has been played since 1980.
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Each side has eleven players: ten field players and one goalkeeper. Attackers, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers will make up the field formations, which may vary based on the coach's approach. The attackers are the ones who score the most goals. Wingers, inside forwards, and a striker are all possibilities. The most versatile players on the pitch are the midfielders. They are useful for both offence and defence. The defence is essentially the responsibility of the defenders. As a sweeper, the deepest defence back might be deployed. The goalie is the last line of defence and is responsible for defending the goal cage. Hence, more than the question of how many players in hockey are required, it’s about the strategic placement which we will talk about in subsequent paragraphs:
These are the players who obtain the most points. They spend the majority of the game between midfield and the goalkeeper's post.
These are the group's multi-tasking runners, sometimes known as halfbacks or links. Their job requires them to play both offensive and defence, which requires them to sprint up and down the field switching between offence and defence. If you wish to play this position, you'll need a lot of stamina because you'll be running a lot.
These are the ones who are completely in the rear, as the term suggests. They won't be doing much scoring, but that's fine. It is their responsibility to play defence.
A coach may seek a slight advantage in the event of a goal being scored. While a sweeper is not required, it may be used by a team to provide additional insurance. A sweeper is a fullback who stays in the back of the rest of the fullbacks and is the closest player to their team's goalpost aside from the goalie.
Some may argue that this is the most crucial player on the team. It is the goalie's job to prevent the opposing team from scoring. To be a goalie, you must have quick reactions and the ability to communicate defensive strategy with your colleagues.
The origin of the word hockey is unknown. One theory is that it comes from the Middle French term “hoquet”, which means "shepherd's stave." The curved, or "hooked" ends of hockey sticks would have looked quite similar to these staves. Another theory is based on the fact that cork bungs (stoppers) are commonly used to play the game instead of hardwood balls. The stoppers originated from barrels of "hock" ale, sometimes known as "hockey" ale.
Games involving bent sticks and a ball can be found in many cultures' histories. In Egypt, 4000-year-old sculptures portray teams with sticks and a projectile; in Ireland, hurling dates from before 1272 BC; and in Ancient Greece, there is a depiction from around 600 BC, where the game may have been named kertzein since it was played with a horn or horn-like stick. For over 1,000 years, the Daur people of Inner Mongolia have played beikou, a game comparable to modern field hockey.
The majority of evidence for hockey-like games during the Middle Ages may be found in sports and game regulations. Certain sorts of ball sports were prohibited by the Galway Statute, which was enacted in Ireland in 1527. including games using "hooked" (written "hockie", similar to "hooky") sticks. Time is immemorial about how many players in hockey have come through these pages of history to be commemorated again and again!
The numerous forms and divisions of traditional games began to separate and merge into the individual sports defined today by the mid-nineteenth century. National and international entities sprung created to control internal and international competition, and organisations dedicated to the codification of rules and regulations began to arise. Modern-day hockey also additionally sports the use of various technology options and sporting gears, which makes it rank different from the past.
Here is a brief of 10 main rules of hockey as listed below:
Fouls:
Between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the British devised the first version of modern-day field hockey. It was introduced as a popular school game at the time, and during British administration in the 1850s, it was adopted by the Indian army.
The French word hoquet (shepherd's stick) has been credited to the name hockey, as the organised game has come to be known. The term rink was first used in the game of curling in 18th-century Scotland to refer to the designated playing area.
The craze for hockey has been rejuvenated off late with stupendous performances from the National team. With the fire ablaze, time is ripe for the young generation to seriously think of the sport and bring back the lost glory.
One of the key motivators will be the trivia that India still has the highest number of medals including gold medals from field hockey. Cricket has taken the upper hand while it comes to popularity, but time will definitely see hockey getting back the respect it always used to enjoy.
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