r/Fieldhockey

My girlfriend loves hockey and I quite like it too, after watching it with her a few times. Way better sport than football (soccer). Mostly familiar with the rules now.

​​So I'm watching the Netherlands playing Japan right now, and the rules are clear to me, but they're creating a weird situation.

The Netherlands run up to the circle, aim the ball at a Japanese foot, get a penalty corner and score. We're halfway, it got to 5-0 that way.

What.

I understand the need for rules that enforce the whole "use your stick" but... Please explain to me like I'm 5 why a game allows a shortcut to mounting an actual attack?

(I'm not trying to diss the sport! I'm actually curious)

India beat Pakistan 5-3 : This Isn't a Rivalry Anymore

Pakistan tried hard but they were not able to match quality wise. They have energy and youth but quality leaves a lot to be desired.

India vs Pakistan is becoming boring in all sports. Rude Australians are better for rivalry.

That yellow was a ridiculous call, even Green would have been a far stretch … the way better team got robbed

Once again not sure this coaching appointment is really gonna work for us. However, we only have Bob Vedholf like what? 3 months? And he joined us as a GK coach at first then suddenly was switched to head coach 3 weeks before the World Cup.

Let's give him time and resources, which the PHF has been giving. Reports are suggesting that PHF is going to ALL lengths to revive hockey. This is a world cup that begins our revival. There's still lots to play for, our aim now shifts to securing 9th place as we go into Pool F where we will face Japan and most probably New Zealand. Both are formidable opponents, especially New Zealand but beating them could be a highlight of our World Cup as they thrashed us last year 6-2 in the Nations Cup final. Winning that group means we'll get to play for the 9th position against formidable team like France or Spain.

There's also the Asian Games coming up and before that tours to Korea and Russia are arranged aswell. There's plenty of hockey for Bob Vedholf and team to redeem themselves.

I started field hockey 4 years ago and have put a huge amount of work into it: Nexus, private coaching, camps, clinics, select teams, and tons of individual practice. I’m a high-scoring forward, and last year my biggest weakness was speed, so I worked on it constantly. This year I was one of the fastest players at tryouts.

Our team is technically top 5 in the state, although there are only ~20 teams, so it’s not an elite national program. Our other high-level/state-winning sports (like football and lacrosse where there is a ton of really good competition) at my school regularly move players up, but field hockey is basically the only sport where I’ve never seen someone moved from JV to varsity.

Last year I was on an 18-player, no-cut freshman team. 9 of those 18 players were cut this year. None made varsity, but I made it to the final day of varsity tryouts alongside only the players who made it, then was placed on JV.

The roster situation is also weird. Two years ago we had 25 players. Last year they added 15 because they wanted a bigger squad, making 29. The sophomores/juniors weren't necessarily amazing; they mainly wanted numbers. Ironically, last year was the farthest the team has ever gone. Parents complained, so this year the roster went back to 25.

Only 3 players made varsity this year: two very experienced sophomores who have played for ~10 years and were on JV last year, and one junior defender who was needed. Five JV juniors tried out and four were cut; juniors can only make varsity at my school.

The freshman situation is different too. The freshman team is capped at 18 and it’s no-cut, so some of the better ones have to make JV. Last year about half the freshmen had played before and were strong. This year none of the freshmen had played before, but some still went to JV because the freshman roster was full. Btw players have gone directly from freshman to varsity before.

I genuinely feel like I’ve outgrown JV. I’m not trying to insult anyone, but I’m currently the only JV player who can consistently do aerials and tomahawks, and most varsity players can’t either.

There’s also a need for forwards: we lost our top scorer to graduation, and 4 of the 8 varsity forwards are injured. We’ve had 6 injuries this year compared with 1 last year. Obviously I don’t want anyone hurt, but if a spot opens, I feel like I could fill a need.

The biggest issue is that I hate being on JV. Basically everyone on the team dislikes me and mocks me for trying too hard and not making var. I’m also friends with all the varsity girls, so I’d much rather be around them.

JV also doesn’t challenge me. I feel like I’m getting worse because practices aren’t competitive enough. Varsity practices are harder, faster, longer, and more competitive, and I think that environment would help me improve much more.

I also get shin splints, and I’ll probably have to play almost the entire JV game. Being a varsity bench player could mean less game workload while still getting harder practices.

The schedule is another issue. The JV bus leaves immediately after school, so I spend extra time getting to/waiting at the field, and practice ends at 6:30, compared with varsity ending around 5:00. I have a difficult school schedule and a job I need to help pay for my aging dog. So despite varsity practices being longer, varsity would actually give me more usable time for homework (I’m taking much harder classes this year) and job.

Because of all this, quitting is genuinely an option. I really don’t want to after putting 3 years into this, especially because I genuinely love the sport, but I also don’t want JV to hurt my schoolwork , job, health, or development.

My JV coach was also my private coach, and I really respect her. Which is also why I am upset with my teammates, because they hate her for being a lesbian, which imo doesn’t matter as long as ur a good persons, which she is. I don’t want to go around her or make her think I’m saying I’m too good for her team. I just feel that I’ve worked extremely hard, improved significantly, made it to the final day of varsity tryouts, and could potentially help varsity if a forward spot opens.

So, what would you do? Stay on JV and try again next year, respectfully ask to be considered if a varsity spot opens, or quit? And if I talk to my coaches, how do I advocate for myself without sounding entitled or disrespectful to my JV coach?

Does anyone know of any rec teams or competitive pick up sessions in Brooklyn, NY specifically? I feel like there should be something, especially given the large South Asian and Caribbean population here, but haven't been able to find anything online. I've been playing summer and fall pick up with NYC Field Hockey, which is super fun, but it's very laid back and after watching the world cup games I'm itching for something more competitive. I'm considering joining NEFHA, but I live in Central Brooklyn so it would be quite a trek for me to either of the facilities they use in upper Manhattan or Staten Island (I don't have a car). I don't mind playing on regular turf rather than water turf.

My playing experience includes high school, a club travel team, then D3 in college. I'm not an amazing player lol but am pretty good and can hold my own. I really just love the sport and being around others who love it too. If you know of anything more local to me, lmk! Thanks :)

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Hey guys! I am currently looking at options for field hockey shin guards for my nephew. He is eight and a half years old, and has been killing it on the sport. So I wanted to surprise him with a new pair of shin guards. He has no idea I am getting them for him, and I don't want to ask my brother because I want it to be a surprise. How do I choose the right size? Is age enough?🥲 I have been looking at places like alibaba to get an idea of the pricing, but are there subtle ways I can measure his size?? Any thoughts are welcome!

I was mentally prepared for the absolute bollocks Simon Mason talks, but the other male and female (currently commentating on NZ & Japan) are giving him a serious run for his money.

50 quid and I have to listen to these posh, English bias commentators, stroke each other's egos and chat absolute nonsense instead of calling the match like normal human beings, similar to how a football commentator would.

At this stage just get past international players on who actually know what they are talking about to commentate instead of some clown describing how 'The keeper rhetorically shifted his left ball and socket joint within the hip in order to get his equilibrium weight down to the near post, therefore making the attacker question his right hand follow through commitment on the upright backhand volley (WHICH I LOVE BY THE WAY)'.

Where is the Aussie commentator who has done previous world cups?

Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, South Africa, Australia, Ireland, Argentina to name a few have branding right on the butt. I get that its a sport that is played bent over, but you dont see that on the mens uniforms. Like really? Do we need to drawing more attention to the womens bums? That branding could have quite easily gone on the jersies below the numbers...

Hello, I was wondering what (some) goalkeepers wear under their long sleeve shirts. I’ve seen it multiple times at matches (also now with the worldcup), some goalkeepers wear their elbow protectors under their long sleeve shirts and under that they have another layer. Is that like a sweat thingy or something else?
(If the sentence are wrong or not right, sorry English is not my first language)

I haven't managed to watch all the games but I am definitely pleased with England so far. Germany has obviously been playing well beating Belgium today. I will be interested to see how the Netherlands do against Argentina.