Mark your space
Mark it once. Every card in field hockey starts from this space and adds what it needs.
The space
A smooth yard of about 10 m by 10 m or a hall floor; two cones as a goal; four cones as a square; a wall for passing practice. Keep other people outside a stick's swing.
Where it fits: lane, terrace, park, school ground, village ground (smooth), indoor hall.
Mark in this order
- A start line
- A cone gate
- A small goal (two cones 2 m apart)
- A passing mark 5 to 8 m away
Chalk or tape is enough. Tick each mark as you make it.
Practice kit first
A tennis ball or soft ball, a plastic stick or a light wooden stick (a rolled newspaper for the first week).
Shin guards and a mouthguard for any game with a hard ball.
Real kit only at a club.
Safety
The stick stays below the waist and nobody stands behind a hitter; hit towards the edge, never towards another group; no lifting the ball near people; in first games the stick stays low and there is no hitting; shin pads for all, a mouthguard when the risk of mouth injury is high; a goalkeeper in full kit faces one ball at a time; stop play to fetch balls; football boots or turf shoes on wet grass or turf.
awiseathlete.com/sports/field-hockey/setup