Field hockey is played on a 100 yard by 60 yard grass pitch. Each team has 11 players a side, unless a penalty is committed. A player uses a stick with a rounded head, which is used to dribble, pass, and shoot the ball. The objective of field hockey is to score more goals than the opposing team by putting the ball in the other team’s goal.

In field hockey, each side has 11 players on the field (16 on the roster) and vies to score more goals than the opponent using sticks to dribble and shoot. Goals are worth one point. Players are not allowed to shoot from outside the striking circle on the field, and the ball is not allowed to be moved by anything other than a player’s stick.

Field hockey is one of the oldest team sports in the world. Played for over 4,000 years, it has roots in ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Persia, and Greece. The modern game of field hockey originated in England in the 19th century. It was first played on grass fields, but now, synthetic turf and indoor surfaces are commonly used.

Dating back to the Greek classical era, field hockey remains one of the world’s oldest team sports. Hurling, the sport played during the Greek classical era, closely resembled the modern sport. However, field hockey received its name in fourteenth century England. It also is recognized as one of the oldest college sports in America.

Field Hockey Fun Facts Men’s field hockey has the fastest swing speed (103 mph) of any sport, even baseball. Field hockey was the third most watched sport at the 2012 London Olympics. Players can run five miles or more during the course of one game.