Hockey

Hockey is one of the many sports derived from pre historic man's delight in stick and ball games. It is a game played between two teams on a field with curved sticks and a small hard ball. Its birth place was Asia and authorities credit Persia with having devised it about 2000BC. Modern hockey was created in England. The true ancestor of hockey was Irish hurling. The first hockey club was formed in Blackheath in 1861. The first international match was played in 1895 between England and Ireland. In 1908 hockey was included in the modern Olympic Games.

The most extra ordinary aspect of its evolution is that a game once so rough and unruly was adopted by women. Hockey is a very popular support in the northern regions of the United States and Canada, it has just started catching on in the South East United States. It is an exciting game that is rather violent at times. Hockey team is made up of 11 players, which usually has 5 forwards, 3 halfbacks, 2 fullbacks, and 1 goalkeeper; however, this scheme may be altered. The players often switch and change positions during a match according to the planned strategies and immediate needs. The hockey match is divided into two halves of 35 minutes each and Teams change goals at the end of the first half.

There is a lot more to hockey, it not just helps one to be disciplined but also teaches a lot of aspects like teamwork. There are a lot of sports where one can play individually but hockey helps instill in the players the discipline, team work, sportsmanship and team effort. Team sports are of special importance as they instill in players the spirit of playing together as a team. One such game is Hockey; this is a game which belongs to that category of sports where two teams play against one another. The players use a hockey stick to guide the ball into the opponent's goal.

There are different types of hockey played all over the world. Filed hockey, ice hockey, street hockey and roller hockey are they types of hockey. Field Hockey is played on natural grass, gravel sand and water based artificial turfs. The international matches are all played on the artificial turf. This game is mainly an outdoor game but can be also played indoors on a smaller field. The hockey field measures 100 yards in length and about 50-60 yards in width. The goals are located at the centre of the goal lines and are approximately 12 feet wide. The goalpost measures 7 feet in height and has a top bar. The hockey sticks are J-shaped and are made up from carbon fiber, glass fiber and wood. This composition makes the hockey sticks strong and sturdy.