Outdoor hockey

In Sweden, we play outdoor hockey in a variety of formats. The most common format is 11-a-side hockey with 10 outfield players and one goalie. We also play both 5-a-side and 7-a-side: each format has its own perks, such as the size of the pitch. This is 48 x 31.76 m, 55 x 45.7 m and 91.4 x 55 respectively for 5-a-side, 7-a-side and 11-a-side. Outdoor hockey is a priority at Mesaicos and we play for as long as the weather allows – usually between March / April and November / December.

Here are some general rules:

• The players can only hit the ball with the flat side of the stick.
• If you hit the ball with the other side (backstick), your foot or any other part of the body you commit a foul. The opposing team then plays the ball or takes a shot similarly to soccer.
• Hitting an opponents stick with your stick (missing the ball) is a foul.
• The goalkeeper wears heavy padding to stop shots (the ball is heavy) and is the only one allowed to kick or touch the ball with his body.
• Players are not allowed to throw the ball high in the air unless they are shooting at the goal and there is no player in harm’s way (the goalkeeper can be in the way). The referee may allow long overhead passes as long as they are safe.
• Players need to be inside the shooting circle close to the goal to score. This can be a horizontal square or a curved area depending on the field.
• Obstructing a player who is moving is considered a foul (similarly to football).
• There is no offside.
• Referees can award personal penalties for misconduct. A player can take a green or yellow card and leave the pitch respectively for 2 or 5 minutes. A player can also receive a red card and be permanently suspended from the game.

In general, field hockey follows dynamics and strategies that are similar to those of football. The rules above will be more than enough to get you started.

Indoor hockey

We play indoor hockey during the winter, and each team has 5 outfield players and one goalie. The main difference between this form of hockey and outdoor hockey is the sidewalls around the pitch. In outdoor hockey if the ball crosses the line it leaves the pitch. In Indoor hockey instead you can bounce the ball off the sidewalls that delineate the pitch but you can’t lift the ball or hit it.

It is also common to wear an additional glove on your left hand to protect your hand from getting hit by a ball, which can happen more often in indoor. You can buy gloves at our shop. (Link to PDF) Otherwise you can order to a discounted price via Reece teamsales.store At Mesaicos, we usually play indoor hockey between October / November and March / April.

Most indoor hockey rules are similar to the ones described above. Some additional ones include:

• The ball leaves the pitch if it moves above the sideboards
• Players must not trap or hold the ball against the sideboards (eg in the corners of the pitch)
• The ball must not be lifted from the ground unless you are in the shooting circle and attempt to shoot at the goal. Lifting the ball, or so called 3D hockey, is instead quite common in outdoor hockey.