Page | 53
Sports & Games - 3
FIELD HOCKEY
Introduction:-
Field hockey is a popular sport in India, with a rich history and a strong presence at both the
national and international level. India is one of the most successful field hockey nations in the
world, having won 8 Olympic gold medals, including 6 consecutive golds between 1928 and
1956.In India, field hockey is commonly referred to as simply "hockey," and the sport is played
extensively at both the amateur and professional levels. The country has a robust domestic
league, the Hockey India League, which features some of the top players from around the
world. The game is played on a rectangular pitch, with a length of 100 yards and a width of 60
yards. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by shooting
the ball into their goal. Each team has 11 players, including a goalkeeper, and players use a
stick to control and move the ball around the pitch.
The game is governed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), and there
are several international tournaments that India regularly competes in, including the Hockey
World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games. The Indian national team, also
known as the Men in Blue, is one of the most successful teams in field hockey history, having
won numerous major international tournaments.
History:-
The history of field hockey dates back thousands of years, with evidence of a similar game
being played in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The modern version of field hockey,
however, is believed to have originated in England in the mid-19th century. The first field
hockey club, the Blackheath Hockey Club, was founded in London in 1861. Over the next few
decades, the sport grew in popularity, and rules were standardized in the late 1800s. In 1908,
field hockey was included in the Olympic Games for the first time, with England winning the
gold medal.
Throughout the 20th century, field hockey continued to gain popularity around the
world, with the sport becoming particularly popular in South Asia. India, in particular,
emerged as a dominant force in international field hockey, winning eight Olympic gold medals
and numerous other international tournaments.
n recent years, field hockey has continued to evolve, with changes in equipment, rules,
and tactics. The introduction of artificial turf in the 1970s, for example, has made the game
faster and more skilful, while advances in sports science and technology have led to new
training methods and strategies. Today, field hockey is played at both the amateur and
professional levels in countries around the world, with the International Hockey Federation
(FIH) serving as the sport's global governing body. The FIH organizes several major
international tournaments, including the Hockey World Cup, the Olympics, and the
Commonwealth Games, which feature many of the world's top players and teams.