Field Hockey

Field Hockey is the oldest known ball and stick game and dates back to some of our earliest civilizations.

During the middle ages a French stick game known as hoquet was played and the English word hockey may have been derived from this. The sport is referred to as field hockey so as not to mix it up with ice hockey.

Field hockey became firmly established in the late 19th century when it was played in a club in the British Isles. At this time the game was played with primitive sticks of wood and a cube of rubber which was used as the ball. It was at another club in London that the game was refined and rules were implemented that banned using hands and lifting sticks above the shoulder.

Field Hockey spread quickly through the British Isles and is now recognized as the 2nd largest played team sport next to Soccer. Until the second half of the 19th century field hockey was played exclusively by men. Field Hockey was the only sport that early women were allowed to play and was considered for some time " the only proper team sport for women."

The Irish Ladies Hockey League was started in 1894 in Dublin. The international governing body for women's hockey, the International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations (IFWHA), was formed in 1927.

Despite the restrictions on women in sports during the Victorian Era the sport became increasingly popular. By the end of the 19th century, women's hockey had spread to New Zealand, South Africa, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and elsewhere in the world. Field Hockey served as a liberator for women in sports but did not begin to be taken seriously until the 1970s. The first women's World Cup was held in 1974 and the sport of Field Hockey finally became an Olympic Event in 1980.

Today Field Hockey is widely played by girls and women of all ages. The sticks have changed dramatically over the years and the stick that has been widely used at the middle school, high school and college level has been a wooden stick that is between 36-38 inches long and with a midi toe.

There are a wide variety of new sticks now that are made of a composite material and are more durable and functional than those made in the past.

Any field hockey stick needs to be fitted to the user by measuring the stick and user so that the top of the stick comes to just about the hip level of the player. Field Hockey sticks are made in a wide range of sizes to fit any size player.

The newest composite stick to the market is the Voodoo stick that comes with incredible new graphics and is made of a composite mixture that gives the athlete the best qualities of a wood and composite stick. The sticks range in price from $70.00-$125.00. Many sports stores do not carry them and they can be hard to find. If you have a difficult time finding Field Hockey equipment in your local area Sportsjust4girls, Inc. in Mt. Sinai, NY will ship directly to you and your team, just call 631-474-4952 or e-Mail us we are dedicated to promoting Girl's Sports and Sports teams!

Nancy Dooley
Sports Just 4 Girls, Inc.
5507-19 Nesconset Hwy.
Mt. Sinai, NY 11766
phone: 1.631.474.4952 fax: 1.631.474.4955
e-Mail questions to: sportsjust4girls@yahoo.com