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Basic rules  

You are only allowed to hit the ball with the flat side of your stick. To use the other, more rounded side is referred to as back-stick and is a foul.   

It’s important to know that only the goalkeeper can kick the ball.  If the ball hits a player’s foot during play, then a free-hit will be given to the opposite team. 

Free-hits, side-lines or 16’s are points in the game where play is stopped and re-started, because of a bad tackle, the ball hitting a player’s foot, or the ball going off the back or side-line (there are many other reasons, too long to list!) The umpire will signal which team keeps possession and where the hit needs to be taken from.  

The large semi-circle zone in front of the goal is referred to as the D. If you are an attacking player, this is where you want to be, as it’s the only place on the pitch where a goal can be scored from.

If the ball hits a defending players foot in this area, something called a penalty corner is given. This a great goal scoring opportunity. The attacking team sets up several players around the top of the D and the ball is pushed out from a player on the baseline. There would be four defenders in the goal along with the goalkeeper. In a perfect scenario, a goal is scored or stopped, depending on which way you look at it.

A penalty stroke is given if a defending player stops a goal or a scoring opportunity with their feet or body on the goal line, or if a very bad foul or tackle is made in the D.

Of course, there are many more rules to learn but these are some to get you started. You can then move onto skills like the Indian Dribble, the reverse hit (also known as a tomahawk or backhand) spins, dummy passes, the drag flick and so much more. You are always learning in hockey!