For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
When the ball is cleared off the end line by a defender, the umpire deems it unintentional, and the attacking team requests their video referral. When you examine the travel of the ball, the body …
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A shot taken on the penalty corner goes between the post player’s legs, strikes the post and on its way out, hits his back heel. The correct decision here is another penalty corner rather than a …
On the first penalty corner of the game, the far right attacker breaks early into the circle prior to the injection. The umpire correctly stops the play, sends the injector to the centre line, allows …
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Two instances within 45s of the same team playing the ball after the whistle and breaking down play. In both examples, the fouling player subtly moves the ball further away from the spot of the foul …
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The umpire stops time to send a calming message to the player that when he’s unsighted, it’ll take a moment to get the message through the radio to get to the correct decision. The game had been …
This is a fairly standard movement pattern, keeping in mind that NZL is at the moment pressing BEL very intensely. What if at the moment when the ball is played backwards to the deepest defender, …
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Making a decision early as to whether advantage exists is a crucial element of timing and, in turn, your management of a game. The umpire is able to assess very quickly that although a defender …
A defender claims a stick block occurs on this attacking play. As he’s chasing the ball carrier from behind, the ball carrier changes his direction from cutting to the right to going straight at the …
An attacker continues to play after giving up the foul and the whistle is clearly heard, resulting in a green card. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, …
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The umpire here shows excellent anticipation and reading of the play after the ball turns over deep in her colleague’s end. By the time she comes into the picture as the ball is being dribbled towards …
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This situation doesn’t result in a third party obstruction as the defender wasn’t within playing distance, preferring to take a more oblique angle to channel the ball carrier into his far corner. …
Early in the first game of this two-match home-and-home set, the umpire chooses to set the tone of the communication he will not be accepting. The involved player protests that an earlier foot had …
A foul is upgraded just outside the circle to a penalty corner when the defender clearly uses his shoulder to push the ball carrier. Look for defenders who actively try to prevent attackers from …
An attacker receives the ball in an unusual kneeling position after fighting her way around her tightly-marking defender. The defender clearly holds her stick down with her own, but the ball springs …
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All of us, even the top umpires, make the occasion mistake on out-of-bounds calls. Having the awareness to notice authentic body language by players can help us fix them. Here, the defender who sent …
On the attempted tackle, the defender comes through the back of the receiver in an uncontrolled manner. Although the attacker may have gone down a little too easily, the defender didn’t try to step …
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After a turnover in the circle, the same player who had previously received a green card in Q2 breaks the play down with a stick obstruction. We have also seen a yellow card awarded to this team late …
After a vigorous challenge comes in from ESP #14, you can hear the umpires talking over the radio to confirm who it was and how they agreed they would deal with it, which was by a verbal warning. The …
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A breakdown tackle is rewarded with a green card just as the tempers start to rise in this game. It’s difficult to see exactly what occurred due to the players’ body positions and the distant camera …
Here is a good, up-close example of a tackle with lots of noise, but none of it caused by the defender. Watch his stick jab only slightly forward, and the direction of the ball after the successful …
Just prior to offloading the ball to a teammate, an attacker slips as he attempts a change of direction, knocking his defender back onto the floor as his teammate picks up the ball. It can be tricky …
The attacker is the initial receiver of this outlet aerial, and two defenders encroach on the 5m area. The first freeze frame is the moment when the free hit is awarded; the second where the self-pass …
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When attackers are pressing, it’s important to intervene as soon as possible to prevent a free hit from being taken incorrectly and subsequently reset. Here the ball is rolling, making it impossible …
The first decision of note here is the quick self-pass taken inside the 23m with a defender caught within the 5m zone. That defender isn’t expected to disappear and can, in some circumstances, work …
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Attacker is occupying the space and is the intended receiver of this aerial. Before the attacker can control the ball to the ground, the defender infringes on the 5m space. As the play …
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There are several moving pieces in this aerial, and shows the difficulty in parsing out exactly 5m of clear space for an initial receiver. In tracking the reception area prior to the ball arriving, …
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A penalty stroke is called on this tackle, and the defending goalkeeper requests a review on the basis that the attacker shielded the ball with his stick. There is a turn made but at real speed, …
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On this penalty stroke, the umpire is proactive about whether the taker is properly lining up her feet behind the ball. She also clearly indicates the stroke will proceed on the whistle, not giving …
The umpire takes a self-referral on this go-ahead goal, which is a crucial decision to take when the defending team has already lost their right to refer. The question may initially have been whether …
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Despite your best efforts, sometimes the ball will spin in unexpected directions after rebounding off the side-boards. Becoming a pylon can sometimes be your best defence! To access this …
This is an excellent pick by the umpire of an obstruction that goes unpenalized too often. As the attacker carries the ball towards the baseline, she kicks the stick of the defender away from the only …
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On a sweep shot like this it can be difficult to see a back stick as there is no telltale spray or looping ball trajectory as indicators. Here, the best sign is the toe of the stick. When we don’t …
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At the apex of this aerial’s path, the attacker was actually likely the clear initial receiver of the ball, particularly given it’s high trajectory and sharp drop into the circle. However, it’s …
The umpire warns the fouled attacker about flicking his stick up in reaction to the stick obstruction foul. In isolation, this is an excellent intervention. However, we’ve already seen a green card …
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The ball carrier is called for shielding as she carries the ball on her left side down the left sideline. The first defender isn’t in a front-on position but is parallel, while the ball carrier has …
A dangerous play emerges when a defender deflects the ball up in the air and the attacker attempts to pick it with their stick, hitting the fouling player in the forehead. The initial danger was still …
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After a penalty corner concludes, a defender discards her protective glove and inadvertently throws it at and strikes the umpire with it. Although the rule does prohibit players from throwing any …
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Although the defender was arguably within 5m of the quick self-pass as it was taken, he takes a jog of a step backwards to complete the 5m distance and then engages with the attacker. A good play on …
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A crucial read on the advantage allows an exciting goal opportunity to develop in the central channel. If you are looking ahead to where the ball should go next, you can properly and quickly assess …
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The BLR defender commits a stick obstruction along the side-boards and, within hearing distance of the whistle, clearly puts her stick down in the way of the NED attacker’s self-pass, breaking down …
A good question to ask in this situation is whether, at this level of play, and given that the first warning was clear, should the second instance be met with only a reset, or at this stage in the …
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When a raised shot at goal strikes a defender who is 5m or fewer from the ball, the rule requires us to examine the height. Had this shot struck the runner below the knee, it is not considered …
A green card is awarded after the turnover in the circle leads an attacker to use her arm to push against the defender in possession. It’s a small bit of physical play properly dealt with. …
Rule 9.10 permits a player to play the ball in the air only when a legitimate shot at goal rebounds from an opposing goalkeeper, defender or post. The player may “stop” the ball, which is interpreted …
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When the ball carrier collects this reception along the left boards, he steps forward with his right foot pushing into the defender’s space and interposing his leg between the defender’s …
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An attacker is sprung free entering the top of the circle. A chasing defender collides with her, taking herself to the ground and committing a stick obstruction in the process. This is clearly an …
Play continues on two successive non-fouls by defenders in the circle. First, although the goalkeeper “crosses over” in front of the defender, the pressing attacker is not within playing distance and …
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Right at the 23m line (and arguably over it), the attacker plays the ball into the feet of the defender, who then clearly pushes the ball away in order to prevent the attacker from taking a quick …
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The third green card of the game and the first to ESP is given when the defender breaks down play with this attempted tackle, which catches the ball carrier’s stick after the initial attempt and …
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A free hit is taken just inside the 23m area. It travels towards the circle and hits the edge of the circle line, which constitutes inside the circle. A free hit is given for the defence, taken where …
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