For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
As the defender recovers the ball inside his circle he is immediately in a congested space. The ball carrier doesn't intend to trap the ball or get trapped by the attacker, so after a brief moment, …
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A common positioning mistake is for umpires to get caught ball-watching on difficult decisions like aerials. Without knowing exactly where she began at the 15m free hit, it’s likely the umpire is too …
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One difficult area for the controlling umpire is the top of the circle, when the ball is received by a player facing in the opposite direction. Their body will often block the view of the ball, making …
Continue Reading about GBRvAUS Cooperation from supporting umpire →
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 …
In the first passage of play, the far side umpire plays an advantage from a foot foul as the ball pops into a lovely bit of central space where the attacker has the opportunity to control positively. …
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The attacker attempts to bring down an overhead but it has exited the pitch. He continues the play and unleashes a hard cross towards goal after the whistle has blown. For the reckless play, the green …
Continue Reading about AUSvGBR GC taking a shot after the whistle →
While playing the rebound on a penalty corner, the attacker’s shot raises into the defender’s upper body from very close range. The goalkeeper is behind him and on the ground. After consulting with …
The goalkeeper makes a save, resulting in the ball momentarily sitting balanced on the side of her leg guard. As the goalkeeper attempts to move the ball, which ended up falling between her pad and …
Big decisions require clarity, timing and a strong presentation. In disallowing this goal, the umpire is looking at the size of the backswing of this hit. Although the stick remains on the court …
The ball doesn’t leave the circle after being injected on the penalty corner. The umpire allows play to continue and the shot to be taken, but calls the free hit once it has entered the goal. …
Continue Reading about MASvIND Ball doesn’t leave circle before the shot enters the goal →
Green card given for a tackle occurring before a long advantage is played. Note the timing of the tackle, which is immediately after a turnover is earned with the opposing player in a good space. …
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 …
The umpire reads the potential available to the fouled player very well and although he is moving away from the attacking goal at the time of the foul, he does have a great option for the pass out to …
Continue Reading about ESPvBEL Advantage while player turning away from attacking goal →
In attempting to clear the ball, the defender sends it at a sharp angle off the back-line. Giving his body position and the full purchase he had on the ball, it’s appropriate to deem this an …
Continue Reading about NZLvARG Intentionally off back-line →
This is an excellent piece of positioning by the far side umpire. After the ball carrier evades a tackle, the umpire anticipates a route one pass and is already a full quadrant ahead of the play and …
The ball carrier deftly flips the ball off a defender’s foot and it careens off the sideline. No free hit is, as near as we can hear, called by the umpire, but when the attack puts the ball back in …
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The umpire here stops time after some shouting and brings the ARG captain in for another chat. The body language here is more positive than the previous attempt, and the captain seems to make an …
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Green card for playing the ball after the whistle has gone. There’s a fine line between players honestly mistaking whether the decision has gone their way, and the obvious concession that the fouling …
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A video referral is requested for a push inside the circle. The rushing defender and the drag flicker get slightly tangled, resulting in some reflexive actions pushing each other away. Although the …
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For a goal to be scored, an attacker must touch the ball inside the circle before it crosses the goal line. There was no touch by an attacker here, and also no defender, so the correct decision is a …
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A long pursuit by a defender leads to two breakdown tackles and one green card. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, FHU3T Yellow 365 or FHU3T Yellow. …
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In his attempt to chase down the ball, the attacker slightly trips up and pushes his opponent as they compete for position. Note the stick position which isn’t being used in an attempt to reach the …
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A penalty stroke is awarded for this intentional stick tackle which interfered with the shot taken by the attacker. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, …
Continue Reading about NEDvBEL Penalty stroke for stick tackle from behind →
The defender attempts to clear the ball out of his end but mishits on his reverse. This is not danger but, as he goes over the ball, uses of the back of the stick. To access this content, …
This passage of play shows not one but two clean tackle attempts between the ball carrier’s legs. In each instance, the attacker was quite stationary and the defender did a good job in coming in low, …
A ball sent into the circle deflects high off a defender’s stick, striking the next attacker in the arm, where the umpire is unsighted. Rather than attempting to play on from a poor angle, the …
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The attacker is awarded a free hit a few metres inside the sideline, also inside the 23m area. She retrieves the ball which is rolling towards the sideline, and continues the roll without any change …
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The umpire uses a lightning interruption as an opportunity to have a word with the captain about her players tapping the ball away after the whistle. This is an excellent management step and should …
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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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At the end of matches, you’ll be called upon to make split-second decisions that could have an outsized impact on the perception of the weight of that call on the result of the game. It’s …
As this penalty corner is being injected, the far right-side attacker breaks early into the circle. The supporting umpire communicates this to the controlling umpire over the radios and the penalty …
The second warning whistle of the game comes from this clear and unnecessary breakdown stick obstruction, 5’ after the first warning whistle of the game. On the ensuing free hit, the umpire …
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Description to follow …
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The ball carrier is at full stretch and easily works through the two fouls committed on her. The umpire fails to play advantage and the player has to bring the ball back 10m from where the is when the …
The umpire here gets caught supporting too high and then watching the turnover with planted feet rather than getting on her bike immediately. Often when we realize we’ve made a mistake we get caught …
Very similar to the play in Q2, a free hit awarded right on the circle edge has a delay before the play can be restarted. This time, the umpire ensures the defenders stay 5m from the spot of the foul …
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Each time the ball is turned over, it’s important to prepare for the team who gave away possession to attempt to break the play down and allow their teammates a chance to get numbers and structure in …
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After a defensive free hit is awarded for danger on the cross, the umpire gets distracted addressing players away from where the ball has drifted to. The team in possession takes advantage and takes a …
Continue Reading about ESPvARG Inattention to ball placement →
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 …
Continue Reading about ESPvBEL Warning for arm on back breakdown →
A tackling player attempts to dispossess the ball carrier but uses the back of their stick. If a player tries to use the edge on a shave technique but their stick isn’t flat, there is a good chance …
A player misplays her pass and, when she steps to follow-up, an opposing player inadvertently collides with her and strikes her head. Head injuries should be tended to immediately and so, if the play …
It’s a fine line picking out whether a ball is within playable distance of an obstructed attacker who is at a full run. Inside the circle, given the close proximity of many players and the goal, a …
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Yellow card for the breakdown comes as the defender moves into the path of the attacker on the dodge. If the attacker has embellished the contact, is it to the degree that the initial foul was not …
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Although the defender may not have planned to go to ground in this situation, was she sufficiently reckless with her body and presented enough danger for this stopping body obstruction that a card …
Although this doesn’t appear to be a swinging motion, the stick is not in contact with the court at any point before making contact, which doesn’t result in a pushing motion of the ball. …
Off the centre pass, a short aerial ball is sent into a crowded area. Although the opposing player is allowed to take it cleanly, the passer’s teammates don’t allow the ball to be controlled before …
A video referral late in Q4 of a tied game shows on the first attempted tackle a potential push, although an argument can be made that the collision is 50/50. After a second push on the same attacker …
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A ball is raised into the circle off a reverse sweep hit, rising dangerously past one defender and heading for a set of opposing players where the defender is marking very tightly. Either for the …
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A slide tackle brings down the ball carrier running freely through an extremely dangerous area of the pitch as the time in the quarter is winding down. The 10-minute yellow card must be issued in …
