For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
An aerial ball is sent to a space occupied by an opposing player. A teammate of the passer starts behind the initial receiver and begins to close. At this level, is it a disadvantage for a receiver to …
Continue Reading about NZLvGBR Aerial pressure from behind →
As the play is moving across the circle away from the controlling umpire, a chasing attacker clips the heels of the defender chasing down the ball. This may well have been blocked from the view of the …
Consider the timing of when you give cards. Although the foul itself was reckless it had no effect on the development of the play and the attacking team was in full possession with options available …
Showing patience inside the circle when little incidents occur can show dividends when an umpire has a thorough understanding of the skill level of the players involved. There is a minor bump by the …
Continue Reading about ESPvGBR Patient whistle on smaller fouls inside the circle →
The umpire awards an upgrade to a penalty corner after the defender subtly interferes with the taking of this free hit. After the ball contacts his foot, he pivots and moves his leg in front of the …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP Interfering with quick self-pass →
The initial decision on this play was a 23m restart, bringing a video referral from the attacking team for a penalty corner for intentionally playing the ball off the back line. The criterion to …
Continue Reading about NZLvGER VR for intentionally played off back line →
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, …
Continue Reading about NZLvBEL Positioning – alternative movement pattern →
An unusual circumstance where the ball is hit with pace onto the turf and deflects high into the defender. The general principle is that from close proximity and at that height, a defender isn’t in a …
Continue Reading about NZLvGBR Danger on deflected shot off turf →
This aerial is mistrapped but the opposition wasn’t 5 metres. Advantage didn’t accrue so the whistle was blown a little on the later side by the trailing umpire. Knowing your responsibilities is …
An attacker dribbles in the low right corner in front of the controlling umpire. A second defender joins the first to cut off the playing lanes, and then a third. The third defender initially cuts off …
A green card is awarded after a late stick trips up the ball carrier. To ensure you get this call right too, make sure you’re creating an angle off the sideline that keeps you from getting “caught in …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED GC for breakdown tackle trip →
On a dangerous break, the chasing defender effectively tackles the ball but her feet trip up the ball carrier. This is the same player who took a green card for a breakdown tackle in Q2 of this game …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG YC for breakdown dangerous tackle from behind →
A third party is missed along the sideline when the red player screens a yellow player from attempting to make a tackle that was within reach. Sidelines are congested areas and our positioning is …
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 …
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 …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP Verbal warning for dangerous use of stick →
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 …
Continue Reading about INDvBEL Obstruction on chasing tackle →
Description to follow To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, FHU3T Yellow 365 or FHU3T Yellow. …
Continue Reading about GERvESP Ball intentionally played off back-line →
Two points on this play to examine. The first is that the passage begins with a centre-line restart after the ball is played unintentionally off the back-line by a defender. Although initially …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED 3m self-pass centre line and not intentionally off back-line →
After a turnover, a defender tracks the ball carrier up the near sideline and presumbly trips her up. Note that the side-on camera angle doesn’t show what we need to see, but from the umpire’s angle …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS GC for breakdown play along sideline →
After the penalty corner breaks down and a free hit defence is awarded for a dangerous ball inside the circle, the ball drifts to the opposite side of the circle and a (former) defender attempts to …
Does the goalkeeper obstruct or is the ball played back into her by the attacker? To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, FHU3T Yellow 365 or FHU3T Yellow. …
This free hit is awarded just inside the 23m line. Although the player in possession takes the self-pass and dribbles outside the 23m, that does not negate the requirement that the ball moves 5m …
Continue Reading about INDvBEL Free hit just inside 23m line →
Although a green card is given, there’s an argument for a yellow due to the impact of the foul and the late stage of the game. The defender subtly kicks the ball ahead and pretends to play it …
Continue Reading about BELvAUS GC playing ball after the whistle →
A video referral is sought when the goalkeeper ends up with the ball underneath her body after a save. The important things to look for are whether the goalkeeper actively moved for that purpose or …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL VR SO goalkeeper obstruction →
This tackle shows the fine line between a well-executed block and tackling illegally with body contact. The defender is tracking body-to-body and is able to get his stick completely flat and cleanly …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Low tackle attacker over top →
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 …
What would have been the second yellow card of the game to ARG is missed on this breaking tackle involving a push on the back that takes the ball carrier to ground. These can be difficult to spot if …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG Missed YC for breakdown from behind →
There's been a lot of talk recently about determining if a player is dragging the ball on penalty strokes. Foot position is key to understanding if the ball has been pulled from behind the player, …
Continue Reading about BELvAUS PS controlling umpire positioning →
An attacking aerial is thrown beyond and equally between two opposing players and the free hit is awarded to the defending team. One way to interpret this situation is that the ball is receivable in …
Continue Reading about ESPvNED Aerial to undetermined receiver →
After committing the foul, the GBR player clearly hits the ball away from the spot of the foul. Green card is awarded. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green …
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 …
After a series of turnovers, the attacking team moves away at speed with the ball. A chasing defender clips the heels of the ball carrier, who is maintaining a straight line in his run (although there …
Continue Reading about MASvIND Yellow card for stepping into running line of attacker →
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 …
Continue Reading about AUSvARG Breakdown stick tackle and ball placement →
This tackle comes in from behind and the stick hits the ball carrier on the leg. An advantage is played to the out of bounds play at the far end, and the umpire from the near side stops play and …
As of the beginning of 2020, the FIH Rules Committee has confirmed that this interpretation can no longer be implemented, and if a personal penalty is given within the 23m area, it must be accompanied …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL GC for body obstruction breakdown →
A danger area for correctly identifying and deciding to intervene on breakdown play is when the play is closer to one umpire but is moving away from them such that they are unsighted from the call. In …
The umpire reverses the free hit as the player on the ball fails to put it in play within a reasonable amount of time according to the tempo established throughout the game. To access this …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL Reversal of free hit for time-wasting →
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 …
This clip shows better anticipation and protection of the mission-critical area of the circle. Even as the ball is moving around behind the centre-line, the umpire is already deep in his attacking …
Continue Reading about INDvBEL Anticipation into attacking area →
A defender attempts a tackle from a poor position in behind and interferes with the ball carrier with their arm or stick. Although the defender is on the ground, they haven’t met the criterion for an …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED GC breakdown tackle from ground →
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, …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED PS VR for stick shield denied →
The ball carrier dribbles towards the left sideboards and as he comes into contact, moves his stick to trap the ball against the boards, actively preventing the defender from playing it. This is a …
Continue Reading about GERvKAZ Obstruction trapping on boards and caught inside 3m →
The fine line between the onrushing goalkeeper putting himself into the attacker and the attacker receiving to back into the goalkeeper is in question here. Expanding your vision so you can perceive …
Continue Reading about ESPvNED Goal on potential GK obstruction →
The ARG defender comes rushing in at speed, commits one rash stick obstruction and then takes another bite at the ball and breaks the play down by hooking the ball carrier’s stick. The reckless nature …
Continue Reading about ARGvESP GC breakdown stick tackle 2 →
This is the first time a player has played the ball after the whistle in this game but, given the number of seconds left in the half, the effectiveness of this misconduct to prevent any last-second …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Playing ball after whistle warning →
