For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
A dangerous run down the left sideline leaves a defender chasing hard, and starting around the 23m starts to lean in too much with his shoulder, taking the ball carrier to ground and breaking down the …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Breakdown from the 23m on upgrade PC →
Some excellent cooperation on display on this attacking aerial across the circle.The ball travels across the pitch to a receiving area clearly occupied by an attacking teammate. A defender is in the …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Aerial across circle supporting umpire help →
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 …
The attack begins well behind the centre line. As there are large channels for the ball to move through, the controlling umpire is very high up the pitch and close to their end line. The lack of …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Attack positioning with space →
As soon as the ball popped past the planted defender near the centre line there was always going to be a breakdown tackle to stop this threatening run down the middle of the field. Note the exact spot …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Breakdown tackle just outside 23m →
Note the exact spot where the BEL defender commits the initial foul, which is around 1m outside the 5m dotted line. She stands vertically to take up as little passing space as possible and picks up …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Caught within 5m and retreating for good tackle →
Whistle timing is a critical tool in an umpire’s arsenal to create more flowing, attacking hockey. Here the stick obstruction occurs when the ball carrier has three defenders converging on her. While …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Quick Whistle To Eliminate Defenders →
Preferred positioning has the controlling umpire well ahead of the play, turned to face the attack as it transitions into the 23m area and from an inside angle. In order to get to this spot, umpires …
Although it’s ideal to be welcoming the play coming towards you from a relatively still position on the field, there will be times in fast, open games where the attack will move towards your end over …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Transitioning from forward running to backpedalling →
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 …
In many parts of the playing field, this tackle may well be deemed a body obstruction as the defender steps in with his shoulder and blocks the path of the attacker. However, when you take into …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Non-obstruction going to end line →
This team referral comes after the umpire chooses to play advantage from the body foul by the defender, and while the attacker manages to put a stick on the deflected ball the shot goes wide. The …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL VR for advantage off the body ending in a shot wide →
A professional foul is committed right around the 23m line as several defenders converge around the ball carrier and put their bodies in his path. After the whistle is blown, a defender casually taps …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL GC playing ball away but no PC →
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 →
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 …
Continue Reading about ESPvGBR Aerial for attack and ball placement →
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 →
Understanding when to do a little extra communication at the right moments will assist with both flow and your rapport with the players. A free hit is quickly given as the ball crosses into the 5m …
Continue Reading about ESPvGBR Proactive ball placement on free hit →
Terrific advantage played for this goal. The trick is to not only see possession but what also constitutes an opportunity for the level of skill in front of you. For most levels, a player in …
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 …
Continue Reading about ESPvBEL 5m from free hit around circle →
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 →
Martin Madden’s movement here is a great example of how there isn’t necessarily one “correct” place to be vis-a-vis the play. When the ball gets bogged down in a crowded area, he moves quickly to a …
Continue Reading about ESPvBEL Far side positioning adjustments →
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 …
Continue Reading about ESPvBEL Aerial to attacker 5m infringement before control →
Amazingly difficult clip to determine whether there was any kind of shield or not. The ball carrier’s stick didn’t come over the ball to shield, but was the ball dropped behind his leg in order to …
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 →
The attacker approaches the top of the circle just as 3 defenders converge to all cut off his pathway to the goal. The defender to the attacker’s left, in particular, has good positioning and a …
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 →
The umpire mistakenly awards a penalty corner (which isn’t possible in a shoot-out anyway), or a retake, when the goalkeeper plays the ball intentionally off the backline during a shoot-out attempt. …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Shoot-out intentionally off backline by GK →
A very subtle stick block gives the ball carrier two steps of clearance to get spacing in the circle to try to attempt a shot. Notice the stick moving over the ball and then the movement to the left …
This is the second card of the game for this player, who badly misses on this tackle and ensures his body stops the potential progress of the attacker to resume his run with the ball. Normally …
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. …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Advantage and breakdown warning →
An aerial ball is outlet from the left sideline on the diagonal into the middle of the pitch. From the side angle, it appears that the AUS player infringes within 5m of the NED player standing …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Aerial interception outside 23m for goal →
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 …
Although it’s rare, it is possible for players to make successful and clean tackles from behind their opposition. It’s important to make no assumptions and focus on the defender’s stick and body to …
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 →
Notice the umpire’s positioning and movement as the ball moves around his deep and near sideline area. Instead of moving too quickly outside the play from the preferred interior position, he moves …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Interior positioning for sideline play →
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 …
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 …
After playing a quick self-pass, the ball carrier meets a defender and passes the ball over the oncoming defender’s reverse stick. Although his path is blocked by the defender’s body, the ball has …
The supporting umpire would have been positioned well upfield to be properly placed to assist his colleague during the taking of the PC. Focus on anticipating the breakdown and try to predict where …
The first step in our Free Hit Drill is to locate the spot of the foul. If the ball moves away, we can proactively communicate with the players and let them know where we need the free hit taken from …
