2019 POINTS OF EMPHASIS

PROPERLY MARKED PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR

All eyewear equipment should be worn appropriately and in line with how the manufacturer intended it to be worn. All eyewear must be permanently labeled with the ASTM 2713 standard in the 2020 fall season.

GOOD SPORTING BEHAVIOR

Officials and coaches need to work together to provide a positive learning environment for student-athletes to learn both the sport of field hockey and good sporting behavior. The positive values that are learned will serve the players long after their field hockey experience has concluded. Players, coaches and officials should pay special attention to specific points of emphasis as delineated below:

Players

• Throughout the game, players should demonstrate good sportsmanship. This includes huddling before a penalty corner in a timely fashion and conducting themselves after a goal is scored in a positive, respectful manner.

• All equipment should be worn appropriately and in line with how the manufacturer intended it to be worn.

Coaches

• Coaches need to participate in a pregame meeting with captains of both teams and officials and ensure that their players are properly attired and legally equipped.

• Coaches should remain in their designated area of the field during play and model positive language and appropriate sportsmanlike behavior with an emphasis on coaching the players and not interfering with officials’ responsibilities.

Officials

• Officials should approach the game with a positive attitude and use cards as a means to manage the play and safety of the players

• Officials should strictly adhere to the NFHS rules of the game and not use personal interpretations of the rules.

FREE HITS WITHIN THE 25-YARD AREA

To avoid delaying the restart of play, all hits awarded to the attack within the 25-yard area will be taken within playing distance of the spot where the foul occurred. All players not taking the free hit still need to be 5 yards away from the ball, and the ball must travel at least 5 yards or been touched by a defender before the attacking team plays the ball into the circle. If the opponent is within 5 yards of the ball, she must not interfere with the taking of the free hit or must not play or attempt to play the ball or influence the play.

ROUGH AND DANGEROUS PLAY

Although it is recognized that the possibility of injury is inherent in field hockey, it is the rules committee’s belief that coaches, officials and players have a responsibility to minimize risk in the sport. Overly aggressive play and lack of regard for everyone’s safety is unacceptable in the sport of field hockey. In both practice and game play, coaches need to teach the safe use of the stick and good body control. Rough and dangerous play, such as deliberately/blindly hitting the ball into players who have been properly instructed and in good position to play defense should be addressed by both coaches and officials. Players need to accept the possibility they could inflict serious injury with improper play. Officials must be able to recognize dangerous play and penalize it appropriately.

AERIAL BALL

Review Aerial Balls in the Officials Guide carefully to ensure correct management of this skill. This section should be reviewed often. (Officials Guide Aerial Balls V. A. 1-7)