Field Hockey

With appropriate open space and no players approaching, high school field hockey players will now be permitted to raise their sticks above the shoulders to stop, receive and deflect or play the ball. The change was one of 10 rule changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations in February 2015.

The recent move by the Princeton (NJ) school district to require headgear for all middle-school soccer, field hockey and lacrosse players has generated controversy. MomsTEAM's sports concussion neuropsychologists has concerns about the effectiveness of such headgear and says the focus needs to be on education, training, rules enforcement, and hiring more athletic trainers.

High school field hockey players competing in states which mandate protective eyewear have significantly lower rates of head, eye, and facial injuries when compared to those who compete in states without such mandates, and the addition of protective eyewear did not result in more player-player contact injuries such as concussions, a new study finds.

In an effort to emphasize coaches' responsibilities, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has made ten rule changes in field hockey to reduce gamesmanship and improve sportsmanship.

Concussion rates in thirteen high school sports from 1998 to 2008, as reported in three separate studies, vary widely by sport and, in some cases, by gender.

A major change in uniforms was one of 18 rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Field Hockey Rules Committee at its January 20-21 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

No matter how talented your child may be, there are going to days when he doesn't play his best, or when, despite his best effort, his team loses.  How you manage both the ups, and the inevitable downs, will play a large role in whether your child has a successful youth sports experience.  Here are ten things to keep in mind after your child's team loses or he doesn't perform up to his expectations.