A GAME OF HOCKEY....

One of the most popular outdoor games of the world is Hockey. It is also the national game of India. Ice hockey is the national game of Canada.  

The game of hockey had its birth in Britain, generally played in  the country by young men. When many young men joined the armies, they carried the talent and rules of the game with them. When these young men landed in other countries as soldiers of the British army, they played the game to pass time. In some years the natives also learnt the game that the British soldiers Played basically to keep fit and healthy. The game of hockey tends to develop the muscles of the player. It brings energy into the body. As the ball needs to be kept an eye on all the time the players learn to keep a steady and alert gaze. The constant running after the ball causes exercise to the body leading to loss of fat and intake of oxygen-rich air. The attention must be concentrated on the ball and the movements of the players from the opposing team. Patience and endurance are enhanced during the game. No one can sideline the teaching of value of harmony and cooperation that the hockey players attain.

The venue of a hockey game is a large field. The field is as large as a football field. It measures a hundred yards in length and sixty yards in width. At the time the measurements of the field mat tend to vary. But the boundaries of the hockey field are always well marked. The center and touchlines are clearly specified for the players benefit.

The main equipment that a hockey player carries is a hockey stick. He does not have any special gear to wear. The goalkeepers are the ones who wear the protective gears like helmet and knee pads. They stand at the goal posts. The hockey team players wear shorts, fleet shoes and T-Shirts in colours  that represent their nations. To oversee the game, two linesmen and two referees are appointed.

The main aim of the game is that is that the players must hit the ball with their hockey sticks to pass it through their opponents goals. At the beginning of the game the captains of the two teams toss a coin. The captain who wins the toss is allowed to choose any side of the field. The captains of the hockey teams make the players take positions in accordance to a game plan that each of them had made beforehand. A general arrangement of the players position is followed with five forwards of the team standing around the center line. These players are responsible for playing an offensive game and also tend to pass the ball through the opponents goal. Three half-backs make the placing behind the forward line. They are supposed to attack and defend. Two full-backs stand behind them to defend the goal and hit the ball back to the forward players. The goalkeepers main duty is to defend the goal post. He is the only one who can touch the ball with any part of his body. He is also has to strike the ball with the hockey stick. Only an alert  goal keeper can prevent a goal from being scored. The result of the match is dependent on this fact.

When the game of hockey beings, the ball is kept at the middle of the center line. Then two players from each team come up to bully the ball. This is done after each of them has first tapped the ground on his side of the ball and then the opposing team players stick three times alternately.

In the end, whichever team wins the hockey match brings out the spirit of coordination and unity in its team members and provides an exciting time to the spectators...

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