INTRODUCTION
Hockey is one of most popular sport nowadays. Everyone in the world knows about hockey. About how the game plays, what is need in this sport and more things about hockey. As you all know there is a lot of hockey such as ice hockey, field hockey, roller hockey and street hockey. The most popular hockey is the field hockey. It can be play by men and also women. Worldwide we see that hockey is a real sport for all for boys and girls, men and women, 7 to 70 year olds, able and disabled bodies, starters and stars. Often you see the whole family being active on and around the hockey pitch as player, coach, umpire, and organizer or as a passionate fan.
However the categories mentioned above, are not fully represented in all countries. In some places you see that hockey is mainly played by females, whereas in other places hockey is a real male sport. We see countries with only adult players, others with only youth. Some cultural groups are not well represented in hockey and the opportunities for people with a disability to join the hockey family are not always available.
Field hockey is played on gravel, natural grass, sand-based or water-based artificial turf, with a small, hard ball. The game is popular among both males and females in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South Africa. In most countries, the game is played between single-sex sides, although they can be mixed-sex. The governing body is the 116-member International Hockey Federation (FIH). Men's Field hockey has been played at each summer Olympic Games since 1908 (except 1912 and 1924), while Women's Field Hockey has been played each summer Olympic Games since 1980. Modern field hockey sticks are J-shaped and constructed of a composite of wood, glass fibre or carbon fibre (sometimes both) and have a curved hook at the playing end, a flat surface on the playing side and curved surface on the rear side. While current field hockey appeared in the mid-18th century in England, primarily in schools, it was not until the first half of the 19th century that it became firmly established. The first club was created in 1849 at Blackheath in south-east London. Field hockey is the national sport of India and Pakistan.

HISTORY OF HOCKEY’S RULE


Research into the history of the Rules of Hockey was undertaken to mark the centenary of the formation of the Hockey Rules Board and to recognized the leading part played by the Board in ensuring that hockey players at all levels have been able to enjoy their game under controlled, authoritative, yet user-friendly, world-wide Rules.
This paper is intended to highlight the general changes to Rules and therefore is not a complete list of all changes. It is based on the Rules of hockey produced for men's hockey and therefore does not include details of the Rules for women's hockey before the Rules were combined into one common code in 1975.
A set of Rules was actually drawn up by several clubs in London in January 1876 following the establishment of the first, but short lived, Hockey Association (of England) the year before. (The second, and final, Hockey Association was formed in 1886.) Prior to that date the captains had agreed the Rules under which each game was played, including the number of players per team which varied from eight to eleven.
The following chronology begins with the extracts from the 1876 rules gleaned from the Surbiton Hockey Club minute book.

THE TURF

For the last few years, the FIH Equipment Committee has been working towards specifying a water-free synthetic turf for top level hockey and a multi-sport turf for some other levels.
Developing a water-free turf is an important project because it recognizes environmental concerns about water usage. The multi-sport turf will facilitate access to community or shared facilities at a reasonable cost.
With regard to multi-sport turf, some recent products have been shown to meet FIH “national” level performance criteria and also FIFA One Star requirements. They are included in the list of approved turfs on our website with a cross-reference to their FIFA status.
The development of a water-free turf is a much more technically challenging project. We are in regular contact with the turf industry and specialist advisers including our accredited laboratories and we are seeking the views of players in various ways. Specific research has also been commissioned to enable us to specify a water-free turf which performs in much the same way as current water-based turf. As a result of this research, we now know more about the interaction of the ball and various turf types. However, we are still looking into turf abrasion and friction. This is important research because it concerns player safety and comfort for example when falling or sliding on turf. We have studied the first research outcomes from a university department and have commissioned follow-up research.
These comments show that we are getting closer to a draft specification for a water-free turf. However, it will still take some time to coordinate the research, agree a specification and then for the industry to develop products which meet the specification. It will therefore be a year or two before new turfs are widely available.


In the interim and in relation to top level hockey, water-based pitches will continue to be specified. Even when new turfs are available, there is no intention of not continuing to allow top events to be played on existing water-based pitches which meet the FIH performance specifications.
Organizations considering the installation of new pitches or refurbishment of existing pitches can therefore use current products with confidence. Pitches installed in the near future using these turfs will continue to provide good facilities for hockey. Newly installed pitches using current turfs are not compromised by and do not contradict the longer term aims being pursued by the FIH Equipment Committee.
EQUIPMENT
Hockey Stick
Specifications for the Hockey Stick
FIH is sometimes asked whether or not a particular stick meets the specifications in the Rules of Hockey but it is difficult to provide specific answers.
This is because FIH does not test or approve sticks when they enter the marketplace. There are so many manufacturers and suppliers around the world and models change so often that this would be an overwhelming task.
Instead, the specification is made widely available through publication of the Rules of Hockey and sticks presented at FIH and other major tournaments are also checked. At these events, players are not permitted to use sticks which do not comply with the specification.
The vast majority of sticks comply with the specifications but occasionally a stick is produced, perhaps with a novel feature, which is not compliant. The following notes indicate features which might occur which are not within the specifications.
Measuring a Stick
It is important to note that all measurements are made and other specifications assessed with any coverings or additional fixings attached to the stick (that is, with the stick in the form in which it is used on the field).
Flat Playing Side
Specification 2.3.f requires that “the flat playing side of the head of the stick … must be smooth”. “Smooth” means that the surface must be even and regular, free from perceptible projections or indentations and not rough, wrinkled, pitted or scored. Textured surfaces or raised patterns are not permitted. It is also specified that “the flat playing side of the head of the stick must be in a single plane”. A twist or twists along the playing side are not permitted. Further, “the flat playing side of the head of the stick” may have a “convex or concave deviation across” the plane of that side measuring “no more than 4 mm in any direction”. A single convex or concave deviation is permitted but not both. Grooves or similar indentations are not permitted on the flat playing side of the stick.
Curvature and Bow
Specification 2.3.k specifies that “any curvature along the length of the stick (the rake or bow) must have a continuous smooth profile along the whole length”. Curvature significantly towards one end of the stick (eg the head) or multiple curves are not permitted. With effect from 1 January 2006 the extent of this rake or bow is limited to 25mm for sticks used in international competitions. However, it should be noted that National Associations have discretion to decide the date of implementation at national level. Note that this curvature is measured using a pointed wedge the point of which is 25 mm from the flat base or using a round cylinder with a diameter of 25mm. The stick is laid playing side downwards on a flat surface in its natural resting position. The wedge is placed with its base on the surface or the cylinder is laid lengthwise on the surface. The wedge or the cylinder must not pass completely under the stick at any place along its length.
Edges and Back
Specification 2.4.b stipulates that “the edges and the non-playing side must be rounded and must have a continuous smooth profile”. Flat sections along the edges or back of the stick are therefore not permitted. Some sticks have smooth and shallow undulations or indentations on the back of the stick. Because these shapes do not appear to have any effect on the playing characteristics of the stick they are currently permitted.
Traditional Shape
More generally, Specification 2.8 says “the FIH reserves the right to prohibit any stick which, in the opinion of the Hockey Rules Board, is unsafe or likely to have a detrimental impact on playing the game” and 2.1 says that “the stick has had a traditional shape which will be retained” and “the introduction of extreme shapes or designs will not be permitted”.