Whether you play indoors or out, the overall design of a hockey stick remains the same. Improvements to the sticks in certain locations, on the other hand, could be beneficial to both outdoor and indoor field hockey players. Our focus here will be on field hockey sticks’ many components and how indoor and outdoor variants differ from one another.
Field Hockey Sticks for Indoor and Outdoor Use:
Field hockey is a game that may be played indoors or outdoors because the rules are the same. The weapons, tactics, and equipment are all the same as well. Besides the size, the number of participants, and rules, there isn’t much variation. For this reason, indoor and outdoor hockey sticks, as well as other pieces of equipment, come in a variety of weights and configurations.
Sticks for Playing Field Hockey Indoors:
Indoor field hockey sticks use a lighter ball, a smaller pitch (contained by boards), and forbids aerials because it is played indoors. Indoor play does not allow lifts or aerials, hence the bows of the sticks used have a different curvature than outdoor play. Curves are most commonly found with a mid bow.
Players’ stick and dribbling skills are critical in indoor hockey because the game’s emphasis is on speed and ball management. The substance used to make indoor sticks makes them lighter and thinner than outdoor sticks to suit this.
Hockey Sticks for Playing Field Hockey Outside:
Because lifts and aerials are only permitted in outdoor hockey, the sticks used in competition have varying specifications based on the intended application. The most noticeable variations between the two bows are the curvature and weight of the arrows.
Final Thoughts:
The use of outdoor field hockey sticks for an inside game may be permitted by league rules, however, it is not encouraged to use an indoor stick for an outside match. In order to accommodate the modest changes in pitch size, player count, ruleset, and ball weight, special outdoor sticks are required.
Oliver Greene is a sports geek at heart. From iconic moments to rising stars, he’s here to share his love of sports and the stories that make them special.