Equipment

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.

Any pair of athletic cleats can be used for field hockey, but the type of shoe depends on the playing surface.

Because the mid-sole material of an athletic shoe takes a pounding and eventually loses its ability to provide your child's foot with adequate support or cushioning, experts, such as Dr. Michael Lowe, past President of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, and long time team podiatrist of the NBA's Utah Jazz, recommend periodic replacement of athletic shoes, even if the bottom sole shows no sign of excessive wear.

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.

The stick has a curved head, is rounded on one side and is flat on the left-hand side. The ball can only be touched with the flat side of the stick. The stick is made of hardwood with a minimum weight of 12 ounces and maximum weight of 28 ounces.