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RULES

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1. FEET

 

RULE: players are not permitted to play the ball deliberately with their feet.

 

INTERPRETATION:

  1. Give the player a warning and tell them they will be penalised the next time they do it.

  2. If they continue to deliberately use their feet, blow the whistle and give the opposition a free hit.

  3. Coaches/Umpires please encourage your team to keep their feet away from the ball.

 

2. HIGH STICKS:

 

RULE: players are not permitted to raise their stick above their waist/hip.  (Please note this is specific to Tawa Kiwi Hockey.)

 

INTEPRETATION:

  1. It is dangerous when there are other players nearby.  The danger is either from the back swing or the follow through motion.

  2. Give the player a warning.  If they continue to use their stick dangerously, blow the whistle and give the opposition a free hit.

 

3. USING THE BACK OF THE STICK

 

RULE: the round side of the stick may not be used ever.

 

INTERPRETATION:

  1. If a player uses the back of the stick, blow the whistle and explain this is not allowed

  2. If the player continues to use the back of the stick, blow the whistle and give the opposition a free hit

 

Coaching: Teach the kids to use their reverse stick.

 

4. LIFTED BALL:

 

RULE: the ball may not be raised above knee height

 

INTERPRETATION

  1. If the player hits the ball above knee height blow the whistle and award a free hit to the opposition

 

Coaching: “Fly’ hitting – encourage players to trap ball first.

 

5. ROUGH AND DANGEROUS PLAY

 

RULE: rough and dangerous play is not allowed.

 

INTERPRETATION:

  1. This includes swearing, name calling, deliberate contact with another player.

  2. Warn the player and, if he/she continues, award a free hit to the opposition. If the rough play still continues, the players should be removed from the field, either for a ‘cooling off’ period or permanently.

 

7. OBSTRUCTION/SHEPHERDING

 

RULE: the stick or body may not be used to obstruct another player from playing the ball

 

INTERPRETATION:

  1. A player cannot put their stick or body in between the ball and another player.

  2. A player cannot put themselves between a teammate with the ball and an opposition player.

  3. Stick obstruction is when a player uses their stick to interfere with an opposition player’s stick.  This is not allowed.

  4. Warn the player and, if he/she continues, award a free hit to the opposition.

 

Coaching Tip: Encourage your players to face their own goal at all times.

 

8. PLAYING THE BALL WHEN PLAYER IS ON THE GROUND

 

RULE: a player is only permitted to play the ball if they are on their feet.

 

INTERPRETATION:

  1. In the wet, children can fall down and it can be dangerous.

  2. If the play is near the fallen player, blow the whistle to stop the game. Award a free hit to the team that had the ball at the time the player fell down.

 

9. BALL OVER THE BACKLINE

 

RULE 1: If an attacker hits the ball over the back line (accidentally or deliberately), the defending team is awarded a free hit taken 10 metres into the field of play in line from where the ball went out.

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RULE 2: If an defender hits the ball over the back line (accidentally or deliberately), the attacking team is awarded a free hit taken 10 metres into the field of play in line from where the ball went out.

 

10.  TAKING A FREE HIT IN THE FIELD OF PLAY OR FROM THE SIDELINE

 

It is important for all free hits that all players on the team without the ball are at least 5 metres from the ball at the time the hit is taken. This includes hits when the ball has gone over the back line off an attacker.

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Players are allowed to self-pass the free hit (i.e. effectively pass to themselves and run with the ball)

 

11.  GOALS

 

RULE: a goal is scored when the ball is hit or pushed over the goal line by the attacking team within the 10 metre circle marked on the field.

 

INTERPRETATION:

  1. For a goal to be scored the ball must have touched an attacking team member’s stick.

  2. A ball maybe struck from outside the circle and deflected of an attacker's stick into the goal.

  3. If the ball hits a defender's foot directly in front of the goal preventing a certain goal, then this should be ruled as a goal. (this a new rule and should be covered by both coaches and umpires prior to the start)

 

 

General Pointers

 

PLAYERS BUNCHING UP AROUND THE BALL

 

There is no rule to prevent this but it does stop the game flowing and can be dangerous with all those sticks flying around.  Feel free to tell the children to spread out and, if you have a stick with you, free the ball into a space.  Alternatively, blow the whistle to stop play and award a free hit to the team you think had the ball!

If both teams are agreeable, coaches can join the referee on the field to help the children.  By year 5/6 this should no longer be necessary.

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