So you’ve decided to give field hockey a try. Congrats! You’re not alone. According to the latest research, there are currently over 700,000 registered players in America alone, waiting to discover the sport they love. But with so many options out there, how do you know which one to choose? Let’s explore the various ways in which you can enjoy pro field hockey.
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The Evolution Of Pro Field Hockey
Before we begin, it’s important to understand the evolution of the sport. As mentioned above, there are currently over 700,000 registered players in America alone. That’s a lot of fans who have fallen in love with the sport because of how fast it is and how much physical activity is involved. But although the physical demands have increased, the strategy and tactics of the sport have remained largely stable. In the early 1900s, the sport was dominated by physical play. The ball was heavily weighted and hits to the head were quite common. Over the years, however, the game has changed. Today’s version of pro field hockey is heavily reliant on skill and pace rather than power. Let’s take a look at how the game has evolved.
Power Play
Back in the day, you would score a goal by kicking the ball into the opposing side’s net. These days, you won’t see many goals scored that way. With the increased emphasis on skill and pace, the game has evolved away from just being about physical strength. Teams have started playing a much more intelligent game, increasing the tempo and decreasing the amount of time spent on the ground, or in your opponents’ half of the field. This has made a dramatic difference in the way goals are scored today. Through the roof!
In fact, goals today are so much different than they were back in the day that the current term for a goal is “dominant”. A dominant goal is one that strikes fear in the hearts of your opponent. Here are some great examples of dominant goals.
Fluid Movement
If you’re new to the game, it’s not easy to understand how exactly it works. The fastest way to learn is by watching and trying it yourself. That’s what you’ll get with this short video, which breaks down all the basics of fluid movement. If you’re not fluid with the puck, you’ll never be able to control it. Let this video be an example to you.
Creativity
Speaking of controlling the puck, one of the most important things in hockey is being able to make smart plays with it. After all, the game is still largely about having the puck in the right place at the right time. However, that place is constantly changing, thanks to all that is involved in the game. There are so many different moves, options, and plays that it’s important to keep your creative mind thinking, even if you’ve been playing the game for a while.
To illustrate this point, let’s take a look at one of the most famous hockey players of all time, Wayne Gretzky. He is considered by many to be the greatest hockey player of all time, thanks largely to his amazing creativity and IQ. Let’s take a quick look at some of the plays that made Wayne Gretzky so great.
The Great One’s Skills
Perhaps the most recognizable and probably the most important skill that Wayne Gretzky possesses is his puck-handling ability. This is something that he developed very early on in his career and it showed immediately. He was just 4 years old when he started playing with a ball. Even then, he was known to be extremely creative with the puck, always coming up with unique moves and tricks. Some of his early tricks were simple but effective. He would run with the puck and spin it like a top, making perfect circles around the opposing players. These days, we call that “combo plows”.
Another great example of Gretzky’s puck handling and creativity can be found in his hockey card. On one of the cards, he is pictured wearing a striped sweater in a pose that is similar to the one in the image above. But in his hands is a golf ball! How did Gretzky end up with the golf ball in his hands? Well, it was something that he did as a young kid, just for the fun of it. He would get frustrated enough with the frustrating game of hockey that he would take a break and play with his friends in the schoolyard, using their hockey sticks as golf clubs. He remembered the sensation of hitting a golf ball and how exciting it was. Even now, at the age of 69, Wayne Gretzky continues to prove that he is still the ultimate hockey player, showing off his skills in minor hockey leagues around the world, as well as owning his own hockey agency, determining the salaries of hockey players, and acting as a General Manager for the Vegas Golden Knights. If you want to control the puck and make smart plays, you can’t go wrong with Wayne Gretzky.
Ahead Of The Game
When it comes to understanding the game, one of the best things you can do is study the players who dominate the field. Through the years, a few distinct hockey players have emerged as the masters of the game, increasing its popularity and changing the way we play it. Here are some of the greatest players of all time and what they did that made them so great.
Sidney Crosby
Yes, the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar is now in his twenty-second year. But he still holds the records for most goals (682), most assists (1084), and most total points (1886). Crosby is also one of the best players in the history of hockey when it comes to leading his team to victories. He has the unique ability to bring his team all the way to the win, no matter how far behind they might be. That’s what makes him so great.
Alex Ovechkin
While Crosby has been around for a while and evolved the game of hockey greatly, it was actually Ovechkin who made the sport popular all over again. In his first eleven years in the league, Ovechkin played primarily in the NHL. But after taking a break from the league to play for Russia’s national team, he returned in 2006 and won the Hart (MVP) and Norris (Best Defenseman) Trophies. Since then, he has continued to evolve the game, scoring over 200 goals in each of the last three seasons. In 2019, Alex Ovechkin set the NHL record for most goals in a single season (26), becoming the first player to score over 100 goals in a single season since the beginning of the 2000s. If you’re looking for a team to support and want to see an exciting game, look no further than the Washington Capitals. They’ve got a lot of talent on that team and a great future. Not even Joe Sakich could stop them.
Dominic Hennigan
One of the reasons why hockey has remained so popular today is due to the incredible amount of skill that is on display. But it’s not only the players who are skilled, it’s also the coaches and the people who run the sport. One of the greatest coaches of all time is John Tortorella. He has had an incredible amount of success, leading his teams to the top of both the NHL and the World Hockey League. Not only that, but he’s done so with a variety of different teams and has had amazing success with all of them. He is currently the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks and has not lost a game since the 2016-2017 season. Even at the age of 75, he continues to prove that he is still the best at what he does and that his teams always play smart and creative hockey.
To Be Continued…
There’s so much more to discuss when it comes to hockey. If you want to know more, check out any of the books mentioned above. They tell the story of the beautiful game in amazing detail. Not only will you gain a better understanding of what is happening on the ice, but you’ll also learn a lot about the game’s history. Don’t forget to keep reading, there’s always more to learn.