Indoor Hockey: The Basics

So you’ve never played indoor hockey before and want to know what it's all about. Let us give you a quick run down and need-to-knows.

Indoor hockey is a fast (warm and dry) version of the much loved outdoor field hockey game.

The basic rules of indoor hockey

• Indoor hockey is played with 6 players on the court (not a pitch!), one of whom is usually a goalkeeper.
• The ball can only be pushed. No hitting or slapping, and definitely no aerials. This means no backswings allowed.
• The ball cannot be lifted when passing or receiving the ball, ONLY when you’re taking a shot at goal
• Players can utilise the sideboards of the indoor court to open up different passing angles (think a little like a game of squash)
• Players cannot play the ball with more than two additional points of contact (their feet don’t count in this) so no rolling around on the floor to tackle!
• Players must be 3 metres away from any free push
• Goalkeeper are more kicking back than sitting back! They’re expected to be very active and dynamic as a sweeper rather than just a shot stopper.

Indoor hockey equipment

Indoor hockey shoes need to be non-marking court shoes. A great example are these Nike Zoom Hyperspeed Indoor Shoe.

An indoor hockey stick is definitely a good investment. They’re much thinner, owing to the fact you can’t hit a ball indoors.

There isn't necessarily an indoor glove as such. A left glove- ideally a big one to protect your hand whilst tackling- is the best option. As players can’t lift the ball and there are no 3D skills indoors, a players left hand is often glued to the floor for large passages of play. Therefore we highly recommend a left hand glove like this Grays International Pro Glove.

Gum shields are a must in indoor hockey. You can find our full range here.

Shinpads are another must-have in any hockey game! You can find our full range here.

Facemasks for penalty corners are highly recommended. The distance from top D to goal is shorter so you want to be well protected!

Why indoor hockey is so good

It’s warm!

It’s dry!

You work much harder and there is content transition in the game meaning you cover a lot of distance.

There is almost always goals owing to the speed of the game, and size of the court.

We hope this helps, if you have any more questions then contact us now!