The Waikato Hockey Association is again offering and hoping to expand the winter 6-a-side competition after the success of the inaugural season last year. There are a couple new rules, and hopefully with two graded divisions if enough team entries are received.
Overview
The league is a senior 6-a-side competition played on half a turf, on a Thursday evening. It is intended to be an easy entry level competition for adults (sorry no school students) who are new or returning to the sport, particularly aimed at:
1. Adults who have not played before,
2. Adults who are returning to hockey after having not played for a few or many years,
3. Adults who are unable to commit to weekend 11-a-side play,
4. Social players who have played Summer League 6-a-side and would like to continue through the winter,
5. Masters teams.
The 6-a-side games will be played across half a full sized turf, with half the number of players (6 instead of 11). Since 8 teams can play at once, all games in a division will be played in the same 1 hour time slot every Thursday evening (i.e. from 6 to 7pm, or 7 to 8pm) – makes planning your week easy doesn’t it!.
If you are new to the sport or need reminding of the rules then you can find an introduction to Hockey on the FIH website – Hockey 101. Special rules for the 6-a-side hockey competition are below.
- Still interested? – great, join a Fraser Tech team by registering here, or email secretary@frasertechhockey.org.nz if you have any further inquiries.
- Still not sure? Come along anyway on the first night for a “have a go” coaching session on Thursday 10th April at 6pm.
Jack Clayton runs through the fundamentals of how to hold and use a hockey stick properly in a coaching session for new 6-a-side players.
First Night – 10th April, 6pm
The first night on the 10th April will be a coaching night as well as sorting individuals into teams. There will be some sticks available for this evening so players can use them to have a go and see if they enjoy it.
Complete teams may enter or individuals may enter and they will be sorted into club based teams. Fraser Tech entered four teams last year and will look to do the same this year.
The last game (Finals) will be played on the 11th of September.
ADULT 6-A-SIDE HOCKEY COMPETITION RULES 2014
Adult 6-a-side hockey is a game of modified field hockey. Current 11-a-side field hockey rules apply except as detailed below.
- Each team shall consist of six field players, mixed gender.
- There must be two females for each team on the field at all times. (new in 2014)
- Each team may have up to four interchange players (substitutes).
- There are no goal keepers.
- The game will be played on a 1/2 field (cross wise). A flexible drain pipe will be placed between the two fields and will become the sideline board. The other sideline will be the 11-a-side field baseline.
- At no time is the ball to be lifted above knee height.
- Penalty corners shall be defended by three players. The other 3 players must retire to the opposition’s circle for the start of the penalty corner.
- There are no penalty strokes. Penalty corners will replace penalty strokes.
- The game will consist of two 20 minute halves, separated by a 5 minute half time.
These rules are slightly different to the summer hockey 6-a-side rules, particularly with respect to penalty and long corners.
Games will be social but scores will be kept to enable some competition. If enough entries are received there will have 2 grades.
As more information comes available from WHA, we’ll update this post.