Administration

The organising Club will not accept any liability or responsibility for injury, medical expenses, damage or loss of property occasioned by participation in this programme.

The organising Club reserves the right to make changes to the playing conditions/rules or the draw for each category. Changes to the draw include allocation of dates and time slots, cancellation of team entries for failure to meet payment terms or non-compliance with playing conditions or club rules. The organising Club undertakes to give adequate notice of such changes to the teams affected. Such changes will be sent to the person named as team organiser. The team organiser is responsible for notification of individual team members. In all cases the decision by the organising club shall be final.

Rules of play

Safety is paramount. The umpire is responsible for aiming to maintain a high level of safety throughout the game.  The umpire’s decision is final.

The game shall be played on a half field from normal sideline to sideline.

Tubing - The ball may be played off the tubing dividing the fields. 

Self Pass - Once past the halfway line, standard attacking 3rd rules will apply. From a free hit, the ball must not be played into the circle until it has travelled at least 5 metres or has been touched by any player other than the player taking the hit. All players must be 5 metres from the player taking the ball. The ball can be played from where the infringement occurred i.e. the edge of the circle but it must travel 5 metres before entering the circle.

Barging and aggressive behaviour will not be permitted nor will play deemed to be dangerous or likely to cause injury. Players must remain on their feet when tackling, – so no slide tackles are allowed.

Foot - If no advantage is gained from a ball hitting the foot the game shall continue. However, a field player deliberately kicking the ball will be penalised with the appropriate penalty. If a player deliberately kicks the ball within their defending half of the field the umpire may award a penalty corner.

There are no penalty strokes: a goal will be awarded in the event that a penalty stroke is given – e.g. if a ball hits a player’s foot on the goal-line.  

NO lifting - As summer hockey is meant to be enjoyable for all, there are no lifted balls unless it is a controlled jinx over a stick and even then any ball above knee height will be penalised regardless of any danger or advantage. In particular you must be very strict on the lifting of the ball into a defending player, which is becoming more common these days as a means of obtaining a free hit.

Blood rules will apply.

Swearing on the field will not be tolerated.

Intimidation of players in any way will be penalised.  Repeat offenders will be suspended from play. This especially applies to anyone pushing a ball at close range to any other player. 

Normal penalty corner rules do not apply. Instead a free hit will be awarded to the attacking team 5m from the circle and must travel 5m before entering the circle. Four (4) defenders will remain in the circle – the remaining two must be in the opposition circle.

Long corners - Normal rules apply. Long corners will be taken in line where the ball went out about 5m back from the top of the circle.

Sixteen hits - These must be taken anywhere inside the circle.

Pushing - The stick must be behind the ball and the player should use a push through action. No scoops, flicks, drag flicks, sweeps, reverse sweeps or slap hits are allowed.