30 Must-Know Field Hockey Terms, Phrases and Slang

60 field hockey terms explained, from bully, backstick and drag flick to the D, jink and tomahawk, plus the slang players use.

Field hockey terminology reaches from the rulebook to the sideline shout, and a newcomer hears both in the first ten minutes of a match. The words related to field hockey below name the strokes, the set pieces and the markings on the pitch, and the words associated with the stick and the card system sit alongside them. Use the field hockey glossary further down when you need one term explained quickly rather than the whole vocabulary at once.

Must-Know Field Hockey Terms, Phrases and Slang:

1. Backstick
2. Bully
3. Center Pass
4. Dribble
5. Flick
6. Goal Circle
7. Hit
8. Injector
9. Jink
10. Long Corner
11. Marking
12. Midfielder
13. Obstruction
14. Penalty Corner
15. Push
16. Scoop
17. Striker
18. Tackle
19. Tomahawk
20. Trap
21. Umpire
22. 16-yard hit
23. Advantage rule
24. Carry
25. Drag Flick
26. Flat Stick
27. Free Hit
28. Reverse Stick
29. Stick Check
30. Sweep

Field Hockey Glossary: Every Term A to Z

Term	What It Means
16-yard hit	A free hit for the defense taken 16 yards from the goal line, given after the ball crosses the backline off an attacker.
23-metre line	The line across the pitch 23 metres from each backline. Play restarts and free hits inside it follow their own rules.
Advantage rule	The umpire lets play run on if stopping it would punish the team that was fouled.
Aerial	A lifted pass sent high over the heads of other players to a teammate further up the pitch. Also called an overhead.
Backboard	The low board along the bottom of the back of the goal. A hit first shot at a penalty corner must not go higher than it.
Backline	The line at each end of the pitch. What happens when the ball crosses it depends on who touched it last.
Backstick	Hitting the ball with the rounded back of the stick, which is illegal and gives the ball to the other team.
Bully	The old restart in which two players tapped sticks over the ball before playing it. Largely replaced in modern rules.
Cap	One appearance for a national team. A first cap is a player’s debut, and a career total is counted in caps.
Carry	Moving the ball along with the stick while keeping possession.
Center pass	The pass from the middle of the pitch that starts each half and restarts play after a goal. Also called a push back.
D	The common name for the shooting circle, after its shape.
Danger	The umpire’s call for play that risks hitting someone, most often a lifted ball into a crowded area.
Dangerous play	Any action, such as a high lifted ball into players, that the umpire judges could cause injury.
Drag flick	A powerful lifted shot dragged along the ground before release, the standard weapon at a penalty corner.
Dribble	Running with the ball under control, tapping it along with the stick.
Feet	The foul called when the ball hits a field player’s foot. The other team gets a free hit.
Flat stick	Laying the stick flat on the ground to block a pass or shot.
Flick	A wrist-driven stroke that lifts the ball off the ground, used for penalty strokes and short shots.
Forehand	The right side of the player, where the flat face of the stick faces the ball without turning it over.
Free hit	The restart given after a minor foul, taken where the foul happened with opponents five metres away.
Goal circle	The D-shaped area in front of goal. A shot only counts if it is taken from inside it.
Goal-side	Standing between your opponent and the goal you are defending, which is where a marker wants to be.
Goalkeeper	The only player allowed to use body and pads to stop the ball, and only inside their own circle.
Green card	A warning card. The player is suspended briefly before returning to the pitch.
Hacking	Hitting or hooking an opponent’s stick instead of the ball, a foul.
Hit	A full swing at the ball, used for long passes and hard shots.
Indian dribble	A dribble that moves the ball rapidly from forehand to reverse stick and back.
Injector	The player who pushes the ball out from the backline to start a penalty corner.
Inserter	Another name for the injector at a penalty corner.
Jink	A quick dodge that beats an opponent, sometimes by lifting the ball over their stick.
Lift	Any stroke that raises the ball off the ground. A lift is legal as long as it is not dangerous.
Long corner	A free hit from near the corner flag, given when a defender puts the ball over their own backline unintentionally.
Marking	Staying close to an opponent so they cannot receive the ball or turn with it.
Midfielder	A player working the middle third, linking defense and attack and covering the most ground.
Obstruction	Blocking an opponent from playing the ball with your body or stick instead of playing it yourself.
Open side	The forehand side of the player with the ball, where it is easiest to pass and hit.
Penalty corner	A set piece given for a foul by the defense inside their circle. The attack restarts from the backline with a limited number of defenders.
Penalty stroke	A one-on-one shot from the penalty spot against the goalkeeper, awarded for a foul that stops a probable goal.
Press	Pushing the whole team up the pitch to win the ball back early instead of dropping into a defensive shape.
Push	A pass or shot made by pushing the ball along the ground without a backswing. Quick and accurate.
Red card	Permanent removal from the match. The team plays on a player short.
Reverse stick	Playing the ball with the stick turned over, on the left-hand side of the body.
Scoop	Sliding the stick under the ball to lift it over a stick or a defender.
Self-pass	Restarting a free hit by playing the ball to yourself and moving off with it.
Shootout	The tie-breaker in knockout games: an attacker has eight seconds to score against the keeper, starting from the 23-meter line.
Sideline hit	The restart after the ball goes over the sideline, taken where it went out. Older players still call it a hit-in.
Slap hit	A long sweeping hit with the hands apart and the stick low, between a push and a full hit.
Stick check	Knocking the ball away from an opponent with your stick. Careless attempts give away a free hit.
Stopper	The player at a penalty corner who stops the inserted ball at the top of the circle for the shot.
Striker	The furthest forward player, whose job is to score.
Sweep	A low, wide swing that sends the ball hard along the ground.
Tackle	Taking the ball off an opponent legally, by timing the stick onto the ball rather than the player.
Toe	The flat end of the stick head. Players talk about controlling the ball on the toe.
Tomahawk	A reverse stick hit, swung with the stick head turned over. Useful for shots from unexpected angles.
Trap	Stopping and controlling the ball, usually flat on the stick, before playing the next pass.
Turf	The watered artificial pitch the modern game is played on. It makes the ball run faster and truer than grass.
Umpire	One of the two officials on the pitch. They call fouls, award set pieces and issue cards.
Video referral	A team’s request to have an umpire’s decision checked on video, allowed in top international games.
Yellow card	A temporary suspension of at least five minutes. The team plays short while the player sits out.

What Is It Called When…? Field Hockey Terms by Situation

Know what happened but not the word for it? Find the situation on the left and the field hockey term on the right.

When…	It Is Called
The ball hits a player’s foot	Feet
The ball is played with the rounded back of the stick	Backstick
A player pushes the ball out at a penalty corner	Injector (inserter)
Two players tap sticks over the ball to restart	Bully
The ball is lifted high over several players	Aerial
A defender commits a foul inside the circle	Penalty corner
A shot is taken one-on-one against the keeper from the spot	Penalty stroke
The ball goes over the backline off a defender	Long corner
An attacker plays the ball over the backline	16-yard hit
A player shields the ball with the body from a tackler	Obstruction
A player stops the ball dead on receiving it	Trap
A player turns the stick over to play on the left side	Reverse stick
The ball is pushed and lifted off the ground in one motion	Flick
A player takes a free hit and goes on alone	Self-pass
A player makes a quick change of direction past a defender	Jink
The game restarts at the start of a quarter or after a goal	Center pass
A tied knockout game is decided one-on-one against the keeper	Shootout
A player plays a game for the national team	Cap

#1 Backstick

Playing the ball with the rounded back of the stick, which is a foul. Only the flat face, including its edges, may be used, so players turn the stick over for a reverse instead. The other team gets a free hit.

In a sentence: “Backstick, and that’s a free hit going the other way.”

#2 Bully

The old way of starting and restarting play: two opposing players stand over the ball and tap their sticks together before either can play it. Modern rules have almost entirely replaced it with free hits and the center pass, so most players today only know the word.

In a sentence: “In my mother’s day every game began with a bully.”

#3 Center Pass

The pass from the middle of the halfway line that starts each quarter and restarts the game after every goal. All other players must be in their own half when it is taken. Some older players still call it the push back.

In a sentence: “They scored straight from the center pass in eight seconds.”

#4 Dribble

Running with the ball under control of the stick. A straight dribble keeps the ball on the forehand side, while the Indian dribble moves it quickly from side to side by turning the stick over with each touch.

In a sentence: “She dribbled from the halfway line right into the circle.”

#5 Flick

A pushing stroke that lifts the ball off the ground, with no backswing. It is used for shots at goal, for lifted passes and for the penalty stroke, and a well-hit flick can go high into the goal from close range.

In a sentence: “He flicked it into the top corner over the keeper’s shoulder.”

#6 Goal Circle

The semicircle in front of each goal, also called the D or the shooting circle, which reaches 16 yards (14.63 meters) from the goal. A goal counts only if the ball was played by an attacker inside it.

In a sentence: “Get it into the circle, nothing counts from out there.”

#7 Hit

A stroke with a swing of the stick, used for long passes and powerful shots. Players may not lift the ball dangerously with it, and from a free hit the ball may not be raised on purpose.

In a sentence: “She hit it hard across the face of goal and it was deflected in.”

#8 Injector

The attacker who pushes the ball out from the backline to start a penalty corner, also called the inserter. The ball is placed on the backline at least 10 meters from the nearer goalpost, and the injector’s pass sets the timing for the whole routine.

In a sentence: “The injector played it fast and the stopper had it dead on the top of the D.”

#9 Jink

A sudden change of direction with the ball to beat a defender, often after a fake the other way. It is short and sharp, not a long run around the opponent.

In a sentence: “She jinked inside and had the whole circle to herself.”

#10 Long Corner

The restart for the attack when the ball goes over the backline off a defender without it being deliberate. Under international rules it is taken on the 23-meter line in line with where the ball left the field, not from the corner itself.

In a sentence: “Long corner, bring everyone up to the 23.”

#11 Marking

Staying close to a particular opponent to stop them receiving the ball. Teams use player-to-player marking, zonal marking or a mix, and a defender who “loses their mark” leaves a forward free.

In a sentence: “Mark goal-side, never let her get between you and the goal.”

#12 Midfielder

A player in the middle of the field who links defense and attack. Midfielders cover the most ground in a game and take most of the passes, so fitness is the first thing coaches look for.

In a sentence: “Our midfielders won every loose ball in the second half.”

#13 Obstruction

A foul where a player uses the body or stick to block an opponent who is trying to play the ball, for example by turning their back to shield it. Moving away with the ball is allowed, standing in the way to protect it is not.

In a sentence: “She backed into the defender, and the umpire whistled for obstruction.”

#14 Penalty Corner

The set piece awarded for a foul by the defense inside the circle, or a deliberate one in their own 23-meter area. The attack inserts the ball from the backline, and only five defenders, goalkeeper included, start behind the backline while the rest wait beyond halfway. The ball must leave the circle before a shot can be taken.

In a sentence: “That’s the third penalty corner in five minutes, and they’ve got a drag flicker.”

#15 Push

The basic passing stroke, made with the stick touching the ball before it moves and without a backswing. The ball stays on the ground, which makes it accurate and quick to release.

In a sentence: “Simple push pass to the open player, don’t force it.”

#16 Scoop

Lifting the ball by putting the stick under it and shoveling it into the air. It is slower than a flick and used to lob the ball over a stick or a defender.

In a sentence: “He scooped it over the defender’s stick and ran onto it.”

#17 Striker

A forward whose main job is scoring. Strikers work in and around the circle, waiting for passes and deflections, and they make the first press when the other team has the ball.

In a sentence: “Their striker scored with a tip-in at the far post.”

#18 Tackle

Taking the ball off an opponent with the stick. A tackle is legal only if it plays the ball cleanly, without hitting the opponent’s stick or body first. The block tackle and the jab tackle are the two basic forms.

In a sentence: “Clean tackle, and she’s off the other way with it.”

#19 Tomahawk

A shot or hit on the backhand side with the stick held almost upright, striking the ball with the edge of the stick. It makes it possible to shoot hard from the left without turning the body, and it is a common shot inside the circle.

In a sentence: “Tomahawk from the left side of the D, and it flew past the keeper.”

#20 Trap

Stopping the ball dead on receiving it so it stays close to the stick. A clean trap saves the time a second touch would cost, which is why it is drilled from the first practice.

In a sentence: “The trap was perfect and she shot in one movement.”

#21 Umpire

The official who controls the game. Two umpires share the field, each mainly responsible for one half, and they show green, yellow and red cards for misconduct. Top international games also use a video umpire.

In a sentence: “The umpire waved play on and the goal stood.”

#22 16-yard hit

The free hit for the defense after an attacker plays the ball over the backline. It is taken up to 16 yards from the backline in line with where the ball went out. International rules now just call it a free hit, but the old name survives, especially in American high school play.

In a sentence: “Ball off the attacker’s stick, 16-yard hit to the defense.”

#23 Advantage rule

The umpire’s option to let play continue after a foul if stopping it would hurt the team that was fouled. The foul is not punished later, so umpires use it only when the advantage is real.

In a sentence: “The umpire played the advantage, and they scored from it.”

#24 Carry

Running with the ball close to the stick to move it up the field, often used for a player who takes the ball forward on their own instead of passing. A carry into the circle is often the most direct way to earn a penalty corner.

In a sentence: “She carried it from the back all the way into the circle.”

#25 Drag Flick

The main way to score from a penalty corner: the ball is dragged along the ground with a low, long stroke and slung toward the goal in one motion. Teams have specialists called drag flickers, and because it is not a hit, the shot may go high.

In a sentence: “Their drag flicker put it high into the corner, unstoppable.”

#26 Flat Stick

Holding the stick horizontal and close to the ground as a barrier, usually to block a pass or channel an attacker. It covers a lot of width, but it has to stay controlled to avoid a dangerous play call.

In a sentence: “Get your flat stick down and make her go wide.”

#27 Free Hit

The restart after most fouls outside the circle. Opponents must stand 5 meters away, and the taker may pass or go on their own with a self-pass. For an attacking free hit inside the 23-meter area, the ball must travel 5 meters or be touched by a defender before it goes into the circle.

In a sentence: “Quick free hit, self-pass, and she’s away before the defense is set.”

#28 Reverse Stick

Turning the stick over so the flat face points to the left, which lets a player receive, dribble or hit on their backhand side. A reverse-stick hit is a strong shot in the modern game, often into the far corner.

In a sentence: “She received on the reverse stick and hit it first time.”

#29 Stick Check

An attempt to knock the ball away from an opponent with a quick touch of the stick. It must play the ball: hitting, hooking or blocking the opponent’s stick instead is a foul, sometimes called hacking.

In a sentence: “Late stick check, she hit the stick and gave away the free hit.”

#30 Sweep

A hit made with the stick swung low and almost flat along the ground, with the hands apart. Sweeps, also called slap hits, are used for long passes and for shots at the far post, and they are harder to read than a full hit.

In a sentence: “Sweep from the top of the D and a deflection at the far post.”

Field Hockey Slang Players and Fans Actually Use

Slang	What It Means
Short corner	The everyday name for a penalty corner.
Top of the D	The area at the edge of the circle straight in front of goal, where most penalty corner shots are taken.
Drag flicker	The penalty corner specialist who takes the drag flick.
Tommy	Short for a tomahawk shot.
Slap	Short for a slap hit.
Chip	A short, lifted ball over a stick or a diving keeper.
Tip	A deflection of a shot or pass into the goal, also called a tip-in.
Turf burn	The skin graze from sliding on artificial turf.
Sticks!	The shout when a stick is swung or raised dangerously high.
Hit and hope	A hard hit into the circle with no clear target, hoping someone gets a stick on it.

Field Hockey Expressions and Sayings in Everyday English

• Hockey stick curve: A graph that runs flat for a long time and then shoots up sharply, named after the shape of a hockey stick. Common in business and climate reporting.
• Jolly hockey sticks: A British phrase mocking hearty, upper-class schoolgirl enthusiasm, from the games of hockey played at girls’ boarding schools.
• Sticks!: The shout from the days of the old sticks rule, which banned raising the stick above the shoulder. The rule has gone from the international rulebook, but the call survives in school games.

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