Field Hockey Rules & Regulations

ALL GAMES FOR ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR VARSITY AND VARSITY WILL USE THE PA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION RULES.  OPEN DIVISION WILL USE NCAA RULES. 

  1. PLAYERS MUST WEAR SHIN GUARDS AND MOUTH GUARDS; GOGGLES ARE OPTIONAL. NO JEWELRY ALLOWED.

  2. SUBSTITUTE ENTRY ALLOWED WHILE PLAYERS ARE OFF FIELD

  3. TEAMS - USING AN ILLEGAL PLAYER WITHOUT FIRST INFORMING THE REFEREE:
    a)TEAM WILL FORFEIT THE GAME AND BECOME INELIGIBLE FOR PLAYS

b) PLAYER WILL RECEIVE A RED CARD

  1. TEAMS - SEVEN PLAYERS PER SIDE-INCLUDING A GOALKEEPER.

  2. TEAMS -  MAY PLAY WITH AS FEW AS FOUR (4) PLAYERS.

  3. PLAY - BALLS CAN NOT BE LIFTED DURING PLAY

  4. GOAL KEEPER -  WHEN NO GOAL KEEPER ON THE FIELD, TEAMS PERMITTED TO PLAY WITH SEVEN FIELD PLAYERS. 

  5. PENALTY STROKE -  THE CAGE REMAINS EMPTY AND STROKE TAKEN ON EMPTY GOAL

  6. PENALTY CORNER -  3 PLAYERS PLUS GOALIE BEHIND END LINE AND 3 PLAYERS BEHIND CENTER FIELD LINE.

  7. PENALTY CORNER -  NOT PLAYED OUT ALL GAMES END AT THE BUZZER.

  8. RED CARD  THE PLAYER CANNOT FINISH CURRENT GAME OR PLAY THE NEXT GAME 

  9. RED CARD FOR FIGHTING DISQUALIFIES A PLAYER  FROM LEAGUES FOR 1 YEAR

  10. YELLOW CARD THE PLAYER MUST LEAVE THE FIELD UNTIL PLAY RESTARTS

  11. YELLOW CARD -  ISSUED FOR SPITTING

  12. UMPIRE -  HAS THE RIGHT TO ADD TIME AFTER THE BUZZER FOR DELAYS OR CARDS TO BE ISSUED IN CLOSE GAMES.

  13. PLAYERS/ TEAMS -  MUST  USE BENCHES OPPOSITE FROM THE SPECTATOR BLEACHERS

  14. GAME BALL - BOTH TEAMS MUST SUPPLY A GAME BALL

  15. HALF TIME - 1 MINUTE DURATION; GAME CLOCK STARTS PROMPTLY

GAME TIME - NO TIME ADDED FOR A LATE START OR EXTENDED HALF TIME.