Skill Tests in Field Hockey – Past, Present & Future

Abstract:

Field Hockey is a team based outdoor game played between two opposing teams of 11 players whose aim is to
score on opponents goal and to defend goal being scored. Players are permitted to play the ball with the flat side and with the edges of the head and handle of the stick. The ball may not be struck hard with a forehand edge stroke, because of the difficulty of controlling the height and direction of the ball from that stroke. There are no fixed positions even a goalkeeper is not required under the 2007-2008 rules, but most teams arrange themselves into fullbacks, halfbacks and forwards. For the purpose of the rules, all players on the team in possession of the ball are attackers, and those on the team without the ball are defenders. In the present scenario, the methods adopted in field Hockey are highly appreciable. With the advent of synthetic surface from 1976 onwards the game got a new trend and drastic changes have take place in skills and performance. Tests are very important in the area of physical education. Instructions may not be effective, if the students are classified according to their status such as beginners, intermediary and advanced rather they have to classify the students in a particular activity or skill according to the ability. To compare our teams with the international standards and to compete with the foreign teams, proper selection must be done in order to measure the skill and performance level. This paper deals with the need of construction of skill test to meet the demands in future.