Tue 14 Dec, 2004
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Bend it like FIH!  x16
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| International Hockey Federation |
December 5, 2004 
Mid-Day Mumbai, India
> Page Views 815
Mufeed Mahdi Rizvi
Lahore: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has decided to stick to the basics as far as hockey equipment is concerned.
In a latest ruling, the FIH has asked all the hockey stick manufacturers to restrict the curve (bow) of its sticks to 2.5mm by 2006.
Currently the top drag-flickers curve their stick to 4.7mm, legally allowed by the FIH.
A couple of months ago, the FIH sent a letter stating that we had to restrict the curve on the sticks to 2.5, revealed Ashok Kumar, a salesman for stick manufacturers, Sachin, who have three Indian players Dilip Tirkey, Ignace Tirkey and William Xalco using their brand.
FIHs event manager Dennis Meredith confirms the ruling. Yes, FIH did take this decision some time back, said Dennis, but does not give a reason.
According to Ashok, it is the drag-flickers who use the most curved (4.7mm) sticks. It helps them hold the ball well before unleashing their lethal strike. The greater the curve, the greater the power.
However, legendary coach Paul Lissek doesnt agree with Ashok. It will not affect established flickers. Players like Sohail (Abbas) and (Taeke) Taekema have perfected the art and will score under any circumstances. Obviously the coaches will start working on it, said Lissek.
Among the coaches, Dutch coach Terry Walsh had a different perspective. He started off saying it was a legal issue. It will definitely affect a drag-flickers performance. With a stick bent more than normal it helps, he said. But he also said he was unaware of FIHs any such move.
Meredith, on the other hand, said the manufacturers should not wait for 2006 and start producing sticks keeping the ruling in mind.
However, Ashok wants to take it easy. We havent started following measurements. There is a whole year left before us ahead, he says.
So what do the players do with the old sticks that do not match the FIHs requirements? Dump that and buy a new Sachin stick, he signed off.
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worried
12-07-2004 6:38 am
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i would say that 50% of players in the international game use sticks with a greater bend than 25mm. These sticks have enabled the players to learn new skills and made the game more interesting and exciting for many spectators. Surely restricting this limit which is now 50mm?? to 25mm is too drastic and also a big expense to manufacturers and the normal player who has to pay for there sticks, which have become increasingly expensive.
A redution to say 35mm would affect far less players and seems a reasonable thing to do.
Are the FIH willing to think of the players and spectators, or just looking to grab attention by drastic measures, when hockey with coverage of major tournaments now regular and an exceptional Olympics is becoming more popular and easy for many to understand.
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patehetic
12-07-2004 6:44 am
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The development of the Adidas preditor football boot, and its subsequent rivals has enabled footballers to do more with a football (power, curve etc). This has made the game more excitng for fans and developed players new skills. Hockey must keep up with technalogical advancement like all games (golf tennis also). Making such restrictions is a negative step.
Please for once listen to what the players and fans want... they are the market and ambassedors of the game.
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Shop owner
12-07-2004 6:46 am
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Making money from hockey is hard enough. These restrictions will leave many with unwanted stock and resources. Its time for the manufactures and players to make a stance aginst the FIH.
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shinpads
12-07-2004 8:24 am
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Communication
Don't you think it is time the FIH AND the manufacturers got together BEFORE any new innovations were introduced?? Make more sense to me if I was a shop owner.:)
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Concern
12-08-2004 6:43 am
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Just when players have got used to playying with Bow sticks, THE FIH makes another drastic change to the rules, (anyone remember the Short Corner rule change just before the Olymics???)
I think the people who will suffer are Manufacturers (Financially), and the players.
I have had great enjoyment watching the likes of Sohail, Takae, Jugraj,and the rest of them perfecting the art of Drag Flicks. I do beleive that they are all good enough to put the ball away with the new sticks, but the same does not go for all hockey players. Youngsters have learnt to play and drag flick/scoop the ball with the bow sticks, and the FIH are now sending them all back to the drawing board to RELEARN thier skills.
Cannot be good for the game.
Lets Hope the comments above reach the powers that be before its too late.
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K hockey
12-08-2004 3:47 pm
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I believe this is a positive move for the safety of the game.
Currently the Drag Flick is destroying the game of hockey with the danger aspect making the height restriction rule at a penalty corner nothing short of a joke. By limiting the bow, and therefore, perhaps limiting the power of the shot - then the focus is taken away from the danger of the shot and placed more on the direction and accuracy of the flick. Only the top couple of drag flick experts can combine both power and accuracy.
Unless the law of the penalty corner was to change - limiting the height of the drag flick shot - to the same as that of a 'first hit', then this restriction on the bow of the stick is the only logical decision for the FIH. There has been much discussion on the danger aspect of the dragflick and how long it was going to take for someone to get seriously injured.
I think the FIH are, for once, trying to be proactive, and whilst i am all for innovation and progression of the game and all it involves, that should not be at the detroment of safety.
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shinpads
12-09-2004 1:08 am
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Good Point
Not a bad point regarding the drag flick on penalty corners.
Why is it illegal to hit a ball higher than the backboards at 80 - 90 miles an hour and not for a flick at over 90m.p.h.? I always thought the "backboard" rule was designed to save injuries and to improve the game overall.
Then there is the latest alteration to the rules of allowing defenders to raise sticks above the head to stop goals and now we are seeing defenders wearing face masks on corners as they deliberately get in the way to attempt to stop them where before they would duck away.
Next it will be proposed that we go back to the sixties and allow defenders to stop the ball with their hands in the name of safety and then we will see a group of goalkeepers in various attire on the line.
It is interesting how coaches and players always find ways to circumvent the rules to gain an edge and bent sticks, dangerous drag flicks and the obvious abuse of the often misunderstood obstruction rule has been at the expense of the quality of the game.
If Abbas was only permitted to flick at backboard height I believe he would still score as many goals because he and those of his ability would find good alternatives in time. But it would make the game more interesting as we novices learn how to use a multitude of skills rather than relying on one individual skill to help us.
One interesting point is that those novices who use bent or the really high impact compact sticks often struggle in the basics of the game. .... like trapping and over hitting where there is often more rebound than traditional sticks. ..... especially kids!! Give me a squad who trap well and pass well and they will not need too many corners to win a game.
A point of law. Is it an offence to deliberately propel a dangerous object in the vicinity of a group of people's faces in order to make them get out of the way for fear of injury or death?
Any lawyers out there may have a good example to quote. Also who is at fault? Is it the lawmakers of the game who make rules allowing this or the player who does it or the umpire who fails to stop it or the coach who advocates it's use?
Get rid of the high drag flick before someone dies.
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Hockey Supporter
12-09-2004 4:54 am
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Shinpads
You made many Good Comments and as an Umpire when blowing for the safety of defending players, we get funny looks as if we do not know what we are doing.
It is time FIH stopped messing with the rules and made them simple and the game would be easier to play and umpire but no it is FIH run by oldies who have not played at higher level but want to make stupid rules.
You are correct in saying, the only time any action will be taken by FIH, when it is too late and hope some lawyers will take FIH to cleaners.
These rulemakers do to keep their Countries at the top and not think about Young Players who are starting the game.
Shopkeepers /Manufacturers of these sticks do so for profit and not for the love of game, so if you are losing tough luck and no pity from me as you are skinning these youngsters, I lost on Alu sticks and no ruddy shopkeeper was offering any discounts but upped their prices so forget about pity from Hockey Players.
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Paul V
12-09-2004 6:32 am
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Facemasks?!?
Shinpads...Are you nuts? Are you seriously trying to tell me that by wearing a thin sheet of plastic over their face the defenders will now not duck out of the way? Get real, those things arent keepers helmets, they are just used to safeguard a defenders face if they get struck so instead of a gash/broken bone there will be a huge bruise instead
I would agree that restricting the bend seems a good idea, those at lower levels of the game that have to use a massive bend are typically masking a deficiency of skill in the technique. It does also make it more dangerous as lower level players are much more likely to raise the ball when hitting it with a high bend stick (Ive seen this a lot this season)
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NHL Player
12-09-2004 7:31 am
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Agree
Someone will get killed soon. Everything backboard height please. Would encourage more creative hockey and more attemps at field goals. rather than boring teams that defend defend defend then just go for shorties and bring on their big drag flicker. Boring!
Also whilst i love to watch a nice flick fly into the top corner, I enjoy more, seeing a well worked corner that get bounced round two or three slips then tapped in at the post.
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namelessderro
12-09-2004 7:33 am
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high dragflicks
shinpads and K hockey, i think you are missing the point of why the dragflick was brought into the game. A fair few years ago now the rules board decided to restrict the hieght of the first shot at goal to backboard height ( for all shots not jsut hits). the goalkeepers then realised that in order to save a goal all they needed to do was to lie down for the first shot.
This is why they allowed flicks to be above backboard height, so that the keepers would not have such a large advantage on PC's. Now when u say that abbas would b able to score of dragflicks still, think of that fact that if all first shots had to be on backboards height wud the goalie wait for the first shot before goin down? no.
I agree that thecurrent rule does make it dangerous in some instances, but no more dangerous than an accidental lift into the circle from a driven hit outside, and in the Pc at least the dafenders hav a bit of a warning that it is coming, if they decide not to get out of the road it is their own fault.
However more to the point, i think that the curvature of sticks at the moment is a bit drastic, althought possibly a restriction to say 35mm would still take out the outragous bends without stopping begginers from leanering to dragflick, because alot of the time that is how youngsters learn to dragflick by using stick with those outrages bows so that they grip the ball better.
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shinpads
12-09-2004 8:52 am
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Two points
Point 1
Those thin face masks are used in Ice hockey so I would feel rather safe in them now as I did in the 70' & 80"s when I wore them before cages were allowed. Vision is affected more than the impact injury worry from my experience.
The design is made to save lives where the ball will deflect off them rather than a direct impact but most maskswill not stop minor injuries by the way, even the cages if hit at the wrong angle.
As for ducking out of the way - in some international teams you would be sacked if you did!! In a local derby you would possibly be branded a hero or nuts if you did not. Not much of a choice is there?
Point 2
I was under the impression that goalkeepers were not to drop until the ball is struck and if so there is limited time to save a good shot if you are even slightly out of position. So what if the keeper does drop anyway as rebounds off the keeper are perfect scoring opportunities as well ... especially ones that come off chest guards or padded pants around the V section.
As for dangerous situations... Accidents do happen on miss-hits, but deliberately raised shots at people on the line are not part of the game and are deemed illegal already but are not policed enough because the officials of the game are confused about what is truely dangerous..
Get rid of it and if necessary make keepers stand up longer before dropping .. if only for the 1st shot.
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K hockey
12-09-2004 4:01 pm
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Shinpads - good points.
Now - don't get me wrong - I like to see a well directed flick skittle into the top of the net, equally as exciting is the fullback clearing the ball over the sideline - mid-air, with a cricket like swing, while defending his goal - it would be a shame to see that go from the game.
I don't think it necessary to look at restricting the height of these flicks - as a first shot at goal - immediately. I would like to stress again that the reduction in the bow of the stick will reduce the power of the shot - therefore increasing direction and accuracy of the flicker, but importantly, also increasing reaction time for defenders and even attackers searching for defletions, and so will hopefully create fairer, safer, and more exciting hockey at penalty corner time.
The FIH are focussed and driven by keeping what potentially could be a very dangerous game, a safe one, and recognise - i believe - the need to maintain the spectator factor. Not too many other sports make changes as drastic as removing offside and rolling, unlimited substitutions. It is very obvious the game needed to be faster and with the move to artificial surfaces, the very necesary and appropriate adjustments were made. Lets have a bit of faith in the governing body.
I also think that some of the best coaches are the ones that run as close as they can to bending the rules of the game - it brings innovation and creativity in all areas. I believe it is superb that the rule-makers of our game are looking and watching the progression and development of the sport and making the adjustments as and when they are required. It adds to the game of hockey in all areas - umpiring, playing, managing, and coaching - that the laws are evolving and not concreted for eternity.
Danger will always be a factor of a sport where 22 people run around weilding sticks chasing a very hard little ball, but as long as the officials (at all levels) keep safety at top of mind, and players are sensible about how they play the ball, then hockey will continue to be one of the most exciting, skillful games in the world.
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SuperSingh
12-11-2004 9:20 am
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why dont corner rushers just put on a mask and pads like the spaniards and the koreans....if there was a height limit, then the goalie could just lie down again
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dragflicking.com
12-13-2004 2:48 am
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bows and speeds
ok......
so a few misconceptions as far as bowed sticks go. here are some facts. Grays GX7000 - as pictured on the aforementioned site - I can flick the ball at 68 mph (according to my radar gun) positioned in the goal. Grays powerbow - top speed of 68 mph from top of circle. Malik Veloce allows me to flick ball at 70mph. last but not least Grays Megabow - again 68mph.
flickers with good technique rely very little on the bow. look at calum giles. when dragflicking came to the fore in the 1996 olympics he was using sticks with a bow in them that was a lot less than 30mm. i think it will have a huge effect on the juniors or the 4th team players flicking but will have very little effect on the elite levels.
people will have to start thinking about technique and not just flicking the ball. there is an artform to a dragflick - feet, legs, hips, hands, shoulders, head - these all play a huge part to it. some of the flickers i see today have no real technique, they just have a banana stick.
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df
12-13-2004 2:54 am
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p.s
sorry i forgot this. if the FIH want to make the game safer they should try banning hitting with the blade of the stick. again it wouldnt really effect the international game as most good players can hit reverse and open with the head of the stick and not the blade. it would however improve skills further down the levels. i.e. if i hit a ball with a gryphon taboo stick normally (head) i can generate 76mph. if I hit the ball on the blade i can generate 89mph. 13mph not a lot i hear you say. now give that skill to a younger player - the speed differences are startling - 50mph normally - 75mph on the blade. someone is going to get killed.
taking away bowed sticks, taking away edge hitting on both sides would make the game safer and would mean you need more skill to play.
just a thought....
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