We have to wear skirts 

Who decided that skirts are the necessary attire for field hockey? In both field hockey and lacrosse skirts are the required uniform. You could trace it down to tradition, they started playing with skirts so we should continue this but girls played softball in skirts that doesn’t mean it is the best attire. We have to wear shorts under skirts anyway so it just makes them even tighter and they move around so we have to adjust them as we are running around holding a stick with two hands. 

Can’t use both sides of the stick

Not only do we have short sticks so we have to bend down, we’re also not allowed to use both sides of the sticks so as we’re uncomfortably running around bent down we also have to move and twist our stick to avoid it touching both sides of the stick. We have to use what’s called a “reverse stick” which is also called our “weak stick.” It’s weak because the stick is upside down so it doesn’t cover as much space and we have to bend down even more to make up space. 

The Short Sticks

Field hockey Sticks are so short that we have to continuously bend down and it causes a lot of back pain. We have to take breaks sometimes just to relax and stretch out our backs. The sticks do vary in length for various heights but past 37.5” is uncommon for sticks. The stick is supposed to reach the top of your hip bone but it doesn’t reach mine. For someone who is taller like me I’m using the same length stick as people who are a few inches shorter than me.

No protective Gear 

The only required protective gear for field hockey is shin guards and mouth guards. Masks used to be required but now that they’re not, no one wears them. We’re not allowed to hit the ball any higher than waist high but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Not only are the field hockey balls as hard as rocks, our sticks can very easily go to face height. We’re not allowed to raise our stick higher than our shoulder height but someone’s shoulder height can very easily be someone else’s face height. One of my friends was just trying to defend as normal and got hit between her eyes by a stick and had to get ten stitches. If masks were required that would’ve been covered. 

Field hockey must’ve been made as torture by someone who wanted to make people look stupid and cause back pain or other injuries. They were able to update the rules to make masks unrequired but we’re still forced to wear skirts. I do enjoy the sport but I would have more fun if I could have more comfort while playing and be less worried about hurting myself or others.