# Positions and Formations · Field Hockey Level 3: Pre-Intermediate

Field Hockey · Level 3: Pre-Intermediate · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/field-hockey/level-3/positions-and-formations/)

How eleven players are split into lines, the tasks of the goalkeeper, sweeper, centre back, side defenders, midfielders and strikers, the shapes a midfield can take, and why young players try every position.

## Test 1: The lines of a team

- A system brings order and divides tasks among the eleven players. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Tactics for youth teams)
- Strikers, midfielders, defenders and the goalkeeper. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eleven-a-side)
- Defenders sit between the midfield and the goalkeeper, so the back line is the last outfield line before the keeper. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Tactics for youth teams)
- Length is how far apart the lines stand from back to front; width is how widely players spread across the field. A good system uses both. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eleven-a-side)
- With players well spread in length and width, the team can change from attacking to defending without being caught out of shape. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eleven-a-side)
- It depends on the players available and the opponents' expected game plan. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Tactics for youth teams)
- Line tactics are the joint actions of one line, such as the defenders moving up or dropping back together. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Tactics)
- Play runs from the goal being attacked back to your own: strikers up front, then midfield and defence, with the goalkeeper last. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eleven-a-side)
- One player, a group, the whole team. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Tactics)
- Strikers play highest up the field, so the line closest to the opponents' goal is the striker line. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eleven-a-side)

## Test 2: The goalkeeper's tasks

- The keeper stands behind every defender, so once the ball gets past them the keeper is the only player left to stop a goal. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- From the back the keeper sees the whole field and calls to defenders where to stand and whom to pick up. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Seeing the whole play from behind, the keeper can also tell team-mates when to push up and where space is open. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Older goalkeepers add leadership: coming out to narrow the angle and organising the defenders in front of them. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Phase 1)
- Older keepers face lifted shots as well as ground ones, so they must be ready to react to both. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Phase 1)
- Besides stopping a shot with the pads, the keeper can clear the ball away with the stick so that it does not stay in danger. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Phase 1)
- Standing at the back with the whole field ahead, the keeper sees play develop and can warn the defence early. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide)
- Organising comes first while the ball is far away; the keeper must be set before the shot and clear it to the side after saving so no rebound is left. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Movement, angles, then leading the defence. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Skill plan)
- Pointing and calling while the ball is upfield is the keeper organising the defence, not preparing for a shot. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)

## Test 3: The sweeper

- The sweeper is the free defender: no opponent to mark, so the player can read the game and cover the others. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Glossary)
- The free defender gives cover and depth behind the other defenders. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Defence line)
- The sweeper has no regular opponent, so when an extra attacker breaks past the defenders the sweeper picks that player up. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Without a marking job the sweeper is free to step forward with the ball and add a player to the midfield. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- A free player behind the midfield helps keep the ball and defend higher. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Formation 1)
- Each defender then marks one attacker with nobody behind, so a single beaten defender leaves a free run at goal. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Formation 1)
- Defenders always have cover and the opponents' space is limited. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Formation 1)
- A sweeper starts as cover; once the ball is won, the same free role lets the player step up and start the attack. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- The sweeper behind the defenders gives cover to all of them; the other two set-ups leave the back line with less cover or none. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Formation 1)
- Standing deep behind the other defenders with no opponent to mark is the sweeper's free role: covering team-mates rather than following a player. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Glossary)

## Test 4: The centre back

- The central defender plays opposite the opposing centre striker, the most direct threat in the middle. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- The high defender can step up on opponents who break through. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Centre strikers are not always mindful of reverse defending. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Defence line)
- With the ball, the centre back can carry it forward into midfield, giving the team an extra player there. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- The back line has a left defender, a centre back and a right defender, so the centre back holds the middle, facing the opposing centre striker. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Defence line)
- Provide cover behind the midfield and facilitate outlet passes. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- The centre back stands in the middle of the defence, directly in the path of the opposing centre striker, so that is the player to watch. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- A centre back starts by marking, and once the ball is won can carry it into midfield before passing forward. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Seen across the back line, the centre back stands between the left and right defenders. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Defence line)
- Staying close to the centre striker in the middle of the defence is the centre back's marking job. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)

## Test 5: The side defenders

- The right defender faces the opposing left striker, so while the ball is on that side it marks that player closely. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Pushing the attacker onto the defender's open front stick side gives the defender the strongest tackle. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Away from the ball there is nobody to mark tightly, so the side defender drops back to cover team-mates. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Running or passing along the side-line stretches the opposition, which opens space for the middle. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- The outside defenders get the most opportunity to attack. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Defence line)
- Wing defenders play on the flanks, so their opponents are the strikers who play out wide. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Defence line)
- An outlet pass is the first pass from the back to an attacker on that side, moving the ball out of defence. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- While the ball is on their side they mark tightly; once it switches to the far side the same defender drops off to cover. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- After winning the ball the side defender uses the side-line for width, plays the outlet pass and then supports the move. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Staying with the left striker near the side-line on that flank is the job of the right defender. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)

## Test 6: The centre midfielder

- The central midfielder is the pivot between attack and defence. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eleven-a-side)
- Getting behind the ball quickly puts the midfielder between the ball and the goal, so the team is not exposed in the middle. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Pushing attackers left forces them onto the weaker reverse stick, which is easier to defend. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Keeping a triangle with the outside midfielders gives the team passing angles in attack and cover in defence. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Rushing in risks being beaten in the centre, so the midfielder first steers the attacker and waits for a safe moment to tackle. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- If an attacker beats the defender in the middle there is open space to goal, so duels there are avoided. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- By leading into space the midfielder offers a passing option and helps the defenders move the ball out. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- After a turnover the midfielder first gets behind the ball, then limits space, steers the attacker left and tackles only when safe. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- The midfielder shows for the pass, receives, passes to a striker and keeps the triangle so support remains. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Light 6 sits centrally between the back and front lines, joining defence and attack: the centre midfielder. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eleven-a-side)

## Test 7: The outside midfielders

- Getting back behind the ball immediately stops a quick counter-attack and rebuilds the team's shape. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Standing inside the striker rather than level with the line gives the pair a triangle with the centre midfielder, and passing angles. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- With the ball on their side they add a player to the attack there, while the far side stays back. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Away from the ball they are not needed in attack, so they drop back to protect the middle and defend. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Midfielders are key players in restarts: free hits and side-line hits. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the midfielders)
- When high players pull defenders away, runs from midfield into the gap they leave can break through. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the midfielders)
- Seeing a change of possession coming lets these players react before the opponents do. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the midfielders)
- After the ball is lost the outside midfielder sprints back first, then picks up an opponent and helps win possession again. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- Midfielders first link with the defence, then pass to the strikers and run into the space those strikers have created. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the midfielders)
- A player just behind and inside the right striker, forming the triangle, is the right midfielder. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)

## Test 8: Midfield shapes

- In an attacking triangle the point faces your own goal, so the two outside players push up and the centre sits behind them. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- In the defensive triangle the point of the triangle faces the opponents. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- Usually one is more offensive and the other more defensive. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- Diamond: one central attacking and one central defensive midfielder. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- In a one-three the single player sits at the back as a shield in front of the defence, with three ahead. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- In a three-one the single player plays forward of the three, as the link to the strikers. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- In a trough the four are split evenly: two give attacking support and two give defensive cover. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- Deep centre, level, then centre ahead. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- Bottom point, the sides, top point. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)
- Back, two sides, front: a diamond. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Midfield line)

## Test 9: The striker line

- The system decides the number: fewer strikers leave more players in midfield, more strikers give a heavier attack. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Striker line)
- A marked striker cannot receive safely, so getting free of the marker gives the passer a clear target. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the strikers)
- Swapping places makes it hard for defenders to know whom they should mark. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the strikers)
- The faster they get there, the fewer defenders are in place, so a shot or pass is more likely to succeed. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the strikers)
- Pressing at once stops the opponents building up and may win the ball high up near their goal. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the strikers)
- Being right in front of the goal gives the best angle for a shot and for deflections. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- The shortest route to goal is straight, so after beating the defender the striker turns inside rather than staying wide. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)
- A striker must be free of the marker before receiving, then runs at the circle to finish. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the strikers)
- Strikers first pressure the player with the ball, steer it to one side and, if beaten, drop back behind the ball. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Role of the strikers)
- A run towards the back-line away from the ball pulls defenders back and opens space in front of them. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Individual tasks)

## Test 10: Playing every position

- All players must get the chance to play in all positions to increase knowledge. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eight-a-side)
- Each position has attacking and defensive aspects to master. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Phase 1)
- Rotate through all positions to learn the tactical requirements. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Six-a-side)
- Knowing the other role makes a better attacker. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide)
- Tactics need skills: a player who cannot control and pass the ball cannot carry out the plan. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Summary)
- A system only works if every player knows what is expected in their position. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Summary)
- Practising in game-like situations teaches players to decide as they would in a real match. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Summary)
- Variety first, then understanding, then a specialism. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide)
- The game progression grows the field and the team. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Game progression)
- Moving players round lets them learn every role. (Source: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, Eight-a-side)

Sources: KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, USA Field Hockey 101, NFHCA notes, FIH history and official results; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category (Field Hockey - Rules of Hockey).

Take the tests: https://insporta.app/try?utm_source=book&utm_medium=referral