We have always been quite keen about sports like football, basketball, lawn tennis and of course, cricket. Who doesn’t like cricket? We all do and we follow it religiously whether it is 20-20 or world cup! But did we ever try to discover about our national sport, hockey? I am sure we all are aware of the fact that hockey is our national sport but our duty doesn’t end there. There are still a lot of people specially the new generation who is clueless about this sport and how it is actually played. It is high time we start exploring this game after all it is our national sport and we shouldn’t ignore it.
How to play hockey?
In this game, two teams are divided which plays against each other. Each team has to carefully move the ball into the opponent’s goal with the help of a hockey stick.
• Keep yourself ready with hockey equipment. Buy a beginner stick which comes up to your waist so that you can learn and play comfortably.
• You need to keep in mind that while playing hockey, your left hand will give the main guidance to the stick and your right hand will be the main support to the stick.
• Your left foot should be pointing at the front while the rest foot should be put back for support. You will have to bend your knees in order to aim for the ball.
• Now all you will have to do is, ‘trap the ball’. Here, try to stop or slow down the pace of the ball which is coming towards you.
• It is now time to hit the ball and for that you will have to make sure that your right hand is very close to your left hand so that the ball is in direct contact with your forward foot.
• Try and bounce the ball along the length of the stick. Try to work on the pulls and turns with the help of any of your team member.
In the end, the more you will practice it, the perfect you will become in this game. Once you will learn it, you will not look forward to any other sport. All sports are interesting and fun without any doubt but as an Indian we shouldn’t ignore our national sport and should be equally excited and keen in learning and practicing it. It is one of the important things to remember.
