1.1 Court Size
1.2 Playing Areas
1.3 Goal/Shooting Circle
1.3.1 Goal Square
1.4 Centre Circle
1.5 Goal Cage
1.6 Penalty Spot
SECTION 2 - DURATION OF GAME
2.1 Normal Playing Times
2.2 Time Outs
2.3 End of Half
2.4 Extra Time
SECTION 3 - TEAMS
3.1 Team Size
3.2 On Field Positions
3.3 Off Side
SECTION 4 - COMMENCEMENT OF PLAY
4.1 Toss of Coin
4.2 Nominating Team Positions
4.3 Player Positions at Start of Play
4.4 Centre Face Off
4.5 Umpire to Start Play
4.6 Restart of Play
SECTION 5 - SCORING
5.1 Legal Goal
5.2 Own Goal
5.3 Illegal Goal
5.4 Throwing Stick to Prevent Goal
5.5 Penalty Hit For Goal
5.6 Penalty Goals in Finals
SECTION 6 - FREE HITS
6.1 When Awarded
6.1.1 Dangerous Play
6.1.2 Ball Above Knee Height
6.1.3 Dangerous Driving of Wheelchair
6.1.4 Throwing Stick
6.1.5 Shepherding Outside of Court
6.1.6 Interefering with Opponent
6.1.7 Handling or Kicking Ball
6.1.8 Offside
6.1.9 Unsportsmanlike Conduct
6.1.10 Time Wasting
6.1.11 Goal Square entering - defensive team
6.1.12 Goal Square entering - attacking team
6.1.13 Yellow or Red card
6.2 Awarding a Penalty Hit
6.3 Three Metre Clearance
6.4 Three Metre Penalty Hit
6.5 Free Hit to Defender
6.6 Advantage Rule
SECTION 7 - BALL OUT OF PLAY
7.1 Outside of Designated Playing Area
7.2 Restart Play
7.2.1 From Sideline
7.2.2 From Goal Line
7.3 Corner Hit
7.4 Dead Ball
7.5 Dead Ball Hit-Out
SECTION 8 - EQUIPMENT USED
8.1 Authority for Use
8.2 Hockey Stick\T Stick
8.3 Hockey Ball
8.4 Goal Cage
APPENDICES.
Diagram 1. Diagram of Hockey Court with Markings
Diagram 2. Specifications for Goal Cage
1.0 FIELD OF PLAY
1.1 Electric Wheelchair Hockey is played indoors on a court
with a surface area approximately that
of a basketball\netball
court. (refer to diagram1)
1.2 The playing area is divided into three areas of equal
size and shall also be marked with a centre
line.
1.3 At the centre of each end (known as the goal line) -
a half circle of five metres diameter will be
marked on the court, known
as the shooting circle.
1.3.1 Within the shooting circle there is a goal square.
This square is marked one metre from the
goal line.
This square is a goal keeper’s area only. No other player, part of
a chair or stick
may enter
this goal square.
1.4 A circle of sixty centimetres diameter shall be marked in the centre of the court.
1.5 A goal cage of prescribed specifications (refer diagram
2) will be located centrally on the goal
line with the leading sides
in contact with the outer edge of the goal line.
1.6 A penalty spot will be marked at a point three metres
from the goal line in the centre of the
shooting circle.
2.0 DURATION OF GAME
2.1 The game is divided into 2 x 10 minute halves with 2 minutes for halftime.
2.2 Time Outs
2.2.1 Each team may call two time outs in any half of a
game. Three time outs per half are
permitted
in finals. A time out is a break of play of thirty seconds duration
and can only be
called
during a stoppage of play - e.g. dead ball, ball out of bounds etc.
2.2.2 A time out can only be called during a stoppage of play.
2.2.3 The central umpire may call an indefinite time out
should a player sustain an injury requiring
treatment
- or for a matter of safety. No subsitution of players - other than
the injured player
may occur
at this time.
2.3 Each half will conclude when the timekeeper signals time. The umpire will then end play.
2.4 Extra Time
2.4.1 Should scores in a final match be level at the completion
of two halves of normal time, then
Extra
Time, being two by five minute halves shall be played following a two minute
break.
Following
the first half of extra time, there will be a one minute break - and teams
shall
change
ends.
2.4.2 Each team may call one time out during extra time
but only due to a breakdown of a
wheelchair.
3.0 TEAMS
3.1 Size
3.1.1 A team shall consist of five players on the field
plus 1 substitute who may be interchanged
throughout
the game.
3.2 Positions
3.2.1 Each team shall include a centre player who is restricted to area B as shown in diagram 1.
3.2.2. Each team shall have a left and right wing player.
These players are restricted to areas A &
B as shown in diagram 1.
3.2.3 Each team will include two defenders - one of whom
is nominated as the goalkeeper.
Defenders
are restricted to area C as shown in diagram 1. Goal keeper to wear
a coloured
bib.
3.2.4 Team substitutions or positional changes may occur
during any timeout or at half time; or at
the break
of play prior to a period of extra time, or at half time of extra time.
3.3 Off side
3.3.1 An attacking players wheels or hockey sticks are not
permitted to cross the goal square line
or goal
cage.
3.3.2 A player may take a free hit or a corner hit whilst
that players wheelchair is outside of the
defined
area of the court providing that the player taking the hit would not be
off side should
he enter
the playing area at the point where the free hit or corner is to be taken.
3.3.3 Providing the ball remains within the playing area,
and the area that the ball is in would not
make the
player off-side a player may cross the side line to control or strike the
ball.
4.0 COMMENCEMENT OF PLAY
4.1 The umpire shall toss a coin and the team winning the
toss has the right to select their direction
of attack.
4.2 The Captain or Coach of each team is to inform the umpire
of team positions and their
nominated goal-keeper prior
to play commencing, or when team positions alter during the
game.
4.3 All team members and their equipment must be behind
the centre line at the commencement of
play.
4.4 The ball is placed in the middle of the centre circle
and both centre players face of by
positioning their sticks
around the centre circle. At no stage until the umpire signals to
commence play may any part
of the players stick or wheelchair be within or on the centre
circle.
4.5 Play will commence when the central umpire blows his
whistle, at which time player may
compete for posession of
the ball.
4.6 Restart of Play
4.6.1 After any stoppage of play, eg. dead ball - free hit,
play will recommence by the umpire
blowing
his whistle.
5.0 SCORING
5.1 Should the ball go legally into the goal cage - a goal will be awarded to the attacking team.
5.2 Should either the goal keeper or defender hit the ball
within the shooting circle, and it crosses
the goal line into the goal
cage, a goal shall be awarded provided the ball is not declared a dead
ball.
5.3 A goal shall not be scored if;
(a) The ball is struck from
the outside fo the shooting circle and does not reflect, rebound from,
or come into contact with
a defender, his wheelchair or stick before crossing the goal line into
the goal cage.
(b) The ball is struck by
an attacking player and passes across the goal line at a level higher
than 600mm (24 inches).
Goal cage to be marked at this height.
(c) The ball is struck by
an attacking player who enters the goal square of the defensive team,
with chair or stick.
5.4 Should a defending player throw his stick at a ball
in a deliberate attempt to prevent the ball
crossing the goal line into
the goal cage, and, in the opinion of the umpire, a goal would have
been scored had it not been
impeded, a goal shall be awared to the attacking team.
5.5 Penalty Hit for Goal
5.5.1 When a penalty is awarded to the attacking team - only one
defender (the goal keeper) is
permitted within
the shooting circle - and that player must remain in the goal square until
the
ball is struck.
5.5.2 Other players must remain outside of the shooting circle until the ball is struck.
5.5.3 A player taking a penalty must take a direct shot
at goal from the penalty spot and unless a
goal is
scored or a dead ball results, play will continue.
5.5.4 The player taking the penalty shot shall not touch
the ball again until it has been touched by
another
player, the goal keeper, goal post, crosses the sideline or goal line.
5.5.5 Immediately after a penalty shot is taken the defending
team may play the ball if the ball is not
declared
dead.
5.6 Penalty Shoot-Out in Finals
5.6.1 In the event of a finals match being drawn after normal
and extra time, the match shall be
decided
by the taking of penalty shots.
5.6.2 During a penalty shoot-out only direct shots at goal are permitted.
5.6.3 A penalty shoot-out will be conducted as follows;
5.6.3 i The Coach/Captain of each team shall nominate to
the umpire a goal keeper, plus three
penalty takers who will each take a single penalty shot on an alternative
team basis. A coin
toss shall decide which team shoots first. The goal keeper may be
chosen from any team
member, but he will not take a penalty shot.
5.6.3 ii Each penalty taker must have played during the
match and not sent off for the duration of
the match.
5.6.3 iii Following the six penalty shots, the team with
the highest number of goals will be declared
the winner.
5.6.3 iv Should scores remain equal after six penalty shots,
single penalty shots will be taken
alternatively by the same penalty takers from each team. One shot
from a player of each
team is considered a round.
5.6.3 v The first to win a single round shall be declared the winner.
5.6.3 vi During a penalty shootout, all players other than
the goal keeper and the penalty taker will
be restricted to area B.
6.0 FREE HITS
6.1 A free hit is awarded to a team where specified in these
rules or when a player from the
opposing team commits any
of the following offences;-
6.1.1 Dangerous play, such as raising a stick above knee
height in the vicinity of other players -
from either
team where contact may result.
6.1.2 Lifting the ball above 600mm(24 inches) in general play.
6.1.3 Dangerous wheelchair driving - such as charging or
causing a collision. Should a collision
occur,
a player operating a wheelchair in reverse shall be considered at fault.
6.1.4 Throwing a stick at the ball - another player - or
official - or in an attempt to disrupt play.
(refer
section 5.4 - throw stick to prevent goal.)
6.1.5 Sheperding outside of the boundary of the court.
6.1.6 Interfering with an opponent, his stick, wheelchair or other equipment.
6.1.7 Handling or kicking the ball, or deliberately guiding
the ball other than by use of the stick or
wheelchair.
(Where a ball is accidentally hit or deliberately guided onto a footplate
and is not
dislodged
within reasonable time - a face off between two opposing players will occur.)
6.1.8 Being out of the allocated area as described in section 3.2.
6.1.9 Unsportsmanlike conduct, for example, arguing with
an umpire or lines person, or using
obscene,
offensive or threatening language.
6.1.10 Deliberately wasting time, for example, failing to
return from a time out within reasonable
time, knocking a ball away or refusing to return a ball to a player taking
a free hit, or a
defender hitting a ball from a dead ball hitout directly back to the goalkeeper.
6.1.11 If a player from the defensive team enters into the
goal square. If the ball is within the
shooting circle at the time, a penalty shot will be awared to the attacking
team.
6.1.12 If a player from the attacking team enters in the
goal square. If the ball is within the shooting
circle at the time a dead ball hit out will be awared to the defensive
team.
6.1.13 Is shown a yellow or red card. For card use refer to Governing Rules.
6.2 An attacking player awarded a free hit within the shooting circle shall take a penalty hit.
6.3 No opposing player is permitted to be within three metres
of a player taking a free hit until the
ball has been struck.
6.4 Should an attacking player be awarded a free hit outside
of the shooting circle and be awarded
a three metre penalty which
would move the ball to a point inside of the shooting circle, a
normal free hit will still
be taken. However the ball shall not be positioned within three metres
of the goal line.
6.5 A defending player awared a free hit within the shooting circle shall take a dead ball hitout.
6.6 Advantage Rule
6.6.1 Where an offence occurs, the umpire may allow play
to continue if in his opinion it is to the
advantage
of the team infringed against.
6.6.2 Where an offence occurs in a place other than where
the ball is being played the umpire
may;
(a) Allow play to continue if it is to the advantage of the team infringed against; or
(b) Award a free hit from where the ball was being played at the time or the offence; or
(c) Award
a free hit from the point where the offence occured if it is to the advantage
of the
team infringed
against.
7.0 BALL OUT OF PLAY
7.1 A ball is out of play when it has passed outside of the lines of the designated playing area.
7.2 To Restart Play
7.2.1 From the Sideline
When the
ball has passed over the sideline - a free hit is taken by an opponent
of the player
who last
toucked the ball before it passed over the sideline.
7.2.2 From the Goaline
When a
ball has passed over the goal line and a goal has not been scored;-
7.2.2 i If the ball was last hit by an attacking player, then a defender takes a dead ball hitout.
7.2.2 ii If the ball was last hit by a defender, the attacking
team will be awared a free hit from the
corner.
7.2.3 When a situation arises where the umpire is unable
to decide which team has the hit. The ball
is placed
on the ground as near as possible to the spot where the situation occurrred
but no
closer
than 3 metres to the goal. Any one player from each side who is allowed
to be in the
area can
take the hit, after which normal rules apply. Wheelchair and equipment
shall be no
closer
tham 30cm from the ball and all other players must be 3 metres away.
Play will
commence
when the umpire blows the whistle at which time the players may compete
for
possession
of the ball.
7.3 Corner Hit
7.3.1 When a corner hit is taken, the goal keeper must be
in the goal square, and the other
defender
and attacker must remain out of the shooting circle until the ball has
been struck.
7.4 Dead Ball
7.4.1 A dead ball is awarded to the defending team if the
ball is made dead within the goal square.
The ball
can only be made dead within the 1 metre goal square. A dead ball
occurs when the
ball is
deflected off the goalkeepers chair or stick towards the centre line.
The umpire or
lines
person shall declare balls to be dead. If the ball is made dead and
then rolls or bounces
out of
the goal square if is still a dead ball.
7.4.2 If the goalkeeper gains possession of the ball outside
of the goal square he/she has the option
to either;
(a) Return
the ball to play; or
(b) Take
it back into the square and making it dead. (Dead ball hit out.)
7.5 Dead Ball Hitout
7.5.1 When a dead ball has been called by the umpire or
lines person, the game will restart with a
defender
taking a free hit from the top centre of the goal circle.
7.5.2 From a dead ball hitout both attackers must be behind the half back line.
8.0 EQUIPMENT
8.1 The following equipment has been authorised for use in electric wheelchair hockey.
8.2 Stick
(a) A unihoc stick, which
may be fitted with a wrist or hand grip, shortened to a suitable length,
drilled with holes along
the shaft and face to lessen the weight, but may not be lengthened
beyond the standard, 760mm
shaft length. Regulation size head.
(b) T-Stick - specially
designed for player who cannot use their arms.
8.3 Ball
8.3.1 A unihoc ball of SOFT composition - 227 mm circumference
with 26 holes.
This is
the preferred ball for competition, or
8.3.2 A unihoc ball of HARD composition - 233 mm circumference with 25 holes.
8.4 Goal Cage
8.4.1 Goal cages of prescribed specification as shown in diagram 2.