We have always been very fond of sports like football, basketball, lawn tennis and of course cricket. Who doesn’t like cricket? We all do and follow it religiously, be it 20-20 or the world cup! But do we ever try to find out about our national sport, hockey? I am sure that we are all aware of the fact that hockey is our national sport, but our duty does not end there. There are still a lot of people, especially the new generation, who don’t have a clue about this sport and how it is really played. It is about time we started exploring this game, after all, it is our national sport and we should not ignore it.
How to play hockey?
In this game, two teams are divided and play against each other. Each team has to carefully move the ball towards the opponent’s goal with the help of a hockey stick.
• Stay ready with hockey gear. Buy a beginner’s club that comes to your waist so you can learn and play comfortably.
• You should keep in mind that while playing hockey, your left hand will be the main guide for the stick and your right hand will be the main support for the stick.
• Your left foot should be pointing forward while the rest of your foot is back for support. You will have to bend your knees to aim for the ball.
• Now all you have to do is ‘catch the ball’. Here, try to stop or slow down the ball coming towards you.
• Now is the 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 front foot.
• Try to bounce the ball down the length of the stick. Try to work on the toss and turns with the help of any member of your team.
In the end, the more you practice it, the more perfect you will be in this game. Once you learn it, you won’t want to play any other sport. All sports are interesting and fun no doubt but as Indians we should not be ignorant of our national sport and equally enthusiastic and eager to learn and play it. It is one of the important things to remember.