While I think of gym class when I think of field hockey, I also think of fall. Despite men's field hockey being a popular international sport, in the United States, it is largely a girls' sport, the sport that balances (kind of) football in the fall.
Field hockey is, on the surface, nicely blends skills needed in sports like ice hockey, soccer, lacrosse, and, in some ways, even football -- this is not a gentle sport. The uniform is typically a polo-type shirt, a skirt, shin guards and knee socks, and cleats.
The field of play is 91 meters by 55 meters, close to the size of a football field. I especially loved the description I read of the ball used: "shall be spherical, hard, and of any material." The ones I remember in high school were rubber, and they certainly were hard! Getting hit with one hurt.
Women's field hockey is also a major college sport. The top schools seem to be mostly on the east coast, such as North Carolina and Old Dominion and Penn State, but many smaller schools have field hockey teams.
Despite my old gym classes (which were such a long time ago!!), I'm still learning about the sport myself, and have searched the web to find some informative sites. Knowing the rules makes it more interesting to watch a game.
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