1. Pre Season Work Shop 19 th March 2015

2. Rule changes  Breaking on penalty corner  2min green card  Use of stick above shoulder height(elite only)  Free hit within 5m of the circle(attacking)  Restart when ball is played over backline  10m penalty(deleted)

3. New Rules: -A free hit awarded within 5m of circle can now be played on the spot. It does not need to be taken back on the 5m dotted line. Note that players must still be 5m away from play and the ball still has to travel 5m or touch someone either another attacker or defender before entering circle. - When a ball is unintentionally played over the backline by a defender. This is no longer a long corner/sideline restart. It is now taken on the 23m line in line where it crossed the backline. Signal will stay the same as long corner. -The 10m penalty rule. This is no longer permitted. Use a personal penalty instead (2min green card)

4. FIH still concerned with: Rules 7.4 c) balls intentionally over backline 9.12 obstructions /shielding 13.2 a) Ball stationary on free hits (sometimes not strict enough). Striking/ slapping are classed as a hit.

5. Changes in rule book HIT Striking/slapping are classed as a hit. 2.1 More than 11 on the field if play, materially affects match, a personal penalty for the captain. If it hasn’t affected match just remove player a restart. 2.3 A goalkeeper or a person with goalkeeping privileges is suspended, team plays one fewer. 4.2 Facemasks 5.2 Shoot-out competition as per FIH regulations

6. 8.1 Scoring a goal: As long as the ball has been played within circle by attacker and hasn’t come out again it can touch any defender and enters the goal ITS STILL A GOAL. 9.7 Stick above shoulders: we will not be adopting this rule. Refer to Hockey Aus Doc,and last Page in pp 9.11 It is not always an offence if the ball hits the foot, hand or body of a field player. The player only commits an offence if they gain an advantage or if they position themselves with the intention of stopping the ball in this way. It is not an offence if the ball hits the hand holding the stick but would otherwise have hit the stick.

7. 9.13 Players must not tackle unless in a position to play the ball without body contact e.g. slide tackles that take a player down. It doesn’t matter even if you get the ball. Appropriate penalties should be awarded. 13.3 Penalty corner shot/backboard height 460mm: If a defender is within five metres of the first shot at goal during the taking of a penalty corner and is struck by the ball below the knee, another penalty corner must be awarded or is struck on or above the knee in a normal stance, the shot is judged to be dangerous and a free hit must be awarded to the defending team.

8. 13.7 Penalty corner: considerations a) Injector must one foot outside field of play b) Injector cannot feint the ball if they do they are sent back to halfway and replaced. Retake corner. If a defender breaks because of this do not penalise them. c) Defender breaks back to halfway no replacement. d) Goalkeeper breaks a person is nominated to go to halfway on their behalf. A person with goalkeeper privileges breaks they get sent to halfway and replaced with another defender that is already behind line. e) An attacker breaks the player is sent back to halfway, can be replaced on circle and corner taken again

9. 13.10 d) Offence by a defender on stroke. If a goal was saved by moving before taken it is to be replayed. Green and or yellow cards may be awarded if this offence occurs often. 14.1 Personal penalties a) Caution (spoken) b) Green Card -2min suspension c) Yellow card -the only specification on this is a minimum of 5min suspension. d) Red Card – permanent suspension from current match

10. As a committee we have decided to create a monthly roster system between ourselves for any changes to allocations. This is due to a high rate of changes and sharing the load will be less stressful on all officiating members.

11. STICK ABOVE SHOULDER Just advising the board has endorsed the recommendation by the Officiating Committee, after much consideration about "player safety/player & umpire education" and reading your feedback, the memo from HA, the new rule, the email from Hockey NSW and seeking info as to what other associations are doing. Port Macquarie are adopting it only in Super 9's which is their A Grade men's and will play a round of Super 9's in women's/men's comps later in the year. Grafton are adopting it only in their top grades only - Mens1, Mens 2 and Women's 1. Therefore, in the 2015 season the new rule of playing the ball above shoulder height will not be adopted for in any competition in our Association. Rep players and players wanting to learn the new skill should practice this at their training sessions in a more controlled environment. This rule is to be reviewed again before the end of this season, to consider if it should be implemented in 2016. There should be much more feedback available on it by that time. Perhaps as a suggestion this could be put onto the agenda for the mid season workshop - as a topic for discussion.