Power ranking every single sport at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics
By Nick Villano
29. Field Hockey
We’ve all seen field hockey. We understand the concept. It’s ice hockey but with some very distinct differences. Obviously, it’s played on grass (turf in the Olympics). There are 10 players on the field instead of five. They play with a ball instead of a puck. Players’ sticks are shorter so they have to bend over instead of glide. Oh, there is no gliding at all since it’s not played on ice. Truthfully, the two “hockeys” aren’t terribly similar.
Field hockey is largely considered the first iteration of the sport, with evidence going back millennia. There is history of the sport going back to 2000 BC. Rules weren’t really formulated until the late 19th century in England. That’s how we got the game we know better today.
Field hockey is one of the few traditional team sports that’s played in the Olympics. We’re not talking about like a team cycling team or canoe partner, we’re talking about the major team sports. With so many players working toward the same goal, field hockey tends to bring the drama.
The U.S. hasn’t been considered a powerhouse in this sport, never coming home with a gold medal on either the men’s or women’s side. This year, they aren’t expected to win, but a Cinderella story is exactly what this sport needs to grow in popularity (although it is quite popular as a high school sport).