Today Longstreth Field Hockey announces the signing of Sam Swart as she trades in her lacrosse stick for a field hockey stick in her final year of eligibility at Syracuse. Over the last five years, the two-time Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-American helped guide the Syracuse women’s lacrosse team to four NCAA Tournaments. But lacrosse isn’t the only sport that Swart has excelled in. Swart was actually a three-sport athlete during her high school years at Archbishop Carroll, excelling in lacrosse, field hockey and basketball. She ultimately chose to pursue lacrosse in college, but her heart never completely left the hockey field. As the opportunity presented itself to have one more season of eligibility in a different sport, Swart is seizing the chance to make another dream come true. Throughout high school, Swart played club hockey for WC Eagles and was part of USA Field Hockey’s pipeline as a member of the U.S. U-19 National Team. She was selected to the AAU Junior Olympic Games twice and consistently received All-Delco, All-Catholic and All-Main Line teams. Although her fans have gotten used to seeing her with a lacrosse stick, Swart says she never completely put her field hockey stick down. She has been playing in a summer league of the last few years so her stick skills have stayed fresh. And that stick- it has always been a TK Hockeystick. Longstreth is proud to be the exclusive supplier of TK Hockey equipment in the US. As the experts in field hockey and #1 retailer, Longstreth is proud to support Sam Swart as a TK Hockey Brand Ambassador as she steps back onto the field hockey field this coming fall. Additional information: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2022/06/16/sam-swart-pursues-a-new-passion-this-fall# https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sam-swart-orange-nation-6-8/id1280670715?i=1000565670694
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Field Hockey was introduced to the United States by an English woman named Constance M.K. Applebee. Since then, the sport has developed rather quickly. Starting as a sport for women, it is now played by women and men of all age groups. It also developed into a winter indoor sport. With the move to indoors, the game changed in many ways. When looking at the difference between outdoor and indoor field hockey, you will see major differences in the field surface, measurements, number of players, rules, and even equipment. Outdoor Field Hockey is played on grass or a synthetic field. Indoor Field Hockey can be played on a gymnasium floor, linoleum, or snap tiles, making it a much faster paced game. Although the game is a faster pace indoors, it is a much smaller court, requiring players to use the basic skills of passing and pulls. The typical outdoor Field Hockey playing area is measured at 100 yards by 60 yards. Compared to the outdoor field, the indoor court is much smaller; measured at 39 to 48 yards by 19 to 24 yards. The sidelines in indoor field hockey are actually replaced with boards. This allows players to use the boards to pass to each other. Out of bounds occurs when the ball goes over the boards or if it rolls out on the end lines. Because of the large difference in the size of the field, there are less players out on an indoor court at a time. Your typical 10 field players and 1 goalie turns into 5 field players and 1 goalie. This means that the team is limited as to what formation they can play. Some teams choose the formation consisting of 2 forwards, 1 midfield, and 2 defenders. But, all positions are expected to move up and down the court as one unit. With the exception of one rule, the rules of outdoor field hockey are consistent with indoor. For example, the ball must travel a certain distance before entering the circle on free hits, no hacking, the ball cannot touch your feet, etc. The number one difference between outdoor and indoor is lifting. In outdoor, players can lift the ball over the opponents stick and they can use aerials to create space or an opportunity for a breakaway. On the other hand, there are no lifts allowed in indoor field hockey. The only exception is that players may lift only if it is on goal. Corners also look a bit different compared to outdoor play. On a typical outdoor corner, the defense is only allowed 4 field players and 1 goalie in the cage. Whereas, the offense can have as many players on the circle as they would like. In indoor, both the defensive and the offensive team can have as many players as they would like to, in the cage and on the circle, respectively. The rule stays the same that no one can enter the circle until the ball is inserted and the ball must come out of the circle in order for the corner to count. Even the equipment is different between outdoor and indoor field hockey. Essentially, the only real difference is the stick. Outdoor sticks are required to have a thicker toe in order to accommodate for the powerful drives and hits. Indoor sticks look a little different. The toe, and the stick in general, is much lighter and thinner. This is because there are no drives allowed indoors. The thinner toe also allows for complete ball control while moving at a faster pace. You will also see players wearing protective gloves. Since there is no lifting, players will keep their hands close to the ground which allows for a better chance of getting hit by the ball or a stick. If you are a player looking to keep up with your skills in the off season, consider looking into a local indoor team. It is a great opportunity to stay in shape, keep up with your skills, and make new friends. First time players can find everything they need for field hockey at Longstreth Sporting Goods. We offer a large selection of sticks and field hockey starter packages perfect for the beginner.
New to the game? We can help size you for the right size field hockey stick and shinguards! Make your package complete by adding on a stick bag. First time players will learn the basics of the game such as dribbling, passing and shooting. All you need to start playing is a field hockey stick, ball, shinguards and a mouthguard. Selecting a new field hockey stick is a decision driven by personal preferences. It’s much more than graphics and position, it really comes down to your personal playing style. Think about what skills you perform on a regular basis- do you need more power? High carbon content contributes to high power in hits, but can also make receiving more challenging. If control is more your focus, you will want something with a little less carbon. Players need to find the right balance of power and feel to best suit their game. If you are typically a fall-season field hockey player, we usually suggest an advanced stick which range from about 30-60% carbon. If you also play club field hockey year round, you may want to consider an elite stick which are usually around 70-100% carbon. Similarly, you will also need to find the best shape that suits your playing style. All sticks have a bow to them, and the location of the highest point of that bow along the stick can have different advantages and disadvantages in the game. When first learning the game, most players will start with a regular bow, which has the highest point placed in the midsection or center of the shaft equally assisting every skill in the game. The most common shape in the modern game of field hockey is the late bow, which has the highest point closer to the toe of the stick. This shape offers extra assistance with lifting the ball, aerials, and dynamic ball movement, without sacrificing your hitting technique. An extreme late bow has the highest point as close to the toe as possible, maximizing 3D skills and dynamic ball control. This extreme shape may take some time getting used to when driving. Ready to pick out your next stick? Look at your current stick first. We usually suggest going up in carbon content about 30-50%. This will give you a nice increase in power without losing too much control all at once. So for example, if you are looking for a step up from your middle school stick and it was 10% carbon, you’d want to look for a stick that was around 40-60% carbon. If you are ready to move up from your first high school stick and it was 30% carbon, you will want to look at something that is 60-80% carbon. Once you decide what carbon range you are looking for, you can start looking at shape. If you are an all-around player who likes to do a lot of hits/slaps, you will probably want a late bow shape. If you are the type of player that likes to do a lot of aerials, 3D skills, and dynamic ball movement, you may want to get an extreme late bow shape.
Still have some questions? We know all of the details can be pretty confusing. You can always reach out to one of our Longstreth Experts for help with selecting the perfect stick for you! We’re always here and happy to help- this is what we do! #weAREfieldhockey #ChooseTheBest Introducing Nedstar a Lonstreth exclusive field hockey brand! Video Transcript: Hi, I’m Maggie and today we’ll be talking about Nedstar. Longstreth is proud to add Nedstar Field Hockey to our exclusive line of products. Nedstar sticks represent quality and innovation. They transfer their love of the game into high-quality sticks. The colorful, well-designed sticks offer a variety of composition and bow types. These sticks are perfect for the advanced and elite players. To become a part of the Never Ending Dream, stop by our retail store to try your new NedStar stick, today! Nedstar Field Hockey Sticks: https://www.longstreth.com/Nedstar-Sticks/products/2498/ All Field Hockey Sticks: https://www.longstreth.com/field-hockey-sticks.asp Nedstar is an Irish field hockey company that has been on the market for only a few years. Their passion and energy match Longstreth’s commitment to the game – making Nedstar a good fit for Longstreth’s exclusive line of field hockey sticks. Nedstar creates field hockey sticks of the highest design and innovation. They represent quality, affordability, and colorfulness. USA Women’s National Team player, Katelyn Falgowski Ginolfi plays with the Nedstar Superfly. This powerhouse stick is light to the touch, with a late bow and solid composition for the elite player. Longstreth is the exclusive U.S. dealer for the Nedstar field hockey sticks. Check out the Nedstar Dream Limited Edition, a drag flicking specialist stick which also caters to dynamic ball movement all over the field. The Nedstar Superfly is a popular choice for the dynamic player who requires quick ball handling as well as maximum power. The Nedstar Groove G2 is a powerful stick with a grooved channel, which allows effortless transition between the ball on the turf and aerial skills. The line is rounded out with the Nedstar Low Bow 2 which has the versatility to balance power and skill. Visit Longstreth.com to view each stick’s composition, bow, and target weight. If you have any field hockey questions, ask our field hockey experts – they’re always here to help you select the perfect field hockey stick. |
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