World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology

International Journal of Sport and Health Sciences

Vol:6, No:10, 2012
Distinguishing Playing Pattern between
Winning and Losing Field Hockey Team in
Delhi FIH Road to London 2012 Tournament
Sofwan N., Norasrudin S., Redzuan P., Mubin A.
Abstract—The aim of the present study was to analyze and The 16 yard semi-circle is also called as the D, the rules
distinguish playing pattern between winning and losing field hockey were in order to score a goal a player must be in the D area
team in Delhi 2012 tournament. The playing pattern is focus to the D when making the shot. By this rules it is important to know or
penetration (right, center, left.) and to distinguish D penetration study which area in the D are most used. Does match analysis
linking to end shot made from it. The data was recorded and analyzed gives a great value to sporting organization? Reference [5] -
using Sportscode elite computer software. 12 matches were analyzed
[3] shows the study of sport through the observation of
from the tournament. Two groups of performance indicators are used
to analyze, that is D penetration right, center, and left. The type of players’ and teams’ behavior is vitally important for the
shot chosen is hit, push, flick, drag, drag flick, deflect sweep, deflect organization, design, teaching, and training of team sports.
push, scoop, sweep, and reverse hit. This is to distinguish the pattern The study of rugby in winning and losing team has been
of play between winning and losing, only 2 performance indicator focused in one tournament and by gathering the high level
showed high significant differences from right (Z=-2.87, p=.004, team in the world. Reference [6] Study the differences in game
p<0.05) and left penetration (Z=-2.49, p=.013, p<0.05). Winning statistics between winning and losing rugby teams in the Six
team had higher significant in hit shot from right penetration (Z=-
Nations Tournament. The tournament here only consists of 6
2.719, p=.007, p<0.05) same as left penetration showed high in push
shot (Z=-2.236, p=.025, p<0.05) and hit (Z=-1.983, p=.047, p<0.05). teams. Reference [7] did on the rugby game-related statistics
The shots made from the center penetration had no significant that discriminate between winning and losing teams in IRB
Open Science Index, Sport and Health Sciences Vol:6, No:10, 2012 [Link]/Publication/14751

between winning and losing team. and Super twelve close games.
This study gathered the teams from IRB and the super
Keywords—D penetration, field hockey playing pattern, goals twelve close games. Reference [8] indicate that winning teams
scored. in world cup 1991 had a better performance in rucks than
losing teams, but compared to [6] indicates that the foot game
I. INTRODUCTION was used more by winning teams. References [9] did a study
on game related statistics that discriminated winning, drawing
P ERFORMANCE analysis has become an important role in
giving feedbacks through videos and computerized
software. The use of this knowledge gives important feedback
and losing teams from the Spanish soccer league. Basically the
indicators from each games analyzed change from time to time
to organizing team such as coaches and athletes. This type of according to the present’s style of play.
study is considered as an observational study where by the Performance analysis represents an important factor in
need to observe players and to justify the problems through the delivering feedback through various ways that can effectively
turn athletes to perform better results. Performance analysis
use of match analysis and notational analysis.
also becomes an overall factor in developing and enhancing
Match analysis is the objective recording and examination
performance through match analysis such as strategies, playing
of behavioral events that occur during competition [1]. The
pattern etc. Many coaches and sports organizations nowadays
intention of match analysis is to identify and gathered all the
are extensively using performance analyst as a platform to
information relating to positive and negative effects of
enhance match play and strategies as well as to increase
performance in team and individual skills. Performance
individual performance and understanding opponents’
analysis has a number of applications including tactical and
strengths and weakness by using all the related equipment such
technical evaluation, analysis of movement and physical
as video cam and computerized software. All combine to
demands and development of predictive models [2].
create a pool of information to be used by coaches with their
Field Hockey nowadays has become a fast movement game
players, to explore their own or their opponents’ strengths and
that involves fast timing in the acquisition of passes and shots.
weaknesses in technique, tactics and movement [2]. The
Reference [3] explains that hockey has been classified as a
relationship between sports and technology nowadays are
goal-striking invasion game. A significant rule of hockey in
highly related to the contribution of post and concurrent
that for a goal to be scored the ball must touch an attacking
feedback as most analyst are using software that is mostly
player’s stick inside of the attacking circle (a 16 yard semi-
used by professional teams in all sports, such as Sportscode,
circle around the goal) [4].
Prozone, Dart fish to analyze the matches. One of the software
that is used in analyzing a game is Sportscode that is divided
Sofwan, N. Performance Analyst for Sportstec South East Asia Malaysia, into Gamebreaker, Pro & Elite. Today the use of this software
Kuala Lumpur, 57000 Malaysia (e-mail: [Link]@[Link]).
Norasrudin, S. Senior Lecturer at Faculty of Sport Science and Recreation, can be analyze while the match is running to enable direct
(phone: 603-5544-2941; fax: 603-5544-2941; e-mail: feedback such as game play, strategies, weaknesses,
noras878@[Link]). advantages and even individual physical performance. Until
Redzuan, P. Senior Manager at Sportstec South East Asia Malaysia, Kuala now however, the use of this technology is still unclear on the
Lumpur, 57000 Malaysia, (e-mail: [Link]@[Link]).
Mubin, A. is with Sportstec South East Asia Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, efficiency of establishing data on reliability, validity and
57000 Malaysia, (e-mail: mubin@[Link]). practicality.

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 6(10) 2012 2532 ISNI:0000000091950263
 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Sport and Health Sciences
Vol:6, No:10, 2012

Hockey is a sport that shares many tactical and structural TABLE I

VARIABLES STUDIED IN THE OLYMPIC QUALIFYING DELHI 2012
similarities with soccer [4]. However, Reference [4] shows the
volume and quality of research investigating various aspects of
performance in hockey is limited. The research by [4] was to No. Group of variables Performance indicators
investigate the physical and technical demands of elite men’s
1 D penetration Right penetration, center penetration.
hockey. & left penetration
Reference [10] did a notational analysis on women’s field 2 Types of shots Hit, flick, drag, drag flick, scoop,
hockey base on the goal scored from open play in the sweep, push, reverse hit, and deflect
international league such as, Olympic Qualifying Tournament sweep, deflect push.
2000, the Olympic Games 2000 and Commonwealth Games
2002. The aim was to investigate how goals are scored in IV. DATA ANALYSIS
current international women’s field hockey. All the data gathered was transfer to statistical program
The results showed that shots are coming from the right analysis version 17.0 (SPSS17.0). All the data is based on
hand side which led a score at the bottom left-hand side of the descriptive analysis and the statistical value is set at p≤0.05.
goal. It’s interesting to know that the penetration comes from Descriptive analysis was done to show the mean ± standard
the right hand side as mostly the players are attacking right deviation between both winners and losers.
handed. From this evaluation the coach or athletes can make
changes to team tactical and strategies if were to stop balls V. RESULTS
losing at the same place.
The aim of the present study is to identify and distinguish
TABLE II
the playing pattern that is concentrating on D penetration and DIFFERENCES IN D PENETRATION BETWEEN WINNING AND LOSING TEAMS IN
the end shot made through the penetration between winning OLYMPIC QUALIFYING DELHI 2012
Open Science Index, Sport and Health Sciences Vol:6, No:10, 2012 [Link]/Publication/14751

and losing team in Delhi FIH Road to London 2012

Tournament. D
Winners Losers
penetration
II. METHOD
Mean SD Mean SD p value
The data was gathered from the Olympic qualifying round Right 16.75 7.412 6.58 4.6 .004
road to London in Delhi 2012 (n =12 games) but only 10 Center 4.83 2.623 3.08 1.929 .129
matches were taken due to 2 match was drawn. The variable Left 10.42 3.801 5.33 2.807 .013
was collected using computerized software, Sportscode elite
(Sportstec Australia). The results of D penetration mean ± standard deviation are
demonstrated in Table II. The data then were analyze using
Wilcoxon matched pairs singed rank test to determine the
differences between both winning and losing team with p value
set at p<0.05.
The first group of variables from D penetration, 2
performance indicators show a significant different from
winning and losing team which is penetrated from the right
(Z=-2.87, p=.004, p<0.05) and penetrated from left (Z=-2.49,
p=.013, p<0.05). However, penetration from center D did not
show any significant different between winning and losing
team (Z=-1.57, p=.129, p<0.05).

TABLE III
TYPES OF SHOT IN D PENETRATION

Right Winners Losers

Fig. 1 Study variables Types of shot Mean SD Mean SD P value

Hit 1.58 1.165 .33 .492 .007
III. PROCEDURE Reverse hit .42 .515 .42 .900 .705
Push 0.5 .798 .00 .000 .063
The variables were divided into two groups (Table 1). The Flick 1.08 2.875 .08 .289 .197
following are related statistics gathered: D penetration (right, Drag .00 .000 .00 .000 1.000
Center, left), types of shot (hit, flick, scoop, sweep, push, Drag flick .08 .289 .00 .000 .317
reverse hit, and deflection). Sweep .42 .515 .17 .389 .257
Scoop .17 .577 .08 .289 .655
Deflect sweep .08 .289 .00 .000 .317

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 6(10) 2012 2533 ISNI:0000000091950263
 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Sport and Health Sciences
Vol:6, No:10, 2012

Deflect push .08 .289 0.25 .622 .414 The playing pattern was specifically chosen towards D
penetration (right, center, left) and types of shot linking to the
Center Winners Losers
penetration. Through the analysis of d penetration (right,
center, left) there were significant different distinguished
Types of shot Mean SD Mean SD P value
between winning and losing penetration from the right and left
Hit .5 .674 .25 .452 .317 side. The right penetration showed the highest result, this is
Reverse hit .25 .622 .00 .000 .180
Push .42 .515 .25 .452 .414 probably because most of the players are right hand attack, but
Flick .25 .622 .00 .000 .180 this would be subjected for further research in order to
Drag .08 .289 .00 .000 .317 determine the dominant side of the players. Center penetration
Drag flick .00 .000 .00 .000 1.000
Sweep .25 .622 .08 .289 .414
showed no significant between both winning and losing team.
Scoop .17 .389 .00 .000 .157 This may suggest that winning team had a better control of the
Deflect sweep .00 .000 .00 .000 1.000 d penetration especially from the right side. On the left
Deflect push .08 .289 .08 .289 1.000 penetration it shows a slight difference in frequencies
Left Winners Losers
penetrated to the right side this would be to become as the
second choice of penetrating through instead of the right side.
This can be due to the end result after penetrate weather it
Types of shot Mean SD Mean SD P value
could be a pass or direct shot to the goal, apparently this
Hit 1.08 1.084 0.33 0.492 .047 becomes quite difficult if a right hand attacker were to perform
Reverse hit .17 .389 0.08 0.289 .564
Push .58 .9 0.17 0.577 .025
a shot. The position of the player can effect on the types of
Flick .08 .289 .00 .000 .317 shot chosen then on. But this would be a different matter and
Drag .08 .289 .00 .000 .317 requires further research.
Open Science Index, Sport and Health Sciences Vol:6, No:10, 2012 [Link]/Publication/14751

Drag flick .00 .000 .00 .000 1.000

The results on types of shot from d penetration shows that
Sweep .17 .389 .00 .000 .157
Scoop .17 .389 .00 .000 .157 winning team had a high significant different in the hit shot
Deflect sweep .00 .000 .00 .000 1.000 resulting from the right penetration. Also the push and hit from
Deflect push .17 .389 .00 .000 .157 the left penetration showed significant different that
distinguish from other shots and penetration. The study from
The second groups of variables are the types of shot that is [10] showed a same pattern penetrated from the right side with
shown in Table III. Winning and losing team is highly
the ending hit shot. It is interesting to know that most goals are
distinguish by hit shot penetrated from right side (Z=-2.719,
scored from hit shot ending down the left bottom goal. The hit
p=.007, p<0.05), the other shots from right penetration did not
shot is striking the ball using a swinging arm action movement
show any significant that is reverse hit (Z=-.378, p=.705,
p<0.05) push (Z=-1.857, p=.063, p<0.05), flick (Z=-1.289, of the stroke towards the ball, usually the hit shot involves
p=.197, p<0.05), drag (Z=-.000, p=1.000, p<0.05), drag flick power and produces speed to the ball velocity which gives a
(Z=-1.000, p=.317, p<0.05), sweep (Z=-1.134, p=.257, big deal for the keeper to see the ball clearly with the attempt
p<0.05), scoop (Z=-.447, p=.655, p<0.05), deflect sweep (Z=- to save the shot. However this suggestion is subjected for
1.000, p=.317, p<0.05)and deflect push (Z=-.816, p=.414, further study.
p<0.05). The center penetration shows no significant The push shot becomes one of the most used shots in the
distinguish between winning and losing with hit (Z=-1.000, tournament especially the winning team. The push shot is
p=.317, p<0.05, reverse hit (Z=-1.342, p=.180, p<0.05), push when moving the ball along the ground by using a pushing
(Z=-.816, p=.414, p<0.05) flick (Z=-1.342, p=.180, p<0.05), movement of the stick, both the head of the stick and the ball
drag (Z=-1.000, p=.317, p<0.05), drag flick (Z=-.000, are usually in contact with the ground during the pushing
p=1.000, p<0.05), sweep (Z=-.816, p=.414, p<0.05), scoop movement. The push shot can be execute from direct shot,
(Z=-1.414, p=.157, p<0.05), deflect sweep (Z=-.000, p=1.000, pass and deflect. Push shots are usually score in close range
p<0.05), and deflect push (Z=-.000, p=1.000, p<0.05). The left which means the losing teams are easily scored from push shot
penetration showed high in push shot (Z=-2.236, p=.025, that happens near to the goal. For defense wise the loser’s
p<0.05) and hit (Z=-1.983, p=.047, p<0.05). The other shot team supposed to improve the blocking of close range shot in
did not show big different, these are reverse hit (Z=-.577, order to stop goals from coming to that specific area.
p=.564, p<0.05), flick (Z=-1.000, p=.317, p<0.05), drag (Z=-
1.000, p=.317, p<0.05), drag flick (Z=-.000, p=1.000,
VII. CONCLUSION
p<0.05), sweep (Z=-1.414, p=.157, p<0.05), scoop (Z=-1.414,
p=.157, p<0.05), deflect sweep (Z=-.000, p=1.000, p<0.05), From this study we can conclude that most favorable area
and deflect push (Z=-1.414, p=.157, p<0.05). shows on the right penetration of the D. For the type of shots it
seems that hit and push shot coming from right and left is the
VI. DISCUSSION most popular choice shot and area penetrated for the winning
The aim of this study was to distinguish the playing pattern team. Coaches can use this result to form other objectives to
between winning and losing team in Olympic qualifying round support on developing the training plan for team and
Delhi 2012. individuals characteristics that suits this type of game play.

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 6(10) 2012 2534 ISNI:0000000091950263
 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Sport and Health Sciences
Vol:6, No:10, 2012

ACKNOWLEDGMENT Alam, Selangor. He is a member of swimming club (OSC) at Pusat Akuatik

Darul Ehsan, Shah Alam. He is a swimming instructor and coach. Now he is
We would like to express our gratitude to Faculty of Sports working with Sportstec SEA at Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur. Field of analysis is
Science and Recreation Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) team sport and football.
Shah Alam, Selangor and we are deeply indebted to Sportstec
SEA for the support on the feedback and information through
the whole process of finishing this study.

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Sofwan, N. was born on the 13th June 1987, at Kangar, Perlis. He graduated
his diploma in sport studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah
Alam, Selangor. He is a member of ombak swimming club (OSC), at Shah
Alam, Selangor. He is a swimming instructor and coach. Now he is working
with Sportstec SEA, as an analyst for Squash Racquets of Association
Malaysia SRAM and field hockey.

Norasrudin, S. is a senior lecturer at department of sport science, Faculty of

Sport Science and Recreation, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam
Selangor. His research interest is on field-based fitness testing and evaluation
and Performance Analysis on team sport. Currently he is a consultant for
National Fitness Department, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan and Performance
Analyst for Malaysian Asia-5-Nation Rugby Team.

Redzuan, P. was born on the 5th of June 1981 in Selangor, Malaysia. He did
his diploma in Computer Science in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam
,Selangor ,Malaysia in 2003. Redzuan Ponirin finished his degree in the same
university in [Link] achieved Bachelor in Business Computing. In 2012,
Redzuan completed his Masters in Information Technoogy in the same
university. He was a national athlete for Malaysia in hockey from 1999 –
2006. His highest achievements are Bronze medalist in ASIAN Games 2002 ,
Bronze Medalist Commonwealth Games 2006 and Gold medalist SEA Games
1999. He joined National Sports Institute of Malaysia in 2006 as an analyst.
He worked for the Malaysia hockey team as an analyst. He joined Sportstec
SEA Sdn Bhd in 2009 and is responsible of all analyst or users around the
region. He is the consultant of Singapore Hockey Federation and Games
Analysis Centre National Sports Institute Malaysia.

Mubin, A. was born on the 16th June 1989 at Kedah Darul Aman. He did his
diploma in Sports Studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 6(10) 2012 2535 ISNI:0000000091950263