New Short Sleeved Smock

Hello amazing people based on your recent feedback here is a basic but fresh smock option we have been working on.

It fits with the new FIH “one colour smock ruling” outlined below.

Goalkeepers and players with goalkeeping privileges must wear a single coloured shirt or garment which is different in colour from that of both teams. Goalkeepers (ie wearing full protective equipment) must wear this shirt or garment over any upper body protection.

Quote from FIH 09/10 rules

IMG_0930

The smock is made from the mesh and comes in any colour as long as its black. Based on demand and your feedback we can add more colours and look at some modification so please drop us a comment on your thoughts…

IMG_0932

Before you ask i’m wearing a CLOUD body armour, ROBO hi-control hand protectors, Skinny thing stick and a ROBO FG helmet.

This product should be available from December 09.


Goalie Brands Use In The Head Division Holland 2009/10

A table showing brand use from the Netherlands top division.

Here is table displaying the use of brands from the top league in Holland for both Men and Women.

CLUB First goalie % Second goalie %
Men
1 AHBC Amsterdam OBO OBO
2 HC Den Bosch OBO TK
3 Kampong OBO OBO
4 MHC Laren OBO TK
5 Pinoké OBO OBO
6 SCHC Brabo OBO
7 Bloemendaal Brabo OBO
8 HGC TK OBO
9 Hurley Brabo ?
10 Oranje Zwart Brabo Brabo
11 HC Rotterdam TK TK
12 TMHC Tilburg TK TK
Subtotal
OBO 5 41.67% 6 54.55%
TK 3 25.00% 4 36.36%
Brabo 4 33.33% 1 9.09%
Total Men
OBO 47.83%
TK 30.43%
Brabo 21.74%
Ladies
1 AHBC Amsterdam OBO OBO
2 HDM OBO OBO
3 Kampong TK OBO
4 MHC Laren OBO OBO
5 Oranje Zwart Brabo ?
6 HC Rotterdam OBO TK
7 HC Den Bosch OBO OBO
8 HGC OBO OBO
9 Klein Zwitserland TK OBO
10 Nijmegen OBO OBO
11 Pinoké OBO OBO
12 SCHC TK OBO
Subtotal
OBO 8 66.67% 10 90.91%
TK 3 25.00% 1 9.09%
Brabo 1 8.33%
Total Ladies
OBO 78.26%
TK 17.39%
Brabo 4.35%
Total Ladies & Men first and second goalies
OBO 64.44%
TK 24.44%
Brabo 13.33%

OBO Goalkeepers are amazing people!

Want more stat’s on brand use? Check out: brand use.

CLUB first goalie % second goalie %
Men
1 AHBC Amsterdam OBO OBO
2 HC Den Bosch OBO TK
3 Kampong OBO OBO
4 MHC Laren OBO TK
5 Pinoké OBO OBO
6 SCHC Brabo OBO
7 Bloemendaal Brabo OBO
8 HGC TK OBO
9 Hurley Brabo ?
10 Oranje Zwart Brabo Brabo
11 HC Rotterdam TK TK
12 TMHC Tilburg TK TK
Subtotal
OBO 5 41.67% 6 54.55%
TK 3 25.00% 4 36.36%
Brabo 4 33.33% 1 9.09%
Total Men
OBO 47.83%
TK 30.43%
Brabo 21.74%
Ladies
1 AHBC Amsterdam OBO OBO
2 HDM OBO OBO
3 Kampong TK OBO
4 MHC Laren OBO OBO
5 Oranje Zwart Brabo ?
6 HC Rotterdam OBO TK
7 HC Den Bosch OBO OBO
8 HGC OBO OBO
9 Klein Zwitserland TK OBO
10 Nijmegen OBO OBO
11 Pinoké OBO OBO
12 SCHC TK OBO
Subtotal
OBO 8 66.67% 10 90.91%
TK 3 25.00% 1 9.09%
Brabo 1 8.33%
Total Ladies
OBO 78.26%
TK 17.39%
Brabo 4.35%
Total Ladies & Men first en second goalies
OBO 64.44%
TK 24.44%
Brabo 13.33%

Indoor Legguard Covers

An article about indoor legguard covers and how to make them yourself or purchase them.

I have seen a few questions floating around about indoor pad covers on FHF so I have written this article to try and summarise the information.

Indoor pad covers are made from fabric and a held in place to cover the foam on your pads to help you slide and protect the foam.

You are able to buy some covers; Verbunt offer Indoor Legguard covers for 39 Euros.

legcovers

Alternatively if you are a bit strapped for cash or fancy getting creative on a sewing machine you could make some. Pillow cases seem like a base point to start from.

Here are a few detailed pictures from of Folmer of his pad covers which should give you a good idea on how they work;

In Summary
The cover is basically a piece of fabric that has the edges covered with thin nylon band. A piece of string runs all the way through the hem of nylon band. At the bottom 2 thicker fabric bands are attached where the points of the legguards go through.
Then pull the string and the fabric “folds” itself around the legguards.

Please let me know via the comments if there are any other tips to add and update the article.

OBO Training Names and Nicknames

Hello hockey fans,

We have been informed of a few nick names people have thought of for the training products such as the egg, bat wing and the shark fin which is cool we like them!

We thought we should explain the names we have chosen for the products are based on what the product does…

The Bobbla Ball…bobbles unpredictably although it does look like an egg.

bobbla ball

The D’flecta mat…deflects the ball in height and width although it does look like a shark fin or bat wing and to an Australian it maybe a boomerang?

dflecta

The Flicka… allows you to flick the ball easily although it does look like well nothing that I can think of…

flicka

If you have any ideas on a cool nicknames for products in this range please drop us a comment with your thoughts.

Field Hockey Pitch Template

Here are some useful Field Hockey Pitch templates that may be handy to coaches to explain the all important top secret plays and short corner attacks.

Full Pitch

fullpitch

Download Full Pitch PDF

Half Pitch

halfpitch

Download Half Pitch PDF

The D

thed

Download The D PDF

Check them out on our Facebook Album…http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=104779&id=115237238829&l=4572cbb4fe

OBO Training Product Video

training-logo-web

We recently released some OBO Training Product Pictures. We had several requests to see the products in action so here is a product introduction showing the products being used…please let us know your thoughts via the comments.

The products will go on sale wordwide on December 1st 2009.

Keep an eye out for some beta test reviews and international coach drills soon…

Quick links to stay up to date with OBO News;

Oceania Cup Final

So it looks like we are taking the long road to qualify for the world cup….
We started the match with one of the strongest NZ line ups seen so far this year. I am glad I had a good warm up as right from the first whistle the Aussies had us under the pump. Against the run of play Nick Wilson opened the scoring for NZ. Unfortunately the lead was short lived with the aussies forcing a pc a couple of minutes later and after smothering the initial flick Grant Shubert latched on to the rebound placing it high in the goal from close range.

The game continued to be a close contest as we defended our arses off. On the stroke of half time we conceded another pc. This time the initial flick was heading low to my glove side, as I moved to save the shot a Aussie striker dived in for a deflection. Close to unstoppable from that range so we went in to the break 2-1 down.

Again the second half was a hard fought affair, we were awarded a pc with 2 minutes left on the clock but it was not to be with Hayden Shaw missing the goal. On full time the Aussies were awarded another pc, with 10 attacking players in the circle they were li jng up to punish the rebound from the first up flick. So it was 3-1 in the end. I can report the 3rd half was enjoyable both the nz and aussies sharing a few drinks.

Now we return to Invercargill in November for the next qualifier but next up is the NZ national league. I will be looking to lift the sheild for a 5th time with the Wellington team.

Over And Out,

Kyle

Blacksticks v Malaysia Test Result

Finally in to the 5th and final test of our series against Malaysia. We now find ourselves in Taupo where the great weather has finally turned to rain. The locals really got behind the team and the test match organising a great dinner with some kids from the region and then having a great turnout for the match.

We started the match well and opened the scoring then followed it up with a second before half time. Going in to the break I guess you could say we were happy with how the game was going – of course the second half was a totally different encounter. The Malaysians stepped up their game and we made a few errors to help their cause. They managed to score from a break away and threatened many times. Thankfully we managed to grind out the win. 2-1 final score.

The 5 game test series ended;

Blacksticks holding 3 wins and 2 draws.

Now we focus on the Oceania Cup against Samoa oh and the Aussies 😉

Over and out

Kyle Pontifex

Blacksticks v Malaysia Test Update

So on to game 3 against Malaysia: After a disappointing 2nd test ending in a 1-1 draw we moved on from the lovely Palmerston North (the home of OBO) to Napier.

The blacksticks played well as a team and dominated the match, we were rewarded with a nice goal to Simon Child. One of the Malaysian’s strengths is their ability to conter attack at speed and true to form they had a few chances close to half time.

Keeping my defence in good position and having the confidence to wait for the ball to arrive we kept the Malaysian’s scoreless going on to the break. The second half brought some more challanges as we had a number of PC’s to defend, the most difficult of these was a flick that took a deflection off the first runner. Using the large blocking surface of the RHP I managed to smother the deflection. Hayden Shaw flicked one in at the other end and then the local boy Shea McAleese got on the end of a backhand cross from Nick Haig to deflect our third goal of the match.Final Score 3-0.

Our next match is tomorrow and the we finish up the series on Sunday in Taupo. Get along if you are in the area!!

Over and out Kyle Pontifex