Parametric design of field hockey sticks

Hockey as a game has been subject of little research. The authors of this paper outline a modified body model of the hockey stick impact, using coefficient of restitution (COR) values that take into account different ball and stick properties. Field data was taken from a number of players, including two internationals, giving a wide range of data for comparison. Basic physical properties were recorded for a selection of hockey sticks, and COR data was acquired for different hockey balls using a range of impact velocities. It was found that the COR of hockey balls decreases with increasing approach velocity, and that balls of different construction exhibit a wider range of response at high velocity. The top carbon fibre stick tested here hits a ball around 6% faster than a wooden stick under the same conditions. The modified rigid body model successfully predicts a ball departure velocity to within 3% of experimental data across a wide range of velocities.