There are two kinds of non-ice hockey. Field Hockey and Street hockey. Not surprisingly, the balls they use are different. In field hockey, there are officially designated balls, approved by the National Federation of State High Schools Association. If it's played in high school, most of the field hockey balls will be labeled NFHS approved.
Typically, at an elite field hockey level, the standard is the Kookaburra ball or Kooks as most field hockey players term it. Kookaburry balls were popular in cricket, beginning in the 40s, and gradually migrated into field hockey. Made in Australia, the balls are made with a core molded of cork and rubber, and the balls have dimples on the outside, much like a golf ball. The dimples help make the ball run straight and perform well on wet services. Street hockey balls, when played outside of official league competitions, are much softer. In fact, many kids opt to use tennis balls because they are both soft and are readily available.
The softness of the ball is key in street hockey for many reasons, including the fact is that most kids play without protective equipment. For those who wish to up their game a little, older kids frequently use bright street hockey balls made of plastic. If you like play hockey you need probably also face shields. You can find here https://stanleytips.com/blog/best-hockey-visors-and-face-shields top rated jockey visors.
In order to accommodate street hockey players, many manufacturers produce different softness level of balls depending upon the air temperature. There are street hockey balls designed for use when the temperature is 60 degrees or higher, street hockey balls for mid-level temperatures, and street hockey balls for when the temperature dips below 40 degrees. Street hockey balls tend to be cheaper, and rarely have dimples. Most street hockey balls are in bright, fluorescent colors such as orange.
What is a hockey ball
Well, the answer is, it depends on the sport. With field hockey, the balls tend to be precision made and have a soft inner core to them. The core inner core is what tends to make field hockey balls cost more, travel further, and perform better under all conditions, whether it be wet grass, sand, or mud and water. Since field hockey balls are played almost exclusively on the street, and often in small, makeshift "hockey street locations, with perhaps two parked cars and a fire hydrant for boundaries, the ball can be softer because there is not as much distance to cover.
Field hockey is played on a football-size court, and thus distance is a primary factor. Another appreciable difference between the two games is that field hockey players frequently wear shin guards, goggles, and mouth guards. Kida playing street hockey rarely have any protective equipment at all. Thus the ball being softer is a factor in preventing injuries, not to mention broken car windows, accidentally hitting bystanders including pets, or dented garage doors.
The most dangerous thing about playing street hockey is getting smashed in the knee or in the mouth with a hockey stick, not getting cracked in the head with the ball.
What is a field hockey ball made of
As mentioned earlier, field hockey balls are precise pieces of equipment. Normally covered with dimples for easier traveling and disbursement of water, most field hockey balls have around an inch of plastic coating from the hollow center. But further on, there is an inner core, just like a golf ball, made out of cork and rubber. This inner core gives the attacking field hockey players the precise click and feel they want when striking the ball.
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