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Field hockey is an evolving sport, but it is unclear whether performance analysis techniques are reflective of current best practice. The objective of this review was to identify performance analysis methods used in field hockey, assess their practicality, and provide recommendations on their implementation in the field. A systematic search of the databases SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE and PubMed was performed. Key words addressed performance analysis methods and field hockey, with all other disciplines of sport science excluded. A total of 8 articles were identified from the systematic review. Three studies explored patterns of play in relation to goal scoring opportunities, two articles examined penalty corner strategies and three compared specific actions in hockey. The limited performance analysis research in field hockey has focused on game actions in patterns of play. However, greater insights may be gained by analysing hockey using a holistic approach that incorporates spatio-temporal variables and player-opposition interactions. There is an opportunity to employ novel performance analysis techniques in hockey which provide more practical and effective approaches for analysing strategies and tactics.

The goal of performance analysis is to capture the multitude of factors that affect sports strategy, and present them in an informative, interpretable, and accessible format. The aim of this study was to outline a performance analysis process in field hockey that captures, analyses and visualises strategy in layers of detail culminating in the creation of an RStudio Shiny application. Computerised notational analysis systems were developed to capture in-game events and ball tracking data of 74 matches from the Women’s Pro League 2019. Game styles were developed using k-means cluster analysis to reduce detailed in-game events into practical profiles to identify the attack types, game actions and tempo of a team’s strategy. Ball movement profiles were developed to identify the predictability (entropy) and direction (progression rates) of ball movements, and consequent distribution of possession in different attacking zones. The Shiny application, an interactive web-platform, links the information from simple game profiles with detailed game variables to understand each teams’ holistic game plan, how they are different, and how to exploit these differences. The process outlined can be applied to any team invasion sport to understand, develop and communicate successful strategies under different match situations.

Analysing the ball movement patterns of team invasion sports provides practical insight into successful strategies by identifying how and where to move the ball to create goal scoring opportunities. The aim of this study was to analyse the entropy and spatial distribution of ball movement patterns in international field hockey teams. A notational analysis system was developed in SportsCode to analyse 131 matches (n = 57 men, n = 74 women) from the 2019 Pro League tournament. The start and end location of each ball movement and the outcome of each play was recorded. Calculated variables included game possession (%), entropy, possession per zone (%) and progression rates. Decision trees identified that higher circle possession and direct movements to goal from deep attack, and lower build attack and build defence entropy, were the strategies most likely to lead to goal shots. However, teams should be unpredictable when the opposition are organised to maintain possession and unbalance the defence. Match context only had small effects on ball movement strategies highlighting there is more than one way to be successful. Executing strategies that exploit these factors should lead to greater attacking opportunities and success. Analysing the dynamic, complexity of international hockey allows coaches to prepare specific strategies for individual teams.