What Hockey Penalty Corner Equipment Do I Need?

Penalty corners, also known as short corners, are a huge part of the modern hockey game. It's key that you are as protected and prepared as possible. So here we give you a complete breakdown of what you need!

What is a penalty corner in field hockey?

Penalty corners in hockey are awarded for a foul within the circle (or D) by the defending team. They can also be awarded for a deliberate foul by the defending team within their defensive 23 metre area.

Defending a short corner: 1 goalkeeper and up to 4 defenders

Vs.

Attacking in a short corner: as many opposition players (excluding the GK) as the team wants.

The defensive players and goalkeeper have to start behind the line. The ball is played (or better known as injected) toward the top of the circle. At this time, the defensive team can break the line and defend. 

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What hockey penalty corner equipment do I need?

Defenders are very exposed in penalty corners and with modern technology and skills, the ball can travel up to 100kph. There is a whole range of protective equipment that you can use to protect yourself!

Here’s the gear we highly recommend:

Short corner face masks

Short corner gloves

Short corner knee guards

Short corner groin guards

Short corner face masks

Penalty corner masks are a vital piece of equipment now for every level of the game. We see more and more schools, clubs and individuals purchasing these to be part of every teams' kit.

There are different levels of protection and fit on facemasks, but here’s our top 3:

1. Most protective facemask on the market: OBO OOP facemasks. The only CE certified steel framed penalty corner mask, made by world renowned GK brand OBO and designed around their market leading helmets.
   
2. Most popular entry level hockey face mask: TK 3.1 facemask which comes in 4 different colours. These are a fantastic masks and great that the 4 different colour ways give individuals and schools the ability to differentiate or even match a set.
3. Mid range facemask: We’d look at the Mercian Senior Mask or the Grays Senior Mask. 

Do junior players need facemasks? 

As we talk about in our shinpad blog, there is no requirement for these. However, we think it’s a crucial piece of equipment for any junior player.

Here’s our top 3 facemasks for junior hockey players: 

1. OBO OOP Junior Facemask - Based on the same design as their senior facemask it is a steel caged mask with CE certification (this is just the size small version of the senior sizes).
2. Grays Facemask Junior - This is one of the smallest (in size not protection) facemasks on the market so for those smaller junior players, or those with smaller head sizes this is a great mask.
3. TK 3.1 facemask - Whilst this is not a junior mask it is certainly a smaller mask.

Facemask FAQs

1. Do facemasks go over glasses/ eyewear? A number will, but it will depend on your glasses and how far they fit. If possible we’d recommend getting in touch with us here for personal advice.
2. Can you buy facemasks in bulk? Yes we can do bespoke quotes for schools/ clubs/ individuals looking for bulk purchases of masks.
3. Do they come in one size? Most masks are a one size fits all (depending on whether they are junior or senior masks) but please see above for more advice.
4. Do different masks provide differing levels of protection? Yes, but one of our best pieces of advice is to find one that fits.
5. Are facemasks in field hockey compulsory? No, but you will find a lot of schools or junior clubs will want all junior players to wear them. 
6. Should players share facemasks? Post COVID more and more clubs and schools are wanting players to get their own masks. We would always recommend having your own facemask as you know it will fit, and be securely adjusted to your head size.

Short Corner Gloves

A relatively modern addition to hockey short corner equipment, the PCD gloves are a huge (often ice hockey style) gloves that are worn by defenders to protect them from sticks and balls as they travel and lightning speeds.

The gloves are big, thick and protective and many can be worn straight over a normal hockey glove.

Here’s a run down of our 2 favourite protective gloves and why we like them:


1. OBO OOP Handover Gloves - probably the best glove on the market, and hardly surprising when the brand behind them is industry leader in goalkeeper equipment. They have fantastic coverage especially on the thumbs

2. Y1 Pro Penalty Corner Gloves - A great glove based on the same style as ice hockey players wear. These are big and protective and super bright so your goalkeeper may not leave them behind the goal at the end of the game!

Short Corner Knee Guards 

The knee guards have been in the game at the international level for quite some time, but their protection and mobility over the years has significantly improved.

They have to be quick to put on and quick off owing to not having much time to get them on, and often even less time to take them off!

They’re fastened with elastic and offer a hard shell to take the initial impact of a stick or ball.


Here’s our top 3 knee guards:

1. OBO OOP Bees Knee Penalty Corner Knee Protectors - These again are in our opinion industry leader. A lot of logic is applied to their design, the elastic is super strong, and the pull tag on it is easy to get off in pressurised situations.

2. TK Knee Guards - These are probably the smallest on the market, but arguable the quickest on and off. They protect just the knee cap itself but are the easiest to move in.
3. Kookaburra Knee Guards - A great entry level knee guard, similar in style to a skateboarding knee pads (Tony Hawks style!)

Groin Protectors

Also known as abdo and pelvic guards. There isn’t as much choice on the market when it comes to this category. A lot of male players will carry a cricket box which offers good protection. The below is a fantastic well designed and vented box.



OBO OOP Penalty Corner (Aptly named Hard On) groin protector - it is made of a strong hard composite material.
Currently there are no female specific abdominal products on the market

We hope this has answered any questions on penalty corner equipment but if you still need help, do get in touch! If you are ready to buy your penalty corner equipment, view the full range now.