Puck
The hard vulcanised rubber disc used in place of a ball in ice hockey.
Definition
A puck is the small, hard disc of vulcanised rubber that players shoot, pass and score with in ice hockey, taking the role a ball plays in other sports. Its flat, low profile lets it slide quickly and smoothly across the ice.
Because rubber becomes livelier when warm, pucks are commonly frozen before play to reduce bouncing and keep them flat on the ice. Related sports use their own implements, so a puck should not be confused with the ball used in field hockey.
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Equipment
- Hockey stickA curved-headed stick used to control, pass and shoot the ball or puck in hockey.
- Tennis ballA hollow rubber ball covered in felt used in tennis and related racquet sports.
- Table tennis batA small wooden blade covered with rubber used to hit the ball in table tennis.
- BasketballA large, inflated ball with a dimpled surface used to play basketball.
- Football (soccer ball)A round, inflated ball used to play association football and futsal.
Facilities
- Ice rinkA sheet of prepared ice, usually rink-boarded with rounded corners, used for skating and ice sports.
- Sports hallA large indoor hall with multi-sport line markings, used for court sports like basketball, volleyball and badminton.
- Padel courtAn enclosed court, much smaller than a tennis court, walled with glass and mesh so the ball can be played off the walls.
- Fitness studioAn open indoor room used for instructor-led group fitness classes such as yoga, aerobics and indoor cycling.
Skills
- DiggingThe volleyball skill of controlling a hard-driven ball low to keep it in play.
- ServingThe skill of putting the ball or shuttle into play to start a point or rally.
- Ball controlThe skill of receiving and settling the ball quickly so it is ready to use.
- ThrowingThe skill of propelling the ball accurately and with control using the arm.
- HeadingThe skill of directing the ball with the head to pass, clear or attempt to score.
Techniques
- HeaderA technique for controlling or striking the ball with the forehead in football, used to pass, shoot or clear the ball in the air.
- Volleyball DigA defensive contact that keeps a hard-driven ball in play by passing it up off the forearms, usually from a low position.
- Volleyball SetAn overhead pass using the fingertips of both hands to place the ball accurately for a teammate to attack.
- Topspin ForehandA forehand groundstroke hit with a low-to-high swing that puts forward spin on the ball so it dips and kicks up on landing.
- Crossover DribbleA basketball dribbling move that switches the ball quickly from one hand to the other to change direction and get past a defender.
Tactics
- Set-piece playRehearsed routines from a dead-ball situation such as a corner, free kick or throw-in used to create chances.
- Wing playAttacking down the flanks and crossing the ball into the box to stretch the defence and create chances.
- Full-court pressAn aggressive basketball defence that pressures the ball across the whole court to force turnovers.
- Interval-training strategyStructuring a workout as bursts of hard effort separated by recovery to build fitness efficiently.
- High pressA football tactic where a team hunts the ball high up the pitch to win it back close to the opponent’s goal.
Training methods
- Active Recovery SessionsActive recovery sessions are deliberately easy bouts of gentle movement — an easy walk, spin or swim — used on lighter days to keep moving without adding hard work.
- Progressive OverloadProgressive overload is the principle of gradually increasing the demand you place on your body so it keeps adapting and improving over time.
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- Tier A — evergreen educational
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- Content updated
- 2026-08-04
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