to her, so giving the enemy a chance to step in instead. How often one sees balls lost by the halves crowding onto the fullbacks, by the forwards being out of place to take the passes from the halves. In the circle, too, so many chances of “shooting a goal" are missed by one forward being "not there at the right moment." The valuable men in a team are the reliable ones, who are "always there" and always ready to do their own work. Then there is the second duty of "learning her neighbor's work." So many opportunities are lost by two players on the same side both rushing on the ball and "helping each other to miss it," or confusing each other so that if the ball is hit it is sent wildly and often into the hands of the enemy. Realizing what one's neighbor's duties are and letting her do them teaches one the best position for helping. If, for instance, the "right wing" lets the ball pass her, the inside right, if a novice, is tempted to leave her place to rectify her friend's mistake. The "right half" meets the enemy first, gets the ball and passes it to the quarters of "inside right," where it is at once taken by an enemy before the inside right can recover her own quarters. Thirdly. The clever player is the one who while working to the utmost sees to her neighbors' chances for play as equally as to her own. Runs up the field are so often wasted by a player still keeping the ball when the enemy is on her, when by a clever pass she would have outwitted the enemy and given her side the chance of getting the ball onto the circle. Forwards "fond of the ball" and unwilling to pass are easily tackled by the fullbacks, but forwards who keep their places like so many parts of a machine, who swing the ball across the field to each other right to left and left to right with equal facility, or bring the ball up with short passes three or four yards before they come to the fullbacks, are a combination which will require the greatest skill and power in the fullbacks to outwit. Positions on the From the foregoing chapter on "The Game," it has been seen that the work of the "forwards" is to attack the enemy's goal and to leave the defending play to their halves and backs. When the ball has passed through their line they must not go back into the line of their halfbacks for it, but, keeping at a convenient distance, wait, on the qui vive to receive a pass from their halves should the enemy be robbed of the ball-and on taking the pass then instantly dash down the field. Brisk play and quick determination at this point is everything. Forwards wanting in "dash" give the enemy time to re-collect their defence. A careless position of the body while waiting for the pass loses time in getting away with the ball, and often results in the player “turning on the ball" or "making a back-handed stop or stroke" and so giving a free hit. As a general maxim, the left shoulder should be toward the opponents' goal and the pass be watched for over the right shoulder, the stick held ready to seize the ball the instant it is through the enemy's line. When taking the ball down the field to the opponents' goal all the forwards must be in a line with the one who has the ball, watching for passes, and carefully marking their enemies. On nearing the circle especially must the line be kept straight to prevent any breach of Rule 12. Once well past the enemy's halves, the pace down the field must be wisely judged by the one on the ball. Sometimes a run at "full tilt" is best, at others a steady pace holding in for sudden spurts. The latter is a good guard against breaking the "off side rule" and acts as a decoy to draw out the fullbacks. A "right wing" has the ball, by dribbling it steadily, draws out the left fullback, then zip! the ball is shot past on the enemy's left hand, the wing sprints past on the right, reaching the ball and before the disconcerted back can turn round and hook her stick is nearing the goal; this will tend to draw the other fullback over |