Editing Shinty (section)

==Game==

===Playing area===
The objective of the game is to play a small ball into a goal, or "hail", erected at the ends of a {{convert|128|to|155|m|yd|adj=mid|-long|order=flip}} by {{convert|70|to|80|yd|m|adj=mid|-wide}} pitch.<ref name="shinty.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.shinty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Byelaw-1-20141.pdf |title=Camanachd Association – Rules and Byelaws |access-date=20 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220073023/http://www.shinty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Byelaw-1-20141.pdf |archive-date=20 December 2016 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The game is traditionally played on grass, although as of 2009 the sport may be played on artificial turf.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8387122.stm | work=BBC News | title=Weather factor in shinty decision | date=30 November 2009}}</ref> The pitch also has marks indicating a {{convert|10|yd|m|-1|adj=on}} area around the goals, the penalty and centre spots (along with their associated arcs/circles of {{convert|5|yd|m|0|disp=or}} radius), and corner arcs at the corners of the rectangular pitch of {{convert|2|yd|m|0|disp=or}} radius.<ref name="shinty.com"/> The goals, at opposite ends of the field, measure {{convert|12|ft|m|2}} wide and {{convert|10|ft|m|2}} high and a net is affixed to catch the ball when a goal is scored.<ref name="shinty.com"/>
[[File:Shinty field and Standing Stone - geograph.org.uk - 1519977.jpg|thumb|Shinty field (Winterton), Inveraray]]

===Ball===
The ball is a hard solid sphere of around half the diameter of a tennis ball, consisting of a [[cork material|cork]] core covered by two pieces of [[leather]] stitched together. The seam is raised. It is very similar to a hurling [[sliotar]] in that it resembles an American [[baseball (object)|baseball]] with more pronounced stitching. The permitted circumference is between {{convert|7+1/2|and|8|in|cm|spell=in}} and weight between {{convert|2+1/2|and|3|oz|g|spell=in}}.<ref name="shinty.com"/> The ball is usually white, but there is no statutory colour, black being a common colour for Kyles Athletic, and fluorescent balls now being available.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Plastic balls or soft balls are often used in youth competitions such as the variant "First Shinty".{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

===Stick===
The ball is played using a ''caman'', which is a stick about {{convert|3+1/2|ft|m}} long with two slanted faces. The stick has a wedge shaped head, roughly triangular in cross section,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uscamanachd.org/rules/|title=AN OVERVIEW OF THE RULES OF SHINTY|website=US Camanachd|access-date=26 January 2018}}</ref> which must be able to pass through a ring {{convert|2+1/2|in|cm|spell=in}} in diameter.<ref name="shinty.com"/> Unlike the Irish ''camán'', it has no blade. The ''caman'' is traditionally made of wood, traditionally [[Fraxinus|ash]] but now more commonly [[hickory]], and must not have any plate or metal attached to it. The ''caman'' would be made from any piece of wood with a hook in it, hence ''caman'', from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic word ''cam'', meaning bent or crooked. It can also be called a stick or club. The slant of the face will vary according to the position that the stick is used for. It can be made according to the player's height.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

[[File:ShintySticks1.JPG|thumb|Showing the development of shinty sticks through the years]]

Plastic camans are common in the youth variant "First Shinty".{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

[[Image:camanachdfield.jpg|thumb|The field of play]]