This fall, Blue Devils will be competing across the country on surfaces of all kinds. With the various rules, terminology and unique season formats of each sport, it can be hard to keep track of what's what. The Chronicle is here to help, as we have created what-to-know guides for each of Duke's fall sports. Be sure to read up on every Sports 101 edition below and follow The Chronicle's coverage all season long.
Football
As you take your seats inside Wallace Wade Stadium, here's what you need to know about football. It is a game divided into four 15-minute quarters. On offense, there are 11 players, led by the quarterback, who are trying to get the ball down the 100-yard field to score a touchdown in the end zone. On defense, there are 11 players trying to stop the offense from scoring by tackling and causing turnovers. Fans are encouraged to make noise while their team is on defense to distract opposing offenses and cause miscues. A football game features a 40-second play clock — the time in which the offense and defense choose what they will do on their respective sides of the ball. Starting this year, there's an automatic timeout during the two minute mark of the second and fourth quarters.
Soccer
"The Beautiful Game" is broken up into two 45-minute halves and played with teams of 11. Each team must score on its opponent’s goal without using arms or hands (with the exception of a goalkeeper in front of each net). Typical soccer matches are low-scoring yet fast-paced and feature various tactics to attempt to get the ball into an opponent's net.
Field hockey
The game is split up into four 15-minute quarters and features an 11 vs. 11 matchup on a field smaller than a soccer field. Players use a field hockey stick to dribble with the ultimate objective of scoring on the opposing team’s goal. Field hockey sticks feature a rounded and flat side; players must dribble with the flat side of the stick, and all sticks are right handed.
Volleyball
Indoor volleyball is typically played on a hardwood surface; Duke volleyball plays in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Each team plays in a square of 29 feet, 6 inches in width, equivalent to 9 meters in the picture below. The two sides are separated by a net with a height slightly more than 7 feet. Each end of the net is affixed with a tall rod marking the playing boundary.
Cross country
The objective of cross country meets is relatively simple: Run the distance required in as little time as possible. Races occur on a variety of different surfaces, but always outside, not on tracks. For example, the ACC Championships, held in Cary at WakeMed Soccer Complex, are run through a path of trees surrounding the complex. Races vary in terms of distances, but the three most common distances are 10K, 8K and 6K. Men typically run 8K, as they will do at the ACC Championships. The men’s race at the NCAA Championships, however, is 10K. Women typically run 6K, as they will do at both the ACC and NCAA Championships.
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