When I played field hockey many decades ago, the rules did not allow the stick to be raised higher than horizontal at any time. Sometime later that got changed so that a swing could almost look like a golf swing. When I questioned this, I was told that the other players just needed to stay out of the way of the stick of the person hitting the ball. Maybe this rule needs to be changed back if that has not already been done. The lower swing kept the ball near the ground almost all of the time.
Much better protective equipment now. When I played we didn’t even have protective gloves. That how I got my thumbnail ripped off and ligaments torn
The swing is “traditionally” not supposed to be more than horizontal. The rule has to do with “dangerous” play. You can swing like a banshee if you are not near anyone.
I haven’t watched the video, but I’ve got years of experience around field hockey. My guess is that the shot was either above the knees (an illegal and “dangerous” play) or it hit a stick and glanced upward into the mouth.
I think a lot of folks still think that field hockey is played by “slow fat girls” on grass. That image is very outdated. Even low level college play is fast and pretty “exciting.” It is neither slow nor played by fat girls. If you play it on artificial turf…its crazy fast.