Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players far more manage of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has turn out to be a more rapidly and far more thrilling game.

Much more information and facts on Field Hockey pitch and building there of.

A hockey pitch is the playing surface for the game of field hockey. Historically, the game was played on organic turf (grass) but today it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came through the 1970s and was produced mandatory for important competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and objective specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Guidelines of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch type portion of the region which they define. For instance, a ball on the side line is nonetheless in the field of play a ball on the line of the penalty circle is in the penalty circle a foul committed more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre region. A ball will have to fully cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have to wholly cross the objective line prior to a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the guidelines in England, the common dimensions of a hockey pitch have been initially expressed in imperial units. The guidelines are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (because 1998), despite the fact that the use of the imperial terms remains widespread in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are utilized to distinguish the field of play (green or blue) from the run-off (red/blue/yellow/orange/and so forth).

The hockey pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer perimeter edges are named the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this in between the objective posts is identified as the objective line. The side line will have to measure 91.40 m and the back line really should measure 55.00 m. There will have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and three m at the backlines which could be a various surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far more than 300 mm square is attached to a post of height 1.20–1.50 m.

Historically, the pitch dimensions have been imperial and have been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998. The very first recorded guidelines represented what London clubs have been utilizing at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches have been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Guidelines by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one hundred yards extended by 55 to 60 yards (50 to 55 m) wide”.34 In 1905, the International Guidelines Board permitted the width of the pitch to be “up to 66 yards (60 m)” but this choice was reversed in 1909.five In 1975, the existing width of 60 yards was written into the guidelines.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play really should be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an option colour. The London 2012 Olympics began a new trend for blue hockey pitches, for the reason that blue turf assists tv viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch through gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the common for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Objective

A hockey objective at the 1960 Summer time Olympics. The objective is deeper at ground level with side and backboards about the base.

Ambitions consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the leading by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be three.66 metres apart, and the decrease edge of the crossbar will have to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar will have to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The objective will have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective region will have to be delimited at ground level by a objective backboard and two sideboards of height 460 millimetres (18 in). Affixed to these boards, the posts and crossbar is a net to quit the ball.eight

Hockey nets can come in various dimensions based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the objective is. Standard dimensions for a common field hockey net are about three.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The very first hockey objectives have been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (five.five m) apart” but have been decreased to four yards (three.7 m) apart in the 1886 guidelines. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the very first hit at objective really should not cross the objective-line larger than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the objectives which are now mandatory.34

Circle

A view of the penalty circle (strong line), the broken circle five m from it, and the penalty spot.

A objective is scored when the ball passes fully more than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On top of that, the circle marks the region a goalkeeper could play the ball with any portion of his physique and the region exactly where an infringement by a defender outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively utilized despite the fact that the region is essentially formed by a three.66-metre (four yd) straight line, parallel to the objective line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 guidelines stated that “no objectives shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of far more than 15 yards (14 m) from the nearest goalpost”. A visible “striking circle” with “radius of 15 yards” was codified in 1886.34 The radius of the circle was elevated to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.five Any free of charge-hit inside five m of the circle has slightly various guidelines from other people regarding other players’ distance a broken circle five m from the penalty circle denotes this place.ten

A penalty spot is centrally positioned straight in front of the objective and utilized for a penalty stroke. The spot is 150 mm in diameter and its centre is six.475 m from the outdoors of the objective line.ten Penalty strokes have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a specific goal3 they have been initially taken eight yards (7.three m) from objective. In 1973, a stroke could also be awarded for a deliberate foul in the circle and the spot was moved to 7 yards (six.four m) from objective the following year.five

Other markings

Simon Gougnard prepares to take a penalty corner from the ten m mark. The five m line above demarcates the closest position a defender could stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The begin of each and every period of play and resumption of play following a objective begins with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also utilized for the obselete offside rule.three

Every half of the pitch is then divided once more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from each and every back line. Historically, this was very first utilized to resume play just after the ball passed more than the back line and marked by flags at the side of the pitch. In 1949, deliberate defensive offenses in this region resulted in a penalty corner. From 1961, players on the defensive group who have been not involved at the penalty corner stood behind this line (this was then moved to the half-way line two years later). The line was also utilized for the offside rule in between 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.three Today, there are detailed guidelines with regards to fouls and free of charge-hits in the 23 metre area of the pitch.12 Because 2015, the 23 metre line has also been utilized for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone more than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are extra markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and five m from each and every objective post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group requires the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender could stand. These marks had been five and ten yards (four.six and 9.1 m) in earlier versions of the guidelines.three There is a related mark five m from along the side line (from exactly where extended corners have been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the leading of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm extended markings exactly where the objective posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits much easier ball manage and this in itself assists to cut down the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game hence becomes much easier to comply with, as effectively as becoming a more rapidly spectacle and a great deal far more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was created on organic grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) produced artificial pitches mandatory at all important competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time Olympics in Montreal was the very first of these nevertheless at this time handful of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Even though it is nonetheless permissible to play on organic turf all national competitions and international matches will have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Globe Cup, demand a water-primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a extended-term sustainable choice and option elite surfaces that do not demand water are becoming researched.20

There are 3 major varieties of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, needs irrigation or watering to keep away from pitch put on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for portion of the pile depth

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for one hundred% of the pile depth

On water-primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf cut down friction and boost the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches demand watering prior to, through and just after the game and upkeep expenses are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches expense far more than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Even so, a multi-objective surface appropriate for sports such as association football and tennis is typically necessary and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are several various specifications and categorizations for artificial turf such as shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Not too long ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have turn out to be preferred, specially for football, but these do not commonly meet the FIH’s test criteria they are typically also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe Hockey magazine reported on the very first hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and mentioned the surface had “massive added benefits”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, mentioned that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 of nonstop, accurate-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory considerably favored far more affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Ahead of the switch to an artificial surface the Indian men’s hockey group have been dominant, winning seven of the eight Olympic gold medals in between 1928 and 1964.28 In 1996, Indian hockey player Ajit Pal Singh stated that regardless of its size ” can afford only 12 or so Artificial Turf fields”.Sardara Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey group, mentioned that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the very first time at the age of 19 or 20 and obtain it tough to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed effectively following the alter of surface regardless of the nation becoming worse off economically and getting fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin mentioned that “for India it was like beginning more than, with all nations even in field hockey