Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players a lot extra manage of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has create into a extra swiftly and a lot extra thrilling game.

A lot extra information on Field Hockey pitch and developing there of.

A hockey pitch is the playing surface for the game of field hockey. Historically, the game was played on all-all-natural turf (grass) but at the moment it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came in the course of the 1970s and was created mandatory for substantial competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and target specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Recommendations of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch kind aspect of the place 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 extra than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball need to have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball need to have to wholly cross the target line just just before a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the common dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (thinking of that 1998), even though the use of the imperial terms remains common 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 on).

The hockey pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer perimeter edges are identified as the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the target posts is identified as the target line. The side line need to have to measure 91.40 m and the back line really should seriously measure 55.00 m. There need to have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which could be a distinct surface for the final meter. All line markings need to have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In just about every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no a lot extra than 300 mm square is attached to a post of height 1.20–1.50 m.

Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998. The initial recorded suggestions represented what London clubs had been employing at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches had been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Recommendations by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one particular hundred yards extended by 55 to 60 yards (50 to 55 m) wide”.34 In 1905, the International Recommendations Board permitted the width of the pitch to be “up to 66 yards (60 m)” but this choice was reversed in 1909.5 In 1975, the present width of 60 yards was written into the suggestions.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play really should seriously be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an choice colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, considering that blue turf aids television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch in the course of gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the common for professional field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey target at the 1960 Summer time time Olympics. The target 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 rated by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts need to have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lowered edge of the crossbar need to have to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar need to have to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

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

Hockey nets can come in distinct dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the target is. Normal dimensions for a common field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initial hockey ambitions had been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (5.5 m) apart” but had been decreased to 4 yards (3.7 m) apart in the 1886 suggestions. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initial hit at target really should seriously not cross the target-line bigger than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the ambitions which are now mandatory.34

Circle

A view of the penalty circle (robust line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A target is scored when the ball passes completely extra than the target line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. In addition, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper could play the ball with any aspect of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender advantages in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively utilized even though the place is in truth formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the target line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 suggestions stated that “no ambitions shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of a lot extra 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 enhanced to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any completely totally free-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinct suggestions from other people relating to other players’ distance a broken circle 5 m from the penalty circle denotes this location.ten

A penalty spot is centrally positioned straight in front of the target 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 target line.ten Penalty strokes had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a distinct goal3 they had been initially taken eight yards (7.3 m) from target. In 1973, a stroke could also be awarded for a deliberate foul in the circle and the spot was moved to 7 yards (six.4 m) from target the following year.5

Other markings

Simon Gougnard prepares to take a penalty corner from the ten m mark. The 5 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 commence of just about every single period of play and resumption of play following a target starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also utilized for the obselete offside rule.3

Just about every half of the pitch is then divided as soon as once more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from just about every single back line. Historically, this was initial utilized to resume play quickly immediately after the ball passed extra than the back line and marked by flags at the side of the pitch. In 1949, deliberate defensive offenses in this place resulted in a penalty corner. From 1961, players on the defensive group who had 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 amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed suggestions with regards to fouls and completely totally free-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Mainly because 2015, the 23 metre line has also been utilized for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone extra than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are added markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from just about every single target post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group demands the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender could stand. These marks had been 5 and ten yards (4.six and 9.1 m) in earlier versions of the suggestions.3 There is a equivalent mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where extended corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the leading rated of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm extended markings precisely exactly where the target posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits easier ball manage and this in itself aids to lessen the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates considerably much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game thus becomes easier to stick to, as nicely as becoming a extra swiftly spectacle and considerably a lot extra fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

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

There are three principal types of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, desires irrigation or watering to protect against pitch place on

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

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

On water-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf lessen friction and raise the speed at which the game can be played. Nonetheless, these pitches need to have watering just just before, in the course of and quickly immediately after the game and upkeep charges are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches expense a lot extra than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Nonetheless, a multi-objective surface acceptable for sports such as association football and tennis is regularly necessary and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are a lot of distinct specifications and categorizations for artificial turf such as shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Lately, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have create into properly-identified, specifically for football, but these do not frequently meet the FIH’s test criteria they are regularly also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Planet Hockey magazine reported on the initial hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and stated the surface had “enormous added advantages”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 of nonstop, appropriate-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored a lot extra affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Just just before the switch to an artificial surface the Indian men’s hockey group had been dominant, winning seven of the eight Olympic gold medals amongst 1928 and 1964.28 In 1996, Indian hockey player Ajit Pal Singh stated that in spite of its size ” can afford only 12 or so Artificial Turf fields”.Sardara Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey group, stated that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initial time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it difficult to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the modify of surface in spite of the nation becoming worse off economically and getting fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting extra than, with all nations even in field hockey