Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players further handle of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has develop to be a much more promptly and further thrilling game.

A great deal much more information on Field Hockey pitch and creating 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 now it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came in the course of the 1970s and was made mandatory for principal competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and objective specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Suggestions of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch variety element 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 much more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball need to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball need to wholly cross the objective line prior to a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the standard dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (due to the truth 1998), even although the use of the imperial terms remains common in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are applied 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 amongst the objective posts is recognized as the objective line. The side line need to measure 91.40 m and the back line seriously need to measure 55.00 m. There need to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which may well possibly be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings need to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no further 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 initially recorded recommendations represented what London clubs had been applying 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”. Suggestions 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 Suggestions 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 current width of 60 yards was written into the recommendations.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play seriously need to be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an selection colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, for the purpose that blue turf assists 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 standard for certified field hockey tournaments.

Target

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

Targets consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the best rated by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts need to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lower edge of the crossbar need to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar need to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The objective need to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective place need 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 cease the ball.eight

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

The initially hockey targets 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 recommendations. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initially hit at objective seriously need to not cross the objective-line bigger than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the targets which are now mandatory.34

Circle

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

A objective is scored when the ball passes completely much more than the objective 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 may well possibly play the ball with any element of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender added benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly applied even although the place is generally formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the objective line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 recommendations stated that “no targets shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of further 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 no cost of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly diverse recommendations from other men and women with regards to other players’ distance a broken circle 5 m from the penalty circle denotes this spot.ten

A penalty spot is centrally positioned straight in front of the objective and applied 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 had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a precise goal3 they had been initially taken eight yards (7.3 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.4 m) from objective 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 may well possibly stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The commence of each and every single period of play and resumption of play following a objective starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also applied for the obselete offside rule.3

Each and every half of the pitch is then divided as soon as once again by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from each and every single back line. Historically, this was initially applied to resume play straight away just after the ball passed much more 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 applied for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 At the moment, there are detailed recommendations relating to fouls and no cost of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Thinking of that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been applied for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone much more than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are additional markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each and every single objective 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 may well possibly stand. These marks had been 5 and ten yards (4.six and 9.1 m) in earlier versions of the recommendations.3 There is a comparable 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 best rated of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm extended markings precisely exactly where the objective posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits much less complex ball handle and this in itself assists to reduced the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates substantially much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game hence becomes much less complex to stick to, as nicely as finding a much more promptly spectacle and considerably further intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was made on organic grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made artificial pitches mandatory at all principal competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season time Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these nonetheless at this time handful of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Although it is nonetheless permissible to play on organic turf all national competitions and international matches need to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Planet Cup, get in touch with for a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a extended-term sustainable choice and selection elite surfaces that do not get in touch with for water are finding researched.20

There are three principal varieties of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, calls for irrigation or watering to maintain away from pitch place on

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

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and substantially 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 reduced friction and boost the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches get in touch with for watering prior to, in the course of and straight away just after the game and upkeep expenditures are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches expense further 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 proper for sports which involves association football and tennis is usually needed and hockey may well possibly not be the predominant sport. There are lots of diverse specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which involves shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Lately, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have develop to be nicely-liked, especially for football, but these do not normally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are usually also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Planet Hockey magazine reported on the initially hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and pointed out the surface had “enormous added added benefits”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, pointed out that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, correct-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory considerably favored further affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Just ahead of 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, pointed out that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and receive it difficult to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the alter of surface in spite of the nation finding worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin pointed out that “for India it was like starting much more than, with all nations even in field hockey