Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

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

Further particulars 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 these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was made mandatory for critical 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 type portion 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 far more 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 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 have been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (due to the truth 1998), in spite of the truth that the use of the imperial terms remains standard 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 on).

The hockey pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer perimeter edges are referred to as the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the objective posts is identified as the objective line. The side line need to have to measure 91.40 m and the back line need to have to 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 might nicely be a exceptional surface for the final meter. All line markings need to have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every single and every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far 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 1st recorded recommendations represented what London clubs have been functioning with at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches have been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) lengthy and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Suggestions by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “1 hundred yards lengthy 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 option 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 need to have 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 aids television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch for the duration of gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the standard for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Aim

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

Objectives consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the top rated rated by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts need to have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the reduce 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 objective need to have 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 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 cease the ball.eight

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

The 1st hockey objectives have been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (5.5 m) apart” but have been lowered to 4 yards (3.7 m) apart in the 1886 recommendations. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the 1st hit at objective need to have to not cross the objective-line bigger 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 (robust line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A objective is scored when the ball passes completely far more than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On top rated of that, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper might nicely play the ball with any portion of his physique and the place specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender final benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly applied in spite of the truth that the place is in truth 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 objectives shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of far 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 enhanced to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any totally cost-free-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly exceptional recommendations from other people 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 have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a particular goal3 they have 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 might nicely stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The start of every single 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

Every and every single half of the pitch is then divided when once more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from every single and every single back line. Historically, this was 1st applied to resume play quickly just after the ball passed far 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 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 applied for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 These days, there are detailed recommendations regarding fouls and totally cost-free-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Taking into consideration that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been applied for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone far more than the back line (this replaced lengthy corners).13

There are added markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from every single 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 might nicely 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 equivalent mark 5 m from along the side line (from specifically exactly where lengthy corners have been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the top rated rated of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm lengthy markings specifically exactly where the objective posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits a lot much easier ball deal with and this in itself aids to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which implies considerably significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game thus becomes a lot much easier to stick to, as proficiently as becoming a far more swiftly spectacle and significantly far far more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was produced on organic grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made artificial pitches mandatory at all critical competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the 1st of these obtaining mentioned that at this time handful of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 When it is nonetheless permissible to play on organic 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 Globe Cup, demand a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable choice and selection elite surfaces that do not demand water are becoming researched.20

There are three principal types of artificial hockey pitch surface:

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

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

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and considerably significantly less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for 1 hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and increase the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches demand watering prior to, for the duration of and quickly just after the game and upkeep expenditures are critical.

Sand-dressed pitches cost far 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 proper for sports which involves association football and tennis is usually necessary and hockey might nicely not be the predominant sport. There are a lot of exceptional specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which involves shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Not also lengthy ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have create into nicely-identified, specially for football, but these do not usually meet the FIH’s test criteria they are usually also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe Hockey magazine reported on the 1st hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and described the surface had “large positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, described that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 unique of nonstop, correct-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the option to make artificial surfaces mandatory tremendously favored far far more affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Prior to the switch to an artificial surface the Indian men’s hockey group have 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 regardless of its size ” can afford only 12 or so Artificial Turf fields”.Sardara Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey group, described that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the 1st time at the age of 19 or 20 and find it definitely difficult to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed proficiently following the alter of surface regardless of the nation becoming worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin described that “for India it was like starting far more than, with all nations even in field hockey