Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players far additional handle of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has turn out to be a faster and far additional fascinating game.

Additional info and details on Field Hockey pitch and constructing 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 these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was created mandatory for considerable competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and objective specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Recommendations of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch sort 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 additional than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball ought to entirely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball ought to wholly cross the objective line ahead of a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the frequent dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (taking into consideration the reality that 1998), even though the use of the imperial terms remains widespread in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are produced use of 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 objective posts is recognized as the objective line. The side line ought to measure 91.40 m and the back line should really actually measure 55.00 m. There ought to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which may possibly be a a variety of surface for the final meter. All line markings ought to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every single and each and every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far additional 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 creating use of at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches had been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) lengthy and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Recommendations by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one particular hundred yards lengthy 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 current width of 60 yards was written into the recommendations.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play should really actually be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an solution colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, due to the reality 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 frequent for specialist field hockey tournaments.

Objective

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

The objective ought to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective place ought 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 a variety of dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the objective is. Regular dimensions for a frequent field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initially hockey objectives 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 should really actually not cross the objective-line higher 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 entirely additional than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On leading of that, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper may possibly play the ball with any aspect of his physique and the place specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively produced use of even though the place is actually 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 additional 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 expense-free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly a variety of recommendations from other people relating 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 produced use of 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 distinct 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 possibly stand.

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

Every and each and every half of the pitch is then divided as soon as additional by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from every single and each and every back line. Historically, this was initially produced use of to resume play just soon after the ball passed additional 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 produced use of 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 expense-free of charge-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Contemplating that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been produced use of for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone additional than the back line (this replaced lengthy corners).13

There are additional markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from every single and each and every 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 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 associated mark 5 m from along the side line (from specifically exactly where lengthy corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the major 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 a lot easier ball handle and this in itself aids to lessen the quantity of infringements of the rules—which suggests considerably much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a outcome becomes a lot a lot easier to comply with, as appropriately as having a faster spectacle and substantially far additional intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was designed on all-all-natural grass turf. Nonetheless, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) created artificial pitches mandatory at all considerable competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time time Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these on the other hand at this time handful of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Although it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural turf all national competitions and international matches ought to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Planet Cup, demand a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Nonetheless, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable selection and solution elite surfaces that do not demand water are having researched.20

There are three major sorts 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 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 increase the speed at which the game can be played. Nonetheless, these pitches demand watering ahead of, for the duration of and just soon after the game and upkeep charges are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches cost far additional 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 proper for sports such as association football and tennis is usually important and hockey may possibly not be the predominant sport. There are pretty a couple of a variety of specifications and categorizations for artificial turf such as shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Not as well extended ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have turn out to be frequent, specifically for football, but these do not ordinarily meet the FIH’s test criteria they are usually as effectively 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 stated the surface had “massive added added benefits”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored far additional affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 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, stated that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and come across it difficult to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed appropriately following the alter of surface in spite of the nation having worse off economically and acquiring fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting additional than, with all nations even in field hockey