Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

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

A lot far more 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 currently it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was designed mandatory for crucial competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and goal specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Suggestions of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch sort portion of the area 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 area. A ball need to entirely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball need to wholly cross the goal line ahead of a goal is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the standard dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (contemplating that 1998), although the use of the imperial terms remains frequent 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 named the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the goal posts is recognized as the goal line. The side line need to measure 91.40 m and the back line have 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 could possibly be a distinctive surface for the final meter. All line markings need to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In just about every 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998. The initially recorded suggestions represented what London clubs had been using 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”. 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 selection 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 have to 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, for the explanation that blue turf assists 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 knowledgeable field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey goal at the 1960 Summer season season Olympics. The goal 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 major by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts need to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lowered 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 goal need to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The goal area need to be delimited at ground level by a goal 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 distinctive dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the goal is. Prevalent dimensions for a standard 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 suggestions. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initially hit at goal have to not cross the goal-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 (powerful line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A goal is scored when the ball passes entirely far more than the goal 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 area a goalkeeper could possibly play the ball with any portion of his physique and the area precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender final final results in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly produced use of although the area is in reality formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the goal line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 suggestions 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 elevated to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any entirely free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinctive suggestions from other folks concerning 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 goal 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 goal line.ten Penalty strokes had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a certain goal3 they had been initially taken eight yards (7.3 m) from goal. 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 goal 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 possibly stand.

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

Every single 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 just about every back line. Historically, this was initially produced use of to resume play straight away following 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 area 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 Presently, there are detailed suggestions regarding fouls and entirely free of charge-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Offered that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been produced use of for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone far more 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 just about every goal post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group calls for the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender could possibly 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 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 precisely exactly where the goal posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits considerably much easier ball handle and this in itself assists to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which suggests considerably significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game thus becomes considerably much easier to comply with, as correctly as acquiring a far more promptly spectacle and significantly far far more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was designed on all-all-natural grass turf. On the other hand, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) designed artificial pitches mandatory at all crucial competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these nonetheless at this time couple of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Regardless of the reality that it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural 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 Globe Cup, have to have a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. On the other hand, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable option and choice elite surfaces that do not have to have water are acquiring researched.20

There are three significant sorts of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, requires irrigation or watering to remain away from 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-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and boost the speed at which the game can be played. On the other hand, these pitches have to have watering ahead of, for the duration of and straight away following the game and upkeep costs are crucial.

Sand-dressed pitches value far far more than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. On the other hand, a multi-objective surface proper for sports like association football and tennis is regularly necessary and hockey could possibly not be the predominant sport. There are a lot of distinctive specifications and categorizations for artificial turf like 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 nicely-identified, especially for football, but these do not ordinarily meet the FIH’s test criteria they are regularly as nicely inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe 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 rewards”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, pointed out that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 certain of nonstop, appropriate-hop action.”28 On the other hand, it has been stated that the selection to make artificial surfaces mandatory tremendously favored far far more 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, pointed out that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it challenging to adapt.”29 On the other hand, the Pakistan hockey group have performed correctly following the modify of surface in spite of the nation acquiring worse off economically and acquiring fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin pointed out that “for India it was like starting far more than, with all nations even in field hockey