Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players far extra manage of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has come to be a extra swiftly and far extra fascinating game.

A great deal extra facts and details 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 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 major 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 kind 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 extra than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball want to definitely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball want to wholly cross the objective line just ahead of a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the regular dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (simply because 1998), when the use of the imperial terms remains widespread in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are employed 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 identified as the objective line. The side line want to measure 91.40 m and the back line must genuinely measure 55.00 m. There want to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which could be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings want to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 initially 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 “a single 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 current width of 60 yards was written into the suggestions.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play must genuinely be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an alternative colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, mostly simply because 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 regular for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Aim

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

The objective want to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective place want 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. Common dimensions for a regular 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 suggestions. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initially hit at objective must genuinely 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 definitely extra 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 could play the ball with any portion of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly employed when 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 suggestions stated that “no targets shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of far 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 definitely absolutely free-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly diverse suggestions from other folks with regards 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 objective and employed 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 certain 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 could stand.

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

Each and every half of the pitch is then divided when extra by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from each back line. Historically, this was initially employed to resume play just 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 employed for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 These days, there are detailed suggestions regarding fouls and definitely absolutely free-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Contemplating that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been employed for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone extra than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are extra markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each 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 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 major 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 substantially much easier ball manage and this in itself assists to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which implies drastically much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes substantially much easier to comply with, as nicely as receiving a extra swiftly spectacle and drastically far extra fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

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

There are three principal sorts 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 drastically much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for portion of the pile depth

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and drastically much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for a single 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. Nonetheless, these pitches get in touch with for watering just ahead of, in the course of and just immediately after the game and upkeep charges are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches value far 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 proper for sports which involves association football and tennis is generally anticipated and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are numerous 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 come to be preferred, in certain for football, but these do not generally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are generally also 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 described the surface had “enormous rewards”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, described that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored far extra affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Prior to 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 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 initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and find out it difficult to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the modify of surface regardless of the nation receiving worse off economically and acquiring fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin described that “for India it was like starting extra than, with all nations even in field hockey