Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players a lot far more handle of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has turn into a faster and a lot far more fascinating game.

Far 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 at the moment it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came all through the 1970s and was made mandatory for substantial 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 far more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball have to have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball have to have to wholly cross the objective line ahead of a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the normal dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (thinking about the truth that 1998), when the use of the imperial terms remains widespread in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are created 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 in amongst the objective posts is recognized as the objective line. The side line have to have to measure 91.40 m and the back line genuinely ought to measure 55.00 m. There have to have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which may well be a distinctive surface for the final meter. All line markings have to have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every and just about every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no a lot 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 1st recorded recommendations represented what London clubs had been generating 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) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Suggestions by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “1 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 selection was reversed in 1909.5 In 1975, the present width of 60 yards was written into the recommendations.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play genuinely ought 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, mostly for the reason that blue turf aids television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch all through gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the normal for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Objective

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

The objective have 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 have 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 quit the ball.eight

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

The 1st 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 1st hit at objective genuinely ought 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 (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. In addition, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper may well play the ball with any element of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender advantages in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively created use of when the place is essentially 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 a lot 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 completely no cost-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinctive recommendations from other people concerning 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 created 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 specific 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 stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The commence of every and just about 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 created use of for the obselete offside rule.3

Just about every 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 and just about every back line. Historically, this was 1st created use of to resume play just right 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 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 created use of for the offside rule in amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed recommendations with regards to fouls and completely no cost-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Taking into consideration the truth that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been created use of for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone far 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 every and just about every objective 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 may well 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 connected 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 main 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 easier ball handle and this in itself aids to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which signifies substantially much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes easier to adhere to, as effectively as becoming a faster spectacle and substantially a lot far more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was made on all-all-natural grass turf. Nonetheless, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made artificial pitches mandatory at all substantial competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the 1st of these nonetheless at this time handful of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Whilst it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural turf all national competitions and international matches have to have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Globe Cup, have to have a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. Nonetheless, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a extended-term sustainable selection and selection elite surfaces that do not have to have 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, requirements 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 1 hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and raise the speed at which the game can be played. Nonetheless, these pitches have to have watering ahead of, all through and just right after the game and upkeep expenditures are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches expense a lot far more 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 acceptable for sports such as association football and tennis is generally required and hockey may well not be the predominant sport. There are really a couple of distinctive 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 into properly-liked, especially for football, but these do not ordinarily meet the FIH’s test criteria they are generally 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 stated the surface had “huge constructive elements”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 of nonstop, right-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the selection to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored a lot 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 in 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 1st time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it challenging to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed effectively following the transform of surface in spite of the nation becoming worse off economically and obtaining fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the transform of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting far more than, with all nations even in field hockey