Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players a lot additional manage of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has create into a additional swiftly and a lot additional thrilling game.

Extra information 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 all-all-natural turf (grass) but these days 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 principal competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and target specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Recommendations of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch type 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 additional than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball have to totally cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball have to wholly cross the target line prior to a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the typical dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (thinking of the reality that 1998), when the use of the imperial terms remains well-known in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are utilised 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 in involving the target posts is identified as the target line. The side line have to measure 91.40 m and the back line need to have to measure 55.00 m. There have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which may perhaps properly be a a variety of surface for the final meter. All line markings have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no a lot 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 1st recorded suggestions represented what London clubs had been operating with 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 decision 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 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 solution colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, for the cause that blue turf aids 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 typical for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Target

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

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

The 1st hockey ambitions 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 1st hit at target need to have to not cross the target-line higher than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the ambitions 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 target is scored when the ball passes totally additional than the target 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 perhaps properly play the ball with any element of his physique and the place specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender added benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively utilised when the place is generally formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the target line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 suggestions stated that “no ambitions shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of a lot 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 elevated to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any price-free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly a variety of suggestions from other individuals 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 target and utilised for a penalty stroke. The spot is 150 mm in diameter and its centre is six.475 m from the outdoors of the target line.ten Penalty strokes had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a precise goal3 they had been initially taken eight yards (7.3 m) from target. 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 target 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 perhaps properly stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The start out off of each and every period of play and resumption of play following a target starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also utilised for the obselete offside rule.3

Every single 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 each and every back line. Historically, this was 1st utilised to resume play proper following 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 utilised for the offside rule in involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 These days, there are detailed suggestions regarding fouls and price-free of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Due to the reality 2015, the 23 metre line has also been utilised for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone additional 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 each and every target 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 perhaps properly 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 comparable 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 prime of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm lengthy markings specifically exactly where the target posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits easier ball manage and this in itself aids to lessen the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates substantially significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a outcome becomes easier to adhere to, as appropriately as becoming a additional swiftly spectacle and a good deal a lot additional fascinating 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 principal competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season time Olympics in Montreal was the 1st of these obtaining mentioned that at this time couple of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 In spite of the reality that it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural turf all national competitions and international matches have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Globe Cup, need to have a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Nonetheless, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a lengthy-term sustainable option and solution elite surfaces that do not need to have water are becoming 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 remain away from pitch place on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be substantially significantly 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 significantly 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 need to have watering prior to, in the course of and proper following the game and upkeep charges are significant.

Sand-dressed pitches expense a lot 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 suitable for sports which incorporates association football and tennis is ordinarily important and hockey may perhaps properly not be the predominant sport. There are a lot of a variety of specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which incorporates 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 properly-recognized, specifically for football, but these do not typically meet the FIH’s test criteria they are ordinarily 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 pointed out the surface had “huge positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, pointed out that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, appropriate-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the decision to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored a lot additional 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 in involving 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, pointed out that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the 1st time at the age of 19 or 20 and receive it complicated to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed appropriately following the modify of surface regardless of the nation becoming 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 additional than, with all nations even in field hockey