Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players much more handle of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has grow to be a more rapidly and much more fascinating game.

Far more details on Field Hockey pitch and building there of.

A hockey pitch is the playing surface for the game of field hockey. Historically, the game was played on all-natural turf (grass) but today it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came in the course of the 1970s and was produced mandatory for main competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and purpose specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Guidelines of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch kind portion of the location 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 more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre location. A ball will have to entirely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have to wholly cross the purpose line prior to a purpose is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the guidelines in England, the typical dimensions of a hockey pitch have been initially expressed in imperial units. The guidelines are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (given that 1998), even though the use of the imperial terms remains popular in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are applied 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 referred to as the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the purpose posts is recognized as the purpose line. The side line will have to measure 91.40 m and the back line ought to measure 55.00 m. There will have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and three m at the backlines which might be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no much more than 300 mm square is attached to a post of height 1.20–1.50 m.

Historically, the pitch dimensions have been imperial and have been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998. The initially recorded guidelines represented what London clubs have been employing at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches have been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) lengthy and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Guidelines by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one hundred yards lengthy by 55 to 60 yards (50 to 55 m) wide”.34 In 1905, the International Guidelines Board permitted the width of the pitch to be “up to 66 yards (60 m)” but this selection was reversed in 1909.five In 1975, the present width of 60 yards was written into the guidelines.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play ought to be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an option colour. The London 2012 Olympics began a new trend for blue hockey pitches, for the reason that blue turf assists tv 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 specialist field hockey tournaments.

Target

A hockey purpose at the 1960 Summer time Olympics. The purpose 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 top rated by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be three.66 metres apart, and the reduce edge of the crossbar will have to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar will have to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The purpose will have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The purpose location will have to be delimited at ground level by a purpose 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 diverse dimensions based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the purpose is. Common dimensions for a typical field hockey net are about three.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initially hockey targets have been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (five.five m) apart” but have been lowered to four yards (three.7 m) apart in the 1886 guidelines. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initially hit at purpose ought to not cross the purpose-line larger 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 (strong line), the broken circle five m from it, and the penalty spot.

A purpose is scored when the ball passes entirely more than the purpose line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. Also, the circle marks the location a goalkeeper might play the ball with any portion of his physique and the location exactly where an infringement by a defender final results in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively applied even though the location is truly formed by a three.66-metre (four yd) straight line, parallel to the purpose line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 guidelines stated that “no targets shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of much 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.five Any cost-free-hit inside five m of the circle has slightly diverse guidelines from other people regarding other players’ distance a broken circle five m from the penalty circle denotes this place.ten

A penalty spot is centrally positioned straight in front of the purpose and applied for a penalty stroke. The spot is 150 mm in diameter and its centre is six.475 m from the outdoors of the purpose line.ten Penalty strokes have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a particular goal3 they have been initially taken eight yards (7.three m) from purpose. In 1973, a stroke could also be awarded for a deliberate foul in the circle and the spot was moved to 7 yards (six.four m) from purpose the following year.five

Other markings

Simon Gougnard prepares to take a penalty corner from the ten m mark. The five m line above demarcates the closest position a defender might stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The get started of every period of play and resumption of play following a purpose begins with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also applied for the obselete offside rule.three

Each and every half of the pitch is then divided once more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from every back line. Historically, this was initially applied to resume play following the ball passed more than the back line and marked by flags at the side of the pitch. In 1949, deliberate defensive offenses in this location resulted in a penalty corner. From 1961, players on the defensive group who have 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 applied for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.three Presently, there are detailed guidelines relating to fouls and cost-free-hits in the 23 metre area of the pitch.12 Due to the fact 2015, the 23 metre line has also been applied for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone more than the back line (this replaced lengthy corners).13

There are extra markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and five m from every purpose post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group requires the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender might stand. These marks had been five and ten yards (four.six and 9.1 m) in earlier versions of the guidelines.three There is a equivalent mark five m from along the side line (from exactly where lengthy corners have been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the top rated of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm lengthy markings exactly where the purpose posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits less difficult ball handle and this in itself assists to cut down the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes less difficult to adhere to, as nicely as becoming a more rapidly spectacle and significantly much more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was created on all-natural grass turf. Having said that, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) produced artificial pitches mandatory at all main competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these nonetheless at this time couple of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Though it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-natural turf all national competitions and international matches will have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Planet Cup, demand a water-primarily based playing surface. Having said that, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a lengthy-term sustainable selection and option elite surfaces that do not demand water are becoming researched.20

There are 3 major sorts of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, calls for irrigation or watering to stay clear of pitch put on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be 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 significantly less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for one hundred% of the pile depth

On water-primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf cut down friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. Having said that, these pitches demand watering prior to, in the course of and following the game and upkeep fees are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches expense much more than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Having said that, a multi-objective surface appropriate for sports which includes association football and tennis is frequently needed and hockey might not be the predominant sport. There are several diverse specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which includes shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Lately, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have grow to be preferred, in particular for football, but these do not commonly meet the FIH’s test criteria they are frequently also 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 mentioned the surface had “huge advantages”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, mentioned that “A slow, analytical game gave way to one particular of nonstop, correct-hop action.”28 Having said that, it has been stated that the selection to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored much more affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Ahead of the switch to an artificial surface the Indian men’s hockey group have 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, mentioned that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and locate it tough to adapt.”29 Having said that, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the alter of surface regardless of the nation becoming worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin mentioned that “for India it was like beginning more than, with all nations even in field hockey