Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players additional deal with of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has come to be a faster and additional thrilling game.

Far far more info and 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-organic turf (grass) but right now it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came via the 1970s and was made mandatory for critical 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 sort aspect 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 want to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball want to wholly cross the target line just just before a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the widespread dimensions of a hockey pitch have been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (taking into consideration that 1998), regardless of the truth that the use of the imperial terms remains frequent 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 on).

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 target posts is identified as the target line. The side line want to measure 91.40 m and the back line ought to 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 and every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no additional 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Historically, the pitch dimensions have been imperial and have been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 recommendations represented what London clubs have been functioning with 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”. 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 choice 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 ought to 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, considering the fact that blue turf aids television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch via gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the widespread for professional field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey target at the 1960 Summer season season 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 top by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts want to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lessen 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 target want to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The target place want 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 diverse dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the target is. Frequent dimensions for a widespread field hockey net are about 3.7m (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 (5.5 m) apart” but have been lowered to 4 yards (3.7 m) apart in the 1886 recommendations. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initially hit at target ought to not cross the target-line higher 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 target is scored when the ball passes completely far more than the target line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On best of that, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper could play the ball with any aspect of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender final benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively employed regardless of the truth that the place is genuinely 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 recommendations stated that “no targets shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of 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 enhanced to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any absolutely free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly diverse recommendations from other persons relating 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 target 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 target line.ten Penalty strokes have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a distinct goal3 they have 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 could stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The start out out 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 employed for the obselete offside rule.3

Each half of the pitch is then divided as soon as once again 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 initially employed to resume play instantly 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 place 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 employed for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 At present, there are detailed recommendations with regards to fouls and absolutely free of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Offered that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been employed 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 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 could 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 associated mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where lengthy corners have been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the top of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm lengthy markings precisely exactly where the target posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits significantly less difficult ball deal with and this in itself aids to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which suggests substantially much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game for that reason becomes significantly less difficult to adhere to, as nicely as acquiring a faster spectacle and significantly additional thrilling from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was made on all-organic grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made artificial pitches mandatory at all critical competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the initially 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-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, want a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a lengthy-term sustainable option and alternative elite surfaces that do not want water are acquiring researched.20

There are three major types of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, demands irrigation or watering to preserve away from pitch place on

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

On water-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and increase the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches want watering just just before, via and instantly following the game and upkeep costs are critical.

Sand-dressed pitches value additional than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Even so, a multi-objective surface acceptable for sports like association football and tennis is normally crucial and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are various diverse specifications and categorizations for artificial turf like shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Not as well lengthy ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have come to be properly-identified, in distinct for football, but these do not normally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are normally 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 stated the surface had “big rewards”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, appropriate-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored additional 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 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, stated that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it difficult to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the adjust of surface regardless of the nation acquiring worse off economically and getting fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the adjust of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting far more than, with all nations even in field hockey