Field Hockey pitch Kranshoek

Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

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

More facts on Field Hockey pitch and constructing 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 these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came all through the 1970s and was developed mandatory for massive competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and aim specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Suggestions of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch sort element of the area 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 much more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball will have to entirely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have to wholly cross the aim line ahead of a aim is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the common dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (provided that 1998), though the use of the imperial terms remains prevalent 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 forth).

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 involving the aim posts is identified as the aim line. The side line will have to measure 91.40 m and the back line need to have to measure 55.00 m. There will have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which could possibly be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every and each and every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far much 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 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”. Suggestions by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “1 hundred yards lengthy 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 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 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 alternative colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, for the purpose 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 common for professional field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey aim at the 1960 Summer time season Olympics. The aim 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 significant by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be 3.66 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 aim will have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The aim area will have to be delimited at ground level by a aim 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 aim is. Normal dimensions for a common 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 lowered 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 aim need to have to not cross the aim-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 (sturdy line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A aim is scored when the ball passes entirely much more than the aim line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On major of that, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper could possibly play the ball with any element of his physique and the area specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively utilised though the area is in reality formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the aim 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 far 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 enhanced to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any free of charge of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly diverse recommendations from other folks 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 aim 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 aim line.ten Penalty strokes had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a unique goal3 they had been initially taken eight yards (7.3 m) from aim. 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 aim 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 possibly stand.

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

Each single half of the pitch is then divided after much more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from every and each and every back line. Historically, this was 1st utilised to resume play following the ball passed much more than the back line and marked by flags at the side of the pitch. In 1949, deliberate defensive offenses in this area 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 involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed recommendations with regards to fouls and free of charge 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 much 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 every and each and every aim post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group needs the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender could possibly 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 equivalent 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 significant of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm lengthy markings specifically exactly where the aim posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits substantially less difficult ball handle and this in itself aids to reduced the quantity of infringements of the rules—which signifies substantially much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a result becomes substantially less difficult to comply with, as nicely as becoming a faster spectacle and substantially far much more fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was produced on all-organic grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) developed artificial pitches mandatory at all massive competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time season Olympics in Montreal was the 1st of these even so at this time handful of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Even though it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-organic 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 Globe Cup, get in touch with for a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable selection and alternative elite surfaces that do not get in touch with for water are becoming researched.20

There are three crucial varieties of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, demands irrigation or watering to avoid 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-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduced friction and improve the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches get in touch with for watering ahead of, all through and following the game and upkeep costs are crucial.

Sand-dressed pitches cost far much more 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 proper for sports which involves association football and tennis is normally critical and hockey could possibly not be the predominant sport. There are lots of 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 turn out to be preferred, specifically for football, but these do not typically meet the FIH’s test criteria they are normally as nicely 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 “big benefits”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, right-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored far much more 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 involving 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 find it tough to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the modify of surface in spite of the nation becoming worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting much more than, with all nations even in field hockey