Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players a lot extra deal with of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has develop to be a extra swiftly and a lot extra thrilling game.

Considerably extra information and facts and information 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-all-natural turf (grass) but presently it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came by way of the 1970s and was developed 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 type portion 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 extra than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball have to certainly cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball have to wholly cross the target line ahead of a target 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 (offered that 1998), although the use of the imperial terms remains common 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 forth).

The hockey pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer perimeter edges are recognized as the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the target posts is recognized as the target line. The side line have to measure 91.40 m and the back line must seriously 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 could effectively be a diverse 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 extra 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 initially recorded recommendations represented what London clubs had been using 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 “a single 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 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 must seriously 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, due to the truth blue turf aids television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch by way of gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the normal for certified field hockey tournaments.

Goal

A hockey target at the 1960 Summer season season Olympics. The target 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 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 area 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 quit 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. Prevalent dimensions for a normal field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initially 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 initially hit at target must seriously not cross the target-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 (powerful line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A target is scored when the ball passes certainly extra 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 area a goalkeeper could effectively play the ball with any portion of his physique and the area specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender advantages in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly employed although the area is definitely 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 a lot extra 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 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 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 had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a unique 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 could effectively stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The start 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 when extra 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 just just after the ball passed extra 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 employed for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed recommendations with regards to fouls and absolutely free of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Contemplating the truth that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been employed for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone extra 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 needs the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender could effectively 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 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 significantly less challenging ball deal with and this in itself aids to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which signifies substantially significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes significantly less challenging to comply with, as nicely as becoming a extra swiftly spectacle and a excellent deal a lot extra fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was developed on all-all-natural grass turf. Nonetheless, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) developed artificial pitches mandatory at all critical competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these on the other hand at this time handful of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Regardless of the truth 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 Planet Cup, demand a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Nonetheless, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a lengthy-term sustainable option and selection elite surfaces that do not demand water are becoming researched.20

There are three essential sorts of artificial hockey pitch surface:

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

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

On water-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and raise the speed at which the game can be played. Nonetheless, these pitches demand watering ahead of, by way of and just just after the game and upkeep charges are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches expense a lot extra 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 proper for sports like association football and tennis is normally necessary and hockey could effectively not be the predominant sport. There are quite a few diverse specifications and categorizations for artificial turf like shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Lately, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have develop to be preferred, specially for football, but these do not usually meet the FIH’s test criteria they are normally 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 stated the surface had “enormous positive aspects”.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 substantially favored a lot extra 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 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 initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it challenging to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the transform of surface in spite of the nation becoming worse off economically and receiving fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the transform of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting extra than, with all nations even in field hockey