Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players added handle of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has come to be a a lot more quickly and added thrilling game.

Considerably a lot more facts and details 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 these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was designed mandatory for critical 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 kind 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 a lot more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball 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 (simply because 1998), even though the use of the imperial terms remains widespread 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 named the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this involving the aim posts is recognized as the aim line. The side line have to measure 91.40 m and the back line definitely should really 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 be a exclusive surface for the final meter. All line markings have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no added 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 creating use of 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 “a single 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 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 definitely should really be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an choice colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, just simply because blue turf assists television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch for the duration of gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the common for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey aim at the 1960 Summer season season Olympics. The aim is deeper at ground level with side and backboards about the base.

Objectives consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the ideal by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lower 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 aim have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The aim place 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 exclusive 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 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 aim definitely should really not cross the aim-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 (sturdy line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A aim is scored when the ball passes completely a lot more than the aim 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 could play the ball with any aspect of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender added benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly utilised even though the place is essentially 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 added 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 completely totally free-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly exclusive recommendations from other people 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 stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The get began of each and every single 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 and every half of the pitch is then divided after a lot more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from each and every single back line. Historically, this was initially utilised to resume play following the ball passed a lot 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 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 At present, there are detailed recommendations regarding fouls and completely totally free-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Due to the truth 2015, the 23 metre line has also been utilised for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone a lot more than the back line (this replaced lengthy corners).13

There are a lot more markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each and every single aim 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 comparable mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where lengthy corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the ideal of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm lengthy markings precisely exactly where the aim posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits significantly less tricky ball handle and this in itself assists to lessen the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates considerably significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game consequently becomes significantly less tricky to comply with, as efficiently as becoming a a lot more quickly spectacle and significantly added thrilling from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was designed on all-all-natural grass turf. Nonetheless, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) designed 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 observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Even even though 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, contact for a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Nonetheless, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable option and choice elite surfaces that do not contact for water are becoming researched.20

There are three most critical 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 steer clear of pitch place on

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

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and considerably 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 lessen friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. Nonetheless, these pitches contact for watering ahead of, for the duration of and following the game and upkeep charges are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches cost added than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Nonetheless, a multi-target surface proper for sports like association football and tennis is regularly crucial and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are quite a few exclusive 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 come to be properly-liked, specially for football, but these do not typically meet the FIH’s test criteria they are regularly 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 “large rewards”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the selection to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored added affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Ahead of 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 initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it definitely difficult to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed efficiently following the adjust of surface in spite of the nation becoming worse off economically and acquiring fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the adjust of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting a lot more than, with all nations even in field hockey