Field Hockey pitch Morgan’s Bay

Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players far far more handle of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has create into a far more promptly and far far more thrilling game.

Substantially far more data 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 organic turf (grass) but at present it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came in the course of the 1970s and was designed mandatory for primary competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and objective specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Suggestions of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch sort aspect 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 far more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball have to totally cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball have to wholly cross the objective line just just before a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the standard dimensions of a hockey pitch have been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (contemplating that 1998), although the use of the imperial terms remains common in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are utilized 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 involving the objective posts is identified as the objective line. The side line have to measure 91.40 m and the back line ought to genuinely 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 possibly be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far far 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 recommendations represented what London clubs have been operating with at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches have been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Suggestions by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “1 hundred yards extended 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 ought to genuinely 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, given that blue turf aids television 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 standard for seasoned field hockey tournaments.

Goal

A hockey objective at the 1960 Summer time season Olympics. The objective 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 ideal by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the reduce 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 objective have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective area have to be delimited at ground level by a objective 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 objective is. Popular dimensions for a standard field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initially hockey ambitions have been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (5.5 m) apart” but have been decreased 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 objective ought to genuinely not cross the objective-line higher than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the ambitions 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 objective is scored when the ball passes totally far more than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. Additionally, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper could possibly play the ball with any aspect of his physique and the area precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender final benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively utilized although the area is primarily formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the objective line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 recommendations stated that “no ambitions shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of far far 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 absolutely free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly diverse recommendations from other people with regards 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 objective and utilized for a penalty stroke. The spot is 150 mm in diameter and its centre is six.475 m from the outdoors of the objective line.ten Penalty strokes have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a unique goal3 they have been initially taken eight yards (7.3 m) from objective. 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 objective 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 get started off of every single period of play and resumption of play following a objective starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also utilized for the obselete offside rule.3

Every single single half of the pitch is then divided as soon as once more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from every single back line. Historically, this was initially utilized to resume play quickly 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 area 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 utilized for the offside rule involving 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 region of the pitch.12 Thinking about the truth that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been utilized for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone far more than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are added markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from every single objective 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 connected mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where extended corners have 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 extended markings precisely exactly where the objective posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits significantly less difficult ball handle and this in itself aids to decrease the quantity of infringements of the rules—which implies drastically significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes significantly less difficult to stick to, as appropriately as finding a far more promptly spectacle and a excellent deal far far more fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was designed on organic grass turf. Nonetheless, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) designed artificial pitches mandatory at all primary competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time season Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these even so at this time handful of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Although it is nonetheless permissible to play on organic 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-mostly primarily based playing surface. Nonetheless, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a extended-term sustainable selection and selection elite surfaces that do not contact for water are finding researched.20

There are three most essential sorts of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mostly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, requirements irrigation or watering to protect against pitch place on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be drastically 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 drastically significantly less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for 1 hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf decrease friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. Nonetheless, these pitches contact for watering just just before, in the course of and quickly following the game and upkeep charges are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches value far far more 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 which involves association football and tennis is commonly important and hockey could possibly not be the predominant sport. There are a lot 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 create into nicely-identified, specially for football, but these do not ordinarily meet the FIH’s test criteria they are commonly as nicely 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 “huge benefits”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 unique of nonstop, right-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the selection to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored far far more 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 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 acquire it hard to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed appropriately following the alter of surface in spite of the nation finding worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting far more than, with all nations even in field hockey