Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players further manage of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has create into a faster and further fascinating game.

Further details on Field Hockey pitch and creating 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 in the course of the 1970s and was designed mandatory for important 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 kind element 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 will need to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will need to wholly cross the target line prior to a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the standard dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (due to the reality 1998), when the use of the imperial terms remains standard in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are created use of 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 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 identified as the target line. The side line will need to measure 91.40 m and the back line ought to measure 55.00 m. There will need to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which could possibly be a numerous surface for the final meter. All line markings will need to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every single single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no further 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Recommendations by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “a single hundred yards extended 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 option 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 selection colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, due to the reality blue turf assists 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 specialist field hockey tournaments.

Objective

A hockey target at the 1960 Summer time season Olympics. The target 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 most effective by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will need to be 3.66 metres apart, and the decrease edge of the crossbar will need to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar will need to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The target will need to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The target place will need 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 numerous dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the target is. Widespread dimensions for a standard field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initially hockey objectives had been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (5.5 m) apart” but had 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 target ought to not cross the target-line bigger than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the objectives 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 completely far more than the target line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On major of that, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper could possibly play the ball with any element of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender final final results in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly created use of when the place is basically 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 objectives shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of further 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 entirely no cost-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly numerous 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 created use of 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 certain 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 possibly stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The commence of every single single period of play and resumption of play following a target starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also created use of for the obselete offside rule.3

Each and every single 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 every single single back line. Historically, this was initially created use of to resume play 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 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 created use of for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 At present, there are detailed recommendations regarding fouls and entirely no cost-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 For the reason that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been created use of 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 single 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 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 comparable mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where extended corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the most effective of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm extended markings precisely exactly where the target posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits much less complicated ball manage and this in itself assists to reduced the quantity of infringements of the rules—which signifies a lot much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes much less complicated to comply with, as properly as becoming a faster spectacle and a good deal further intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was designed on all-all-natural grass turf. On the other hand, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) designed artificial pitches mandatory at all important competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time season Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these even so at this time handful of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 When it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural turf all national competitions and international matches will need to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Globe Cup, demand a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. On the other hand, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a extended-term sustainable choice and selection elite surfaces that do not demand water are becoming researched.20

There are three principal types of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mostly 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 a lot 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 a lot much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for a single hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduced friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. On the other hand, these pitches demand watering prior to, in the course of and following the game and upkeep costs are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches expense further than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. On the other hand, a multi-purpose surface proper for sports which contains association football and tennis is typically vital and hockey could possibly not be the predominant sport. There are really a couple of numerous specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which contains 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 typical, specifically for football, but these do not typically meet the FIH’s test criteria they are typically as properly 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 talked about the surface had “big good elements”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, talked about that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 of nonstop, appropriate-hop action.”28 On the other hand, it has been stated that the option to make artificial surfaces mandatory substantially favored further 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 regardless of its size ” can afford only 12 or so Artificial Turf fields”.Sardara Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey group, talked about that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and come across it definitely really hard to adapt.”29 On the other hand, the Pakistan hockey group have performed properly following the alter of surface regardless of the nation becoming worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin talked about that “for India it was like starting far more than, with all nations even in field hockey