Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players additional manage of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has turn into a much more swiftly and additional thrilling game.

Further 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 these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was developed 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 sort 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 much more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball want to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball want to wholly cross the target line just just before a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the widespread dimensions of a hockey pitch have been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (thinking of that 1998), although the use of the imperial terms remains frequent 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 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 in amongst the target posts is recognized as the target line. The side line want to measure 91.40 m and the back line ought to measure 55.00 m. There want to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which could be a distinctive surface for the final meter. All line markings want to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no additional 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Historically, the pitch dimensions have been imperial and have been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 extremely 1st recorded suggestions represented what London clubs have been creating use of at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches have 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 choice was reversed in 1909.5 In 1975, the current width of 60 yards was written into the suggestions.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 choice colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, primarily due to the fact 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 widespread for specialist field hockey tournaments.

Objective

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

The target want to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The target place want 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 cease the ball.eight

Hockey nets can come in distinctive dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the target is. Frequent dimensions for a widespread field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The extremely 1st hockey objectives 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 suggestions. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the extremely 1st hit at target ought to not cross the target-line higher 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 much more than the target line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. Also, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper could play the ball with any element of his physique and the place specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly created use of although the place is genuinely 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 suggestions stated that “no objectives shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of additional 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 price-absolutely free-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinctive suggestions 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 have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a precise goal3 they have 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 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 created use of for the obselete offside rule.3

Every single and each and every half of the pitch is then divided when once more 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 extremely 1st created use of 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 place 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 created use of for the offside rule in amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 At the moment, there are detailed suggestions relating to fouls and price-absolutely free-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Provided that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been created use of for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone much more than the back line (this replaced lengthy corners).13

There are much more 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 demands 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 suggestions.3 There is a comparable mark 5 m from along the side line (from specifically exactly where lengthy corners have been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the finest 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 substantially less difficult ball manage and this in itself assists to reduce down the quantity of infringements of the rules—which suggests drastically significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a result becomes substantially less difficult to adhere to, as nicely as obtaining a much more swiftly spectacle and drastically additional intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was produced on all-all-natural grass turf. Nonetheless, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) developed artificial pitches mandatory at all important competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time time Olympics in Montreal was the extremely 1st of these nonetheless at this time handful of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Although it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural turf all national competitions and international matches want 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. Nonetheless, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable choice and choice elite surfaces that do not get in touch with for water are obtaining researched.20

There are three principal sorts 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 drastically significantly less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for element 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 a single hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce down friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. Nonetheless, these pitches get in touch with for watering just just before, for the duration of and following the game and upkeep charges are essential.

Sand-dressed pitches expense additional 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 such as association football and tennis is often important and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are really a couple of distinctive specifications and categorizations for artificial turf such as shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Lately, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have turn into nicely-recognized, especially for football, but these do not frequently meet the FIH’s test criteria they are often as nicely inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe Hockey magazine reported on the extremely 1st hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and stated the surface had “large benefits”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single unique of nonstop, correct-hop action.”28 Nonetheless, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory tremendously favored additional affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Ahead of the switch to an artificial surface the Indian men’s hockey group have been dominant, winning seven of the eight Olympic gold medals in 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, stated that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the extremely 1st time at the age of 19 or 20 and get it difficult to adapt.”29 Nonetheless, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the modify of surface regardless of the nation obtaining worse off economically and obtaining 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