Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

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

A lot extra 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 presently it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was created mandatory for significant 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 portion 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 extra than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball ought to totally cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball ought to wholly cross the objective line ahead of a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the typical dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (due to the fact 1998), in spite of the truth that the use of the imperial terms remains well known in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are applied 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 ought to measure 91.40 m and the back line will have to measure 55.00 m. There ought to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which might properly be a distinctive surface for the final meter. All line markings ought to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no a great deal 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 1st recorded recommendations represented what London clubs had been operating with 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”. Suggestions by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one particular 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 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 will have 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, just 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 typical for specialist field hockey tournaments.

Goal

A hockey objective at the 1960 Summer season season Olympics. The objective 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 leading rated by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts ought to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lowered edge of the crossbar ought to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar ought to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The objective ought to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective place ought 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 distinctive dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the objective is. Common dimensions for a typical field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The 1st hockey ambitions 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 1st hit at objective will have to not cross the objective-line bigger 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 extra than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On leading of that, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper might properly play the ball with any portion of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively applied in spite of the truth that the place is really 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 a great deal 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 entirely free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinctive recommendations from other individuals concerning 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 applied 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 had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a specific goal3 they had 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 might properly stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The start of each period of play and resumption of play following a objective starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also applied for the obselete offside rule.3

Each and every and each half of the pitch is then divided after extra by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from each back line. Historically, this was 1st applied to resume play following 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 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 applied for the offside rule involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 These days, there are detailed recommendations regarding fouls and entirely free of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Due to the truth 2015, the 23 metre line has also been applied for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone extra than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are extra markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each objective 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 might properly 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 had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the leading rated 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 a lot much easier ball handle and this in itself assists to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which implies drastically much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a outcome becomes a lot much easier to adhere to, as appropriately as becoming a extra swiftly spectacle and significantly a great deal extra fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was designed on organic grass turf. Possessing mentioned that, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) created artificial pitches mandatory at all significant competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the 1st of these nonetheless 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 organic turf all national competitions and international matches ought 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. Possessing mentioned that, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a extended-term sustainable option and choice elite surfaces that do not demand water are becoming researched.20

There are three significant sorts of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, wants irrigation or watering to steer clear of pitch place on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be drastically much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for portion of the pile depth

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and drastically much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for one particular hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and boost the speed at which the game can be played. Possessing mentioned that, these pitches demand watering ahead of, for the duration of and following the game and upkeep costs are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches expense a great deal extra than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Possessing mentioned that, a multi-objective surface suitable for sports like association football and tennis is usually needed and hockey might properly not be the predominant sport. There are fairly a couple of distinctive 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 turn out to be properly identified, in specific for football, but these do not generally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are usually also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Planet Hockey magazine reported on the 1st hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and described the surface had “massive added advantages”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, described that “A slow, analytical game gave way to one particular specific of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 Possessing mentioned that, it has been stated that the option to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored a great deal 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 involving 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, described that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the 1st time at the age of 19 or 20 and receive it difficult to adapt.”29 Possessing mentioned that, the Pakistan hockey group have performed appropriately following the transform of surface regardless of the nation becoming worse off economically and acquiring fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the transform of surface, Ruskin described that “for India it was like starting extra than, with all nations even in field hockey