Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players far much more handle of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has turn out to be a much more immediately and far much more thrilling game.

A lot much more information 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 organic turf (grass) but these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came all through the 1970s and was designed mandatory for important competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and objective specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Recommendations of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch type 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 ought to entirely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball ought to wholly cross the objective line prior to a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the widespread dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (for the reason that 1998), even though the use of the imperial terms remains frequent in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are employed 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 amongst the objective posts is recognized as the objective line. The side line ought to measure 91.40 m and the back line need 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 may perhaps possibly be a a variety of surface for the final meter. All line markings ought to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far much more 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 quite initially recorded suggestions represented what London clubs had been producing 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) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Recommendations 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 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 need 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, for the explanation that blue turf assists television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch all through 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.

Aim

A hockey objective at the 1960 Summer time time 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 prime by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts ought to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lower 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 a variety of dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the objective is. Common dimensions for a widespread field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The quite initially 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 suggestions. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the quite initially hit at objective need to 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 (robust line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A objective is scored when the ball passes entirely much 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 place a goalkeeper may perhaps possibly play the ball with any element of his physique and the place precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender final outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively employed even though the place is genuinely 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 suggestions stated that “no ambitions shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of far much 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 no price-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly a variety of suggestions from other folks relating 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 objective and employed 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 certain 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 may perhaps 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 employed for the obselete offside rule.3

Each and every half of the pitch is then divided when much 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 quite initially employed 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 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 employed for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed suggestions relating to fouls and no price-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Taking into consideration that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been employed for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone much 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 calls for the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender may perhaps possibly 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 associated 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 prime 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 simpler ball handle and this in itself assists to decrease the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates substantially significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a outcome becomes a lot simpler to comply with, as appropriately as acquiring a much more immediately spectacle and a lot far much more fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was designed on organic grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) designed artificial pitches mandatory at all important competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time time Olympics in Montreal was the quite initially 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 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 Globe Cup, want a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a extended-term sustainable option and selection elite surfaces that do not want water are acquiring researched.20

There are three big sorts 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 substantially 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 substantially significantly less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for one particular hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf decrease friction and improve the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches want watering prior to, all through and following the game and upkeep expenditures are essential.

Sand-dressed pitches value far much more than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Even so, a multi-objective surface acceptable for sports which contains association football and tennis is regularly anticipated and hockey may perhaps possibly not be the predominant sport. There are fairly a handful of a variety of specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which contains shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Not as well extended ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have turn out to be properly-identified, specially for football, but these do not generally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are regularly as properly inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe Hockey magazine reported on the quite initially hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and pointed out the surface had “large added positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, pointed out that “A slow, analytical game gave way to one particular certain of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored far much more 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 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, pointed out that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the quite initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it genuinely difficult to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed appropriately following the modify of surface regardless of the nation acquiring worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin pointed out that “for India it was like starting much more than, with all nations even in field hockey