Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players further handle of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has turn into a a lot more rapidly and further fascinating game.

Additional information and facts and information on Field Hockey pitch and developing 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 in the course of the 1970s and was developed mandatory for key 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 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 a lot more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball will have to entirely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have 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 (since 1998), in spite of the truth that the use of the imperial terms remains prevalent 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 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 in involving the objective posts is identified as the objective line. The side line will have to measure 91.40 m and the back line need to genuinely measure 55.00 m. There will have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which may perhaps possibly be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every 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) lengthy and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Recommendations by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one particular 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 present width of 60 yards was written into the recommendations.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play need to genuinely be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an alternative colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, due to the truth 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 typical for professional field hockey tournaments.

Objective

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 ideal by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the decrease edge of the crossbar will have to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar will have to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The objective will have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective area will 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 quit 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. Frequent dimensions for a typical 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 lowered 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 need to genuinely not cross the objective-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 objective is scored when the ball passes entirely a lot more than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. Furthermore, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper may perhaps possibly play the ball with any element of his physique and the area precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly employed in spite of the truth that 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 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 elevated to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any free of charge of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly diverse recommendations from other men and women 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 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 distinct 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 commence of each and 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 once more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from each and every single back line. Historically, this was initially employed to resume play just immediately after the ball passed a lot 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 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 in involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 At the moment, there are detailed recommendations with regards to fouls and free of charge of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Provided that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been employed for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone a lot more than the back line (this replaced lengthy corners).13

There are additional markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each and 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 recommendations.3 There is a associated mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where lengthy corners had 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 lengthy markings precisely exactly where the objective posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits easier ball handle and this in itself aids to lessen the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates considerably significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game consequently becomes easier to comply with, as nicely as having a a lot more rapidly spectacle and a excellent deal further intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was developed on organic grass turf. Possessing stated that, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) developed artificial pitches mandatory at all key competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these nonetheless at this time couple of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 In spite of the truth that it is nonetheless permissible to play on organic turf all national competitions and international matches will have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Globe Cup, have to have a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Possessing stated that, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable choice and alternative elite surfaces that do not have to have water are having researched.20

There are three key types of artificial hockey pitch surface:

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

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be considerably 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 considerably significantly 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 lessen friction and improve the speed at which the game can be played. Possessing stated that, these pitches have to have watering ahead of, in the course of and just immediately after the game and upkeep costs are considerable.

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. Possessing stated that, a multi-objective surface suitable for sports which incorporates association football and tennis is regularly anticipated and hockey may perhaps possibly not be the predominant sport. There are rather a couple of diverse specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which incorporates shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Not also extended ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have turn into properly recognized, in distinct for football, but these do not commonly meet the FIH’s test criteria they are regularly also 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 stated the surface had “substantial good elements”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to one particular distinct of nonstop, right-hop action.”28 Possessing stated that, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored further 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 in 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, stated that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and come across it genuinely difficult to adapt.”29 Possessing stated that, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the alter of surface regardless of the nation having worse off economically and getting fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting a lot more than, with all nations even in field hockey