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 come to be a much more rapidly and further thrilling game.

Added 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 all-all-natural turf (grass) but at the moment it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was made mandatory for substantial 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 sort portion 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 much more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball ought to totally cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball ought to wholly cross the objective line just prior to a objective is scored.

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

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are utilised 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 identified 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 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 could possibly be a one of a kind surface for the final meter. All line markings ought to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every 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 initial recorded recommendations represented what London clubs had been applying 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 option was reversed in 1909.5 In 1975, the current width of 60 yards was written into the recommendations.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play will need to be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an solution colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, due to the reality blue turf aids 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 popular for specialist field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey objective at the 1960 Summer time 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 most effective by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts ought to be 3.66 metres apart, and the reduce 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 area 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 quit the ball.eight

Hockey nets can come in one of a kind dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the objective is. Normal dimensions for a popular field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initial 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 initial hit at objective will need to 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 totally much more than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. Also, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper could possibly play the ball with any portion of his physique and the area precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender positive aspects in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively utilised in spite of the reality that the area is in reality 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 totally free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly one of a kind recommendations from other men and women 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 utilised 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 unique 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 could possibly stand.

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

Every single and each and every half of the pitch is then divided when once again 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 initial utilised to resume play just soon after 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 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 utilised for the offside rule involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 These days, there are detailed recommendations relating to fouls and totally free of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Since 2015, the 23 metre line has also been utilised for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone much 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 objective post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group needs 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 equivalent 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 most effective 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 significantly simpler ball handle and this in itself aids to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which signifies significantly much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game consequently becomes significantly simpler to stick to, as correctly as having a much more rapidly spectacle and significantly further thrilling from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was developed on all-all-natural grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made artificial pitches mandatory at all substantial competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time season Olympics in Montreal was the initial of these on the other hand at this time couple of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Whilst it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural 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, contact for a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a lengthy-term sustainable option and solution elite surfaces that do not contact for 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 keep clear of pitch place on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be significantly 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 significantly 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 improve the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches contact for watering just prior to, for the duration of and just soon after the game and upkeep costs are vital.

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. Even so, a multi-target surface suitable for sports like association football and tennis is generally important and hockey could possibly not be the predominant sport. There are rather a handful of one of a kind 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 come to be preferred, specifically for football, but these do not commonly meet the FIH’s test criteria they are generally as properly inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe Hockey magazine reported on the initial hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and described the surface had “large positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, described that “A slow, analytical game gave way to one particular unique of nonstop, correct-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the option to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored further affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Just 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 initial time at the age of 19 or 20 and find it genuinely really hard to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed correctly following the alter of surface regardless of the nation having worse off economically and having fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin described that “for India it was like starting much more than, with all nations even in field hockey