Field Hockey pitch Saron

Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players more manage of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has create into a extra promptly and more thrilling game.

Far extra information and facts and 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 these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came in the course of the 1970s and was created mandatory for essential competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and target specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Suggestions of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch sort aspect 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 extra than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball have to wholly cross the target line prior to a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the standard dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (thinking about that 1998), even though the use of the imperial terms remains widespread 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 recognized as the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the target posts is recognized as the target line. The side line have to measure 91.40 m and the back line actually should really measure 55.00 m. There have 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 have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 initially recorded recommendations represented what London clubs had been functioning with 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”. Suggestions 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 Suggestions Board permitted the width of the pitch to be “up to 66 yards (60 m)” but this decision 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 actually should really 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, because 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 standard for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Target

A hockey target at the 1960 Summer season time Olympics. The target is deeper at ground level with side and backboards about the base.

Targets consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the key by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lowered edge of the crossbar have to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar have to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The target have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The target area have 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. Typical dimensions for a standard field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initially hockey targets 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 target actually should really not cross the target-line bigger than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the targets 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 extra than the target line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. Additionally, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper could play the ball with any aspect of his physique and the area specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender added benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly applied even though the area is primarily 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 recommendations stated that “no targets shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of 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 expense-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinctive recommendations from other people 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 target 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 target 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 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 get began of each period of play and resumption of play following a target starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also applied for the obselete offside rule.3

Every single and each 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 back line. Historically, this was initially applied to resume play quickly immediately after 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 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 applied for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed recommendations with regards to fouls and no expense-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Simply because 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 lengthy corners).13

There are added markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each 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 recommendations.3 There is a connected mark 5 m from along the side line (from specifically exactly where lengthy corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the key 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 a lot less difficult ball manage and this in itself aids to reduced the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates drastically much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes a lot less difficult to comply with, as appropriately as becoming a extra promptly spectacle and significantly more fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was made on organic grass turf. On the other hand, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) created artificial pitches mandatory at all essential competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season time Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these even so at this time couple of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Although it is nonetheless permissible to play on organic turf all national competitions and international matches have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Planet Cup, demand a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. On the other hand, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a lengthy-term sustainable option and alternative elite surfaces that do not demand water are becoming researched.20

There are three most significant varieties of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mostly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, demands irrigation or watering to remain away from pitch place on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be drastically much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for aspect 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-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduced friction and raise the speed at which the game can be played. On the other hand, these pitches demand watering prior to, in the course of and quickly immediately after the game and upkeep charges are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches price tag more than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. On the other hand, a multi-objective surface suitable for sports like association football and tennis is typically necessary and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are numerous distinctive specifications and categorizations for artificial turf like 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 create into properly-recognized, specially for football, but these do not usually meet the FIH’s test criteria they are typically as properly inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Planet 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 “huge positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, right-hop action.”28 On the other hand, it has been stated that the decision to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored more 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 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 initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and find it difficult to adapt.”29 On the other hand, the Pakistan hockey group have performed appropriately following the adjust of surface regardless of the nation becoming worse off economically and getting fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the adjust of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting extra than, with all nations even in field hockey