Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players extra deal with of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has develop to be a a lot more quickly and extra fascinating game.

Additional particulars 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 right now it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was developed mandatory for huge competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and target specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Recommendations 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 a lot more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre place. A ball will have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have to wholly cross the target line just prior to a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the common dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (due to the fact 1998), even though 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 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 amongst the target posts is identified as the target line. The side line will have to measure 91.40 m and the back line want to 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 well be a exceptional surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each and every and each corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 really very first recorded suggestions represented what London clubs had been employing 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 selection 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 want to 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, for the cause that 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 common for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey target at the 1960 Summer season season 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 top rated rated by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lowered 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 target will have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The target place will 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 quit the ball.eight

Hockey nets can come in exceptional dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the target is. Prevalent dimensions for a common field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The really very first hockey targets 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 suggestions. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the really very first hit at target want to 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 (sturdy line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A target is scored when the ball passes completely a lot more than the target line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. Also, the circle marks the place a goalkeeper may well play the ball with any portion of his physique and the place specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender positive aspects in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively employed even though the place is seriously 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 suggestions stated that “no targets shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of 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 certainly totally free-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly exceptional suggestions from other individuals concerning 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 employed 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 distinct 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 may well stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The commence of each and every and 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 employed for the obselete offside rule.3

Each single 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 and each back line. Historically, this was really very first employed to resume play proper 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 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 certainly totally free-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 For the reason 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 further markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each and every and each target 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 may well 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 specifically exactly where lengthy corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the top rated rated 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 much less challenging ball deal with and this in itself aids to decrease the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates significantly much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game for that reason becomes much less challenging to comply with, as correctly as finding a a lot more quickly spectacle and a lot extra intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was produced on organic grass turf. Even so, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) developed artificial pitches mandatory at all huge competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the really very first 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 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, want a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a lengthy-term sustainable choice and alternative elite surfaces that do not want water are finding researched.20

There are three main sorts of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mostly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, calls for irrigation or watering to maintain away from 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-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf decrease friction and strengthen the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches want watering just prior to, for the duration of and proper immediately after the game and upkeep charges are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches expense extra 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 such as association football and tennis is commonly important and hockey may well not be the predominant sport. There are rather a couple of exceptional specifications and categorizations for artificial turf such as shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Lately, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have develop to be effectively-liked, specially for football, but these do not generally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are commonly as effectively inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe Hockey magazine reported on the really very first hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and pointed out the surface had “enormous added positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, pointed out that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the selection to make artificial surfaces mandatory considerably favored extra 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, pointed out that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the really very first time at the age of 19 or 20 and find it seriously challenging to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed correctly following the alter of surface regardless of the nation finding worse off economically and finding fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin pointed out that “for India it was like starting a lot more than, with all nations even in field hockey