Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

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

Extra details and details 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 at present it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was produced mandatory for essential competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and objective specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Suggestions of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch kind 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 a lot more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball really should totally cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball really should wholly cross the objective line just prior to a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the regular dimensions of a hockey pitch have been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (provided that 1998), regardless of the truth that the use of the imperial terms remains common in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are utilized 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 referred to 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 really should measure 91.40 m and the back line need to measure 55.00 m. There really should be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which may well nicely be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings really should be white and 75 millimeters wide. In each corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no additional than 300 mm square is attached to a post of height 1.20–1.50 m.

Historically, the pitch dimensions have been imperial and have been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998. The initially recorded recommendations represented what London clubs have been applying at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches have been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Suggestions by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “a single hundred yards extended 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 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 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 explanation that blue turf assists 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 regular for skilled field hockey tournaments.

Aim

A hockey objective at the 1960 Summer season time Olympics. The objective 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 significant by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts really should be 3.66 metres apart, and the reduce edge of the crossbar really should be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar really should be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The objective really should be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective area really should 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. Common dimensions for a regular field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initially hockey targets have been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (5.5 m) apart” but have 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 not cross the objective-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 objective is scored when the ball passes totally a lot more than the objective line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. In addition, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper may well nicely play the ball with any portion of his physique and the area precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender final outcomes in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly utilized regardless of the truth that the area is in truth 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 targets shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of additional 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 absolutely free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly diverse recommendations from other people 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 objective and utilized 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 have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a distinct goal3 they have 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 well nicely 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 objective starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also utilized for the obselete offside rule.3

Every single and each half of the pitch is then divided after a lot more 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 utilized to resume play quickly just 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 have 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 utilized for the offside rule involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed recommendations regarding fouls and absolutely free of charge-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Due to the fact 2015, the 23 metre line has also been utilized for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone a lot more than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are additional markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from each 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 may well nicely 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 comparable mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where extended corners have been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the significant 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 much less complex ball deal with and this in itself assists to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which signifies drastically much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes much less complex to stick to, as effectively as becoming a faster spectacle and drastically additional fascinating from a spectator point of view.”

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

There are three most essential types of artificial hockey pitch surface:

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

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be drastically 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 drastically much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for a single hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches contact for watering just prior to, for the duration of and quickly just after the game and upkeep charges are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches expense additional 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 suitable for sports like association football and tennis is ordinarily important and hockey may well nicely not be the predominant sport. There are quite a few diverse 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 develop to be nicely-identified, particularly for football, but these do not ordinarily meet the FIH’s test criteria they are ordinarily 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 talked about the surface had “enormous added positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, talked about that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, correct-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored additional affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Ahead of the switch to an artificial surface the Indian men’s hockey group have 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 in spite of its size ” can afford only 12 or so Artificial Turf fields”.Sardara Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey group, talked about that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and uncover it genuinely really hard to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed effectively following the adjust of surface in spite of the nation becoming worse off economically and finding fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the adjust of surface, Ruskin talked about that “for India it was like starting a lot more than, with all nations even in field hockey