Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players added handle of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has create into a much more swiftly and added thrilling game.

Far much more 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 all-all-natural turf (grass) but currently it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came all through the 1970s and was created mandatory for essential 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 form 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 have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball 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 (thinking of the reality that 1998), in spite of the reality that the use of the imperial terms remains widespread in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are created use of 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 have to measure 91.40 m and the back line need to 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 every single and each and every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no added 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 initial recorded recommendations represented what London clubs had been creating use of at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches had been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Recommendations by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “1 hundred yards extended 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 be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an selection colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, mostly simply because blue turf assists television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch all through gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the typical for skilled 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.

Ambitions consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the very best by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the reduce 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 objective have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective area 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 cease the ball.eight

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

The really 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 really initial hit at objective 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 (sturdy line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A objective is scored when the ball passes completely much more than the objective 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 portion of his physique and the area specifically exactly where an infringement by a defender advantages in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively created use of in spite of the reality that the area is basically 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 added 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 expense-no cost-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinctive recommendations from other people 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 created use of 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 certain 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 stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The start off out of every single and 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 created use of for the obselete offside rule.3

Every single half of the pitch is then divided when much more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from every single and each and every back line. Historically, this was really initial created use of to resume play proper just 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 created use of for the offside rule involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 At present, there are detailed recommendations with regards to fouls and expense-no cost-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Taking into consideration the reality that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been created use of for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone much more than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are added markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from every single and 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 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 extended corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the very best of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm extended markings specifically exactly where the objective posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits a lot less difficult ball handle and this in itself assists to reduce down the quantity of infringements of the rules—which suggests significantly significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a outcome becomes a lot less difficult to adhere to, as adequately as acquiring a much more swiftly spectacle and a excellent deal added intriguing 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) created artificial pitches mandatory at all essential competitions.17 The 1976 Summer season season Olympics in Montreal was the really initial of these obtaining mentioned that at this time handful of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Even even though it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural 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 Globe Cup, require a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. Even so, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a extended-term sustainable option and selection elite surfaces that do not require water are acquiring researched.20

There are three principal 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 preserve away from pitch place on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be significantly significantly 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 significantly less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for 1 hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce down friction and raise the speed at which the game can be played. Even so, these pitches require watering ahead of, all through and proper just after the game and upkeep costs are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches expense added 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-purpose surface suitable for sports like association football and tennis is commonly critical and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are pretty a handful of distinctive 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 create into properly identified, in certain for football, but these do not generally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are commonly also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Globe Hockey magazine reported on the really initial 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 optimistic elements”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, talked about that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, appropriate-hop action.”28 Even so, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored added 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 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, talked about that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the really initial time at the age of 19 or 20 and find it seriously difficult to adapt.”29 Even so, the Pakistan hockey group have performed adequately following the adjust of surface regardless of the nation acquiring worse off economically and getting fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the adjust of surface, Ruskin talked about that “for India it was like starting much more than, with all nations even in field hockey