Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players significantly a lot more handle of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has turn into a faster and significantly a lot more fascinating game.

A great deal a lot more 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 all-all-natural turf (grass) but presently it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came all through the 1970s and was developed mandatory for important competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and goal 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 a lot more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball will have to entirely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have to wholly cross the goal line prior to a goal is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the typical dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (contemplating that 1998), though the use of the imperial terms remains widespread 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 forth).

The hockey pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer perimeter edges are named the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the goal posts is recognized as the goal line. The side line will have to measure 91.40 m and the back line need 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 could be a diverse surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every and every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no significantly a lot 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 initial recorded suggestions 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) 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 current width of 60 yards was written into the suggestions.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 solution colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, merely since 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 goal at the 1960 Summer time season Olympics. The goal 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 important by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the reduce 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 goal will have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The goal area will have to be delimited at ground level by a goal 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 goal is. Popular dimensions for a typical field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The initial 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 suggestions. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initial hit at goal need to not cross the goal-line higher 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 goal is scored when the ball passes entirely a lot more than the goal 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 could play the ball with any portion of his physique and the area precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender rewards in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly utilized though the area is actually formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the goal 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 significantly a lot 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 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 diverse suggestions 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 goal 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 goal line.ten Penalty strokes had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a specific goal3 they had been initially taken eight yards (7.3 m) from goal. 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 goal 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 started out of every and every single period of play and resumption of play following a goal starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also utilized for the obselete offside rule.3

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 every and every single back line. Historically, this was initial utilized to resume play instantly soon 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 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 utilized for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed suggestions regarding fouls and totally free of charge-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Thinking of the truth that 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 every and every single goal post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group calls for 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 suggestions.3 There is a associated mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where extended corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the important of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm extended markings precisely exactly where the goal posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits significantly less hard ball handle and this in itself assists to reduce the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates considerably significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a result becomes significantly less hard to stick to, as correctly as becoming a faster spectacle and a lot significantly a lot more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was developed on all-all-natural grass turf. On the other hand, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) developed artificial pitches mandatory at all important competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time season Olympics in Montreal was the initial of these nonetheless at this time handful of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Although it is nonetheless permissible to play on all-all-natural 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 Planet Cup, get in touch with for a water-mainly primarily based playing surface. On the other hand, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a extended-term sustainable choice and solution elite surfaces that do not get in touch with for water are becoming researched.20

There are three essential types of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, demands irrigation or watering to steer clear of pitch place on

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

On water-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. On the other hand, these pitches get in touch with for watering prior to, all through and instantly soon after the game and upkeep charges are critical.

Sand-dressed pitches expense significantly a lot 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 proper for sports which contains association football and tennis is generally anticipated and hockey could not be the predominant sport. There are many diverse specifications and categorizations for artificial turf which contains shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Not as well lengthy ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have turn into preferred, particularly for football, but these do not usually meet the FIH’s test criteria they are generally also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Planet 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 pointed out the surface had “huge rewards”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, pointed out that “A slow, analytical game gave way to 1 of nonstop, appropriate-hop action.”28 On the other hand, it has been stated that the choice to make artificial surfaces mandatory drastically favored significantly a lot more 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 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 initial time at the age of 19 or 20 and learn it difficult to adapt.”29 On the other hand, the Pakistan hockey group have performed correctly following the modify of surface regardless of the nation becoming worse off economically and possessing fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin pointed out that “for India it was like starting a lot more than, with all nations even in field hockey