Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players far additional manage of the ball. Coupled with elevated ball speed, hockey has come to be a additional immediately and far additional thrilling game.

Added details 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 nowadays it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came in the course of the 1970s and was developed mandatory for massive 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 additional than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball will have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have to wholly cross the goal line just ahead of a goal is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the suggestions in England, the normal dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The suggestions are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (since 1998), although the use of the imperial terms remains standard in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are produced 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 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 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 could possibly be a exclusive surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far additional 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 quite initial recorded suggestions 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 “a single 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 option was reversed in 1909.5 In 1975, the present 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 choice colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, basically since 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 normal for specialist field hockey tournaments.

Target

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 significant by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the lessen 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 exclusive dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the goal is. Popular dimensions for a normal field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The quite 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 quite initial hit at goal want 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 completely additional than the goal line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On top rated of that, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper could possibly 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 produced use of although 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 far 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 elevated to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any completely free of charge-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly exclusive suggestions from other people relating to other players’ distance a broken circle 5 m from the penalty circle denotes this location.ten

A penalty spot is centrally positioned straight in front of the goal and produced 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 goal 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 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 possibly stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The begin out of 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 produced use of for the obselete offside rule.3

Just about every half of the pitch is then divided after once again by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from every single back line. Historically, this was quite initial produced use of to resume play just just after the ball passed additional 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 produced use of for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 These days, there are detailed suggestions with regards to fouls and completely free of charge-hits in the 23 metre location of the pitch.12 Provided that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been produced use of for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone additional 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 goal 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 possibly 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 comparable 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 significant 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 complex ball manage and this in itself aids to reduce down the quantity of infringements of the rules—which implies considerably significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game as a outcome becomes significantly less complex to stick to, as effectively as finding a additional immediately spectacle and a lot far additional intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was produced on organic grass turf. On the other hand, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) developed artificial pitches mandatory at all massive competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time season Olympics in Montreal was the quite initial 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 will have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Planet Cup, demand 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 choice elite surfaces that do not demand water are finding researched.20

There are three significant varieties of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mainly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, wants irrigation or watering to protect against 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 a single hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mainly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf reduce down friction and increase the speed at which the game can be played. On the other hand, these pitches demand watering just ahead of, in the course of and just just after the game and upkeep charges are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches value far additional 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 acceptable for sports such as association football and tennis is regularly anticipated and hockey could possibly not be the predominant sport. There are several exclusive specifications and categorizations for artificial turf such as 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 come to be nicely-recognized, specially for football, but these do not ordinarily meet the FIH’s test criteria they are regularly also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Planet Hockey magazine reported on the quite initial hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and described the surface had “substantial constructive elements”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, described that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 On the other hand, it has been stated that the option to make artificial surfaces mandatory substantially favored far additional affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Just 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 in spite of its size ” can afford only 12 or so Artificial Turf fields”.Sardara Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey group, described that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the quite initial time at the age of 19 or 20 and learn it tough to adapt.”29 On the other hand, the Pakistan hockey group have performed effectively following the modify of surface in spite of the nation finding worse off economically and finding fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin described that “for India it was like starting additional than, with all nations even in field hockey