Hockey pitch construction

Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players far more manage of the ball. Coupled with improved ball speed, hockey has turn into a more rapidly and far more fascinating game.

Extra information and facts on Field Hockey pitch and construction 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 these days it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came in the course of the 1970s and was created mandatory for big competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and objective specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Guidelines of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch kind component of the location which they define. For instance, a ball on the side line is nevertheless in the field of play a ball on the line of the penalty circle is in the penalty circle a foul committed more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre location. A ball ought to fully cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball ought to wholly cross the objective line prior to a objective is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the guidelines in England, the normal dimensions of a hockey pitch had been initially expressed in imperial units. The guidelines are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (due to the fact 1998), though the use of the imperial terms remains widespread 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 on).

The hockey pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer perimeter edges are known as the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this involving the objective posts is recognized as the objective line. The side line ought to measure 91.40 m and the back line must measure 55.00 m. There ought to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and three m at the backlines which might be a various surface for the final meter. All line markings ought to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In every corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no far 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Historically, the pitch dimensions had been imperial and had been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998.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 initially recorded guidelines represented what London clubs had been utilizing 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”. Guidelines by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one hundred yards lengthy by 55 to 60 yards (50 to 55 m) wide”.[3][4] In 1905, the International Guidelines 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 present width of 60 yards was written into the guidelines.[3][4]

On artificial surfaces, the field of play must be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an option colour. The London 2012 Olympics began a new trend for blue hockey pitches, due to the fact blue turf assists tv 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 objective at the 1960 Summer time Olympics. The objective is deeper at ground level with side and backboards about the base.

Objectives consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the prime by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts ought to be three.66 metres apart, and the reduced edge of the crossbar ought to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar ought to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The objective ought to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The objective location ought 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.[8]

Hockey nets can come in various dimensions based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the objective is. Common dimensions for a normal field hockey net are about three.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).[7]

The initially hockey objectives had been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (five.five m) apart” but had been lowered to four yards (three.7 m) apart in the 1886 guidelines. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the initially hit at objective must not cross the objective-line larger than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the objectives which are now mandatory.[3][4]

Circle

A view of the penalty circle (strong line), the broken circle five m from it, and the penalty spot.

A objective is scored when the ball passes fully 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 location a goalkeeper might play the ball with any component of his physique and the location exactly where an infringement by a defender final results in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is broadly employed though the location is essentially formed by a three.66-metre (four yd) straight line, parallel to the objective line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.[9][10]

The 1876 guidelines stated that “no objectives shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of far more than 15 yards (14 m) from the nearest goalpost”. A visible “striking circle” with “radius of 15 yards” was codified in 1886.[3][4] The radius of the circle was improved to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.[5] Any absolutely free-hit inside five m of the circle has slightly various guidelines from other people regarding other players’ distance a broken circle five m from the penalty circle denotes this place.[10]

A penalty spot is centrally positioned straight in front of the objective 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 objective line.[10] Penalty strokes had been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a particular objective[3] they had been initially taken eight yards (7.three 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.four m) from objective the following year.[5]

Other markings

Simon Gougnard prepares to take a penalty corner from the ten m mark. The five m line above demarcates the closest position a defender might stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The commence of every period of play and resumption of play following a objective begins with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also employed for the obselete offside rule.[3]

Every half of the pitch is then divided once again by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m[11] from every back line. Historically, this was initially employed to resume play just after the ball passed more than the back line and marked by flags at the side of the pitch. In 1949, deliberate defensive offenses in this location 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 involving 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.[3] Currently, there are detailed guidelines with regards to fouls and absolutely free-hits in the 23 metre area of the pitch.[12] Because 2015, the 23 metre line has also been employed for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone more than the back line (this replaced lengthy corners).[13]

There are extra markings 300 mm lengthy and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and five m from every objective post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group requires the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender might stand. These marks had been five and ten yards (four.six and 9.1 m) in earlier versions of the guidelines.[3] There is a equivalent mark five m from along the side line (from exactly where lengthy corners had been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the prime of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm lengthy markings exactly where the objective posts are situated.[14]

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits less difficult ball manage and this in itself assists to cut down the quantity of infringements of the rules—which indicates significantly less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes less difficult to stick to, as effectively as getting a more rapidly spectacle and significantly far more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was created on organic grass turf. On the other hand, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) created artificial pitches mandatory at all big competitions.[17] The 1976 Summer time Olympics in Montreal was the initially of these even so at this time couple of players had observed or played on synthetic pitches.[18] While it is nevertheless permissible to play on organic turf all national competitions and international matches ought to be played on an artificial surface.[19] Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Planet Cup, call for a water-primarily based playing surface. On the other hand, due to water conservation efforts, this is not observed as a lengthy-term sustainable selection and option elite surfaces that do not call for water are getting researched.[20]

There are 3 primary kinds of artificial hockey pitch surface:

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

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

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and significantly less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for one hundred% of the pile depth

On water-primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf cut down friction and raise the speed at which the game can be played. On the other hand, these pitches call for watering prior to, in the course of and just after the game and upkeep charges are considerable.

Sand-dressed pitches expense far 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 appropriate for sports such as association football and tennis is typically necessary and hockey might not be the predominant sport. There are numerous various specifications and categorizations for artificial turf such as shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.[26] Not too long ago, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have turn into well-known, in particular for football, but these do not typically meet the FIH’s test criteria they are typically also inconsistent and slow.[27]

Criticism

The Planet 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 mentioned the surface had “huge positive aspects”.[15][16] Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, mentioned that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, accurate-hop action.”[28] On the other hand, it has been stated that the selection to make artificial surfaces mandatory considerably favored far 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 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, mentioned that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the initially time at the age of 19 or 20 and discover it difficult to adapt.”[29] On the other hand, the Pakistan hockey group have performed effectively following the alter of surface regardless of the nation getting worse off economically and getting fewer artificial pitches.[16] When describing the alter of surface, Ruskin mentioned that “for India it was like beginning more than, with all nations even in field hockey