The Thornton Sports Guide To Artificial Grass Hockey Pitches

Artificial Grass Hockey Pitches !!Identifying what type of sports pitch would be best for your club, school or university can be difficult. There are a number of factors to consider, all of which will determine the quality and playability of the pitch. Our below guide outlines what to look out for and provides recommendations on how to make your facility ideal for Hockey. !!The Benefits Of Artificial Grass !Hockey is now predominantly played on artificial grass at all levels of the game. Recent developments in surfaces and systems have resulted in artificial grass pitches which provide true ball roll and a fast pace of play. The surfaces also provide a stable, reliable footing for players, allowing them to concentrate on skills and technique. ! The commercial benefits of an artificial grass pitch are also undeniable, as good facilities can attract impressive revenues when hired out for Hockey and other sports.

Hockey Pitches

What Surface Type Is Best For Hockey? !!There are a number of types of artificial grass surface suitable for Hockey usage as follows: !Sand-filled surfaces !This surface type is in-filled almost totally with selected round silica sand, which provides support for the artificial grass pile and keeps the carpet stable. Typically the most economically priced surface type; sand-filled surfaces such as our Stadium 25 product are popular in school environments due to having wide ranging multi-sport capabilities. !Sand-dressed surfaces !With a shorter, denser pile than the sand-filled surfaces, these surfaces are dressed with a reduced quantity of sand infill. Consequently these systems provide more uniform traction and ball play characteristics as play is on the artificial grass itself rather than on the sand infill. Designed to provide a first-class playing surface for hockey, our Premier range of surfaces also provide the versatility of being used for other sports such as Football, Tennis and Netball. !Water-based surfaces !These un-filled surfaces, such as our Premier 10 Global product, are designed to be wetted prior to play by a watering system. They provide the ultimate high performance playing surface for pitches used up to global competition level. !3G (3rd generation) surfaces !With a long pile height of 40mm, these surfaces are in-filled with both sand and rubber granules. Whilst predominantly designed for Football, surfaces such as our SoccerTurf 40M product are also suitable for Hockey training. These versatile surfaces have proven to be a popular choice for schools. As the hockey ball runs relatively slower on this type of surface, intermediate groups can consider their technique and the power needed to make the ball travel over a greater distance. Beginners also have a better chance of keeping the ball active and in-play. !

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!Other Factors To Consider !!Fencing !Rigid panel weldmesh fencing is most ideal due to its durability. Gates should always open away from the field of play, so that play is not interrupted and open gates don’t cause a health & safety risk. !!!

Floodlighting !The FIH recommend minimum floodlighting levels according to different classes of play; 500 lux for Class I, 250 lux for Class II and 200 lux for Class III. !!

Line Markings !Line markings are often manufactured into the artificial grass surface rather than painted on. Painted lines soon fade and the cost of having to regularly reapply makings over the life of a pitch is likely to be more expensive than having them built in from the start. However this method of applying line markings is beneficial for some seasonal sports i.e. tennis.

!!Are There Set Standards For The Pitch To Meet? !Surfaces suitable for Hockey will meet the performance requirements of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Different categories of performance standard exist as follows: !Surfaces which are FIH National certified are suitable for all levels of play up to national competition level and also specified international hockey competitions. Typically these are sand-filled, sand-dressed or 3G surfaces. Surfaces which are FIH Global certified are suitable for the highest levels of play up to world level hockey competitions. Typically these are water-based surfaces.!!Typical pitch dimensions !!The FIH recommend a full-size artificial grass pitch should be 101.4m x 63m (fence to fence). !What do the shockpad and macadam layers do? !Hockey pitches include a shockpad and macadam layer within the sub-base of the pitch underneath the artificial grass. Shockpads soften the surface and provide improved play quality for the players. Macadam layers increase the surface stability and extend the life of the facility. !

Hockey Pitches

Aftercare Is Important !It’s a common misconception that artificial grass surfaces don’t require maintenance. For example regular maintenance operations for a sand-filled/dressed surface include brushing the surface ideally each week to ensure an even sand distribution. Maintenance not only ensures surfaces continue to perform as required, but it also extends the expected life of a facility and hence return on investment. A lack of maintenance could also invalidate the surface manufacturer’s warranty! !Thornton Sports provide guidance on surface maintenance and offer free basic training for grounds staff as part of all our major projects. These in-house maintenance procedures can then be complemented by less frequent, specialist procedures undertaken by a surface maintenance company such as our Protech AllWeather division. Generally, for a facility used intensively, a 10 year lifespan can easily be achieved with an artificial grass hockey surface if recommended maintenance is carried out.

Case Study -

Alderley Edge Hockey Club !!Following a determined 18 month fundraising programme by the Club, Thornton Sports designed and built a full-size sand-dressed hockey pitch. Their new Premier 10 National surface meets the performance requirements of FIH National. !Kelvin Briggs, who has been instrumental in transforming the Club’s 20 year dream of building their own hockey pitch, recently described their new facility as “a little piece of heaven on earth” and comments: ! “Thornton Contracts added great value to our own design ideas. They delivered a high quality facility, on time and on budget. The devil is in the detail and the Thornton’s team are clearly experts in every aspect of what they do. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to any club, school or local authority looking for expert advice, a quality build and a partnership approach to project management”.

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t: 01282 777345 f: 01282 777654 e:info@thorntonsports.co.uk

Our Expertise Thornton Sports have over 35 years experience in sports surfacing. We are very proud to research, develop and manufacture our own artificial grass surfaces in-house, within the UK. As a result our facilities are renowned for their performance and longevity and our team can provide a complete service from design, through to installation and maintenance.

!To find out more about how we can improve your sports facilities, call us today on 01282 777 345 or email info@thorntonsports.uk !Please note that sports pitch design is dependent upon site conditions and performance requirements. Whilst our guide outlines the most common forms of artificial pitch design for Hockey, you are recommended to contact a specialist sports surfacing consultant or contractor, such as ourselves, to discuss your specific project requirements.