Hockey is a widely enjoyed sport in the UK with 841 clubs in England and the Channel Islands alone. This makes it a great investment for your sports club, particularly if there isn’t yet a club set up in your town. A hockey pitch is more than just a grass field and you’ll need to make sure you have the right equipment.
If you run a sports centre or want to install a hockey pitch in your school, college or university, there are a few things you’ll need to make sure you have in order to make it a great sports facility. Hockey can be played on both grass and astroturf, as well as indoors, so there are plenty of options. If you don’t have the money to invest in a full-sized astroturf pitch, you can always set up your sports field on well-maintained grass or opt for a smaller astroturf for training purposes.
Hockey goals
Hockey goals are obviously a very important part of a hockey pitch, even if you’re only training. They’re a specific size and can’t be shared with other sports because they are designed to catch a smaller ball and withstand a harder impact compared to football goals.
Hockey goals are a regulation size of 3.66m x 2.13m, so it’s important you buy one that is the right dimensions. If you plan to use the astroturf pitch for more than one sport, you may need to invest in hockey goals that have wheels so that they can easily be manoeuvred to and from the goal line whenever training or matches are in play. If you use a grass pitch you can either choose to keep the goals stationary or have wheels fitted so they can be put away for storage during the summer months, for example.
Self-weighted hockey goals are slightly more expensive but come with built-in weighted backbars that keep them in place during games and training while still allowing them to easily be moved out of the way.
Dugouts
Dugouts are important for making sure players have a safe space to convene throughout the match, prepare for the game and shelter from the elements. Because hockey is a winter sport, it’s vital there is a protected space for both teams to have some shelter, particularly if there’s wind, rain or even hail. You will likely need two dugouts for each pitch and can be used for multiple sports, so they’re a good investment.
You’ll be able to find galvanised dugouts that will last a long time and are therefore cost-effective. The angled roof helps ensure rain falls off the back rather than soaking players and makes sure they still have a good view of the game while resting. They may come in multiple sizes but it’s recommended to get one that can seat 7-8 people at least.
Line marking machine
When it comes to green keeping equipment, you may not need much at all if you own an astroturf pitch. However, if you’re creating a grass hockey pitch, a line marking machine and line marking paint is an essential part of a good quality grass pitch. Before the season starts you’ll need to accurately mark out the lines of the pitch with quality line marking paint so that players and umpires can clearly see whether the ball is in play or not. A spray marking machine with grass spray paint is a great option for grass and will ensure your lines are crips and clear, no matter how bumpy the ground is. This way you can easily prepare the pitch for the start of the season and regularly top up the lines whenever it is needed.
Goal weights
Counterweights are needed in order to keep the goal weighted down. For a standard hockey goal you will likely need 5 x 20kg handbag weights. These have a handle to make it easy to move them and attach to the back of the goal to ensure it stays weighted down and won’t tip.
Spectator barriers
Depending on your pitch design, you may need spectator barriers. These are most commonly used on grass pitches where there’s no obvious place for spectators to stand. Because hockey is quite a dangerous sport, it’s important that all spectators are safely positioned out of the way where they won’t get hit with balls or sticks. It’s also very important that umpires and coaches have a clear view of the sideline because if large numbers of spectators are standing right on the edge of the pitch they won’t be able to see the full game play.
Pitch dividers and netting
If the pitch will be used for training purposes, it’s important that you can easily divide the pitch into multiple sections. Hockey training usually means there are lots of balls being passed up and down the pitch and they can easily be missed and sent flying into other training groups. These can cause a hazard as it may hit other players or cause them to trip over or roll an ankle. Pitch dividers completely divide the pitch up and allow several training groups to play at the same time without getting in each other’s way.
Boot wipers
Grass pitches mean players will end their training or match with muddy boots. Providing a boot wiper on the exit of the pitch will help ensure that they can easily clean their boots before they head home. Not only will this keep them from having to clean them later on, but it will also save mud being dragged onto other areas such as netball courts or changing rooms.
Floodlights
As hockey is a winter sport, it’s very common that training may occur during lowlight conditions or bad weather. Therefore, if your pitch doesn’t have floodlights, it may limit the amount of time players are able to use the pitch. Matches may require specific playing conditions and the umpire will need to be able to see both sides of the pitch. Without floodlights visibility may be severely reduced so it’s smart to invest in this piece of equipment.
Bins
Players will be consuming lots of drinks and snacks and may not have anywhere to dispose of the rubbish. Supplying bins around your sports pitches is a great idea and helps to keep your site tidy. It’s even better if you can supply recycling bins for plastic and cardboard, especially if you sell food and drink on site.
Corner flags
While not always necessary, some top level clubs or umpires like to use corner flags on their pitches to clearly mark the corner. This helps when taking penalties or if the ball goes off pitch so that you are able to see whether the ball has gone off the sideline or the baseline.
Netting systems
Whether you choose to install a netting system is entirely dependent on the location of your pitch and what protection you already have. Many astroturf pitches have barriers high enough to stop high balls and are often enough to stop most balls. However, if your pitch has a car park right next to it or is close to a building, it may be a smart idea to install extra netting systems to prevent any high aerial balls from being lifted over the pitch fence. If not, you could end up with costly damage on your hands and as the site manager you will be responsible for any damage incurred.
Quality Hockey Equipment From Sportsmark
If you’re looking for great quality pitch equipment for your hockey teams, look no further than Sportsmark. We have an excellent range of equipment for a variety of sports. Whether you need grass spray paint, track and field equipment or green keeping equipment, get in touch. We can provide equipment for cricket, hockey, tennis, rugby, basketball and much more. Visit our website today or give us a call on 08000 197 733 and a member of our team will be happy to help.