Work underway on hockey pitch upgrade

Work is underway on developing a new state-of-the-art sand-dressed artificial hockey pitch at the University of Bath’s Sports Training Village.

The pitch replaces an older sand-filled pitch. It is jointly funded by the University of Bath and Sport England in a project being carried out in conjunction with the England Hockey and Team Bath Buccaneers Hockey Club, for whom Mark Blackham provided the club development plan, an essential element of the bid process.

The University of Bath is funding the scheme to the tune of £175,000, while Sport England has provided £100,000 of funding for the project through an England Hockey Community Club Development Programme grant.

The new pitch will be a huge improvement on the old one, which has been there for around 13 years. It will be available for hire for a wide range of community sports uses.

Sand-dressed pitches are a comparatively new innovation and the new surface will play very similarly to water-based pitches, which have been the standard high performance pitches since the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

Like water-based pitches, sand-dressed pitches allow for a faster, more exciting and more skilful game of hockey as it is easier for players to flick the ball though the air. The surface is far less abrasive, allowing better protection for players.

In recent seasons most top-flight clubs have played on water-based pitches, which means clubs like TeamBath Buccaneers have been at a disadvantage when playing their away fixtures.

“It will be a big upgrade on what we’ve had in the past,” said Nick Kendall, Hockey Development Manager at the University of Bath. “The old pitch has served us well, but the new one will be a lovely pitch to play on.

“It also means that young players will be training on the right kind of surface, so it will help to develop their enjoyment of the sport, their play and their confidence.”

Jim Clarke, Sport England’s South West Regional Director, said: "We are delighted to have assisted the University with its new sand-dressed hockey pitch.

“I look forward to seeing it in action. It’s good to see technology playing its part to enrich the sporting experience for our young people and community sport groups that will benefit in the not too distant future."

The upgrade will also see the introduction of new team dugouts and a spectator barrier around the pitch.

Like its predecessor, the upgraded pitch, due for completion late September, will host TeamBath Buccaneers games and University of Bath games, and will also be available for hire.

It is planned that the second artificial pitch at the Sports Training Village will be upgraded in the future.

The University of Bath has one of the leading university sports departments in the UK. Under its TeamBath brand, its success is based on the expertise and dedication of staff, and its excellent facilities, used by the community and Olympic medal winners alike.-University of Bath

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