Hockey inclusion has been given a welcome shot in the arm after Aberdeen Sports Village invested £250,000 to upgrade the existing hockey pitch to ensure it maintains world class standard.
It is the first refurbishment that the pitch has undergone since ASV opened in 2009 with a full surface replacement and new LED lighting fully approved by the Federation of International Hockey.
The substantial investment is in line with the organisation’s commitment to developing the sport in the city and working with local clubs, schools, universities, and performance players across the region.
Scottish Hockey’s newly appointed CEO, Barry Cawte, travelled to ASV recently to visit the newly opened pitch as part of a drive to ensure hockey is inclusive for all.
He said: “It is superb to see Aberdeen Sports Village continue to invest in the highest specification pitch you can get. This water-based pitch offers a better playing experience for all levels, from absolute beginners to performance players.
“This is a dedicated hockey pitch and not many clubs are making this type of investment at the moment, so it’s brilliant to see this upgrade for the 500/600 players using it up to four times per week.
“Hockey is for everyone, so we are working with ASV to forge links with local neighbourhoods and attract new schools and clubs to come forward and start to get involved in the sport and perhaps we can inspire the next generation of Commonwealth champions.”
Jan Griffiths, director of sport at ASV added: “We continually invest in the facilities at ASV to ensure that we remain a world class venue. We are committed to ensuring that we provide access to all sorts of sports for our local community and give people of all ages the opportunity to try new sports and lead a healthier lifestyle.
“Hockey is a sport that we are actively encouraging people to try and ensuring that we have a top-class pitch which is fully approved by the Federation of International Hockey is a step towards attracting new users to try out the sport.”
