Hockey NT and Territory government complete Turf 2 revitalisation
Hockey NT will be able to push its growth further with the reopening of its second pitch that it has lacked for the past 10 months, ahead of a huge year for the sport.
Northern Territory
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Hockey NT will be able to push its growth further with the reopening of a second pitch it has lacked for the past 10 months, ahead of a huge year for the sport.
The code has operated on a single turf for a lengthy period putting a considerable strain on scheduling, participations and growth initiatives.
This means during season the single pitch has been used for matches and training during the heat of day and late into the evening.
Turf 2 was installed more than a decade ago and was overdue for replacement with the shockpad starting to disintegrate.
Meanwhile, Hockey NT has experienced one of its strongest periods with the Festival of Hockey, the Territory Stingers playing in the Malaysian Hockey League and the full return of junior state teams to national competitions.
The NT government has helped with the revitalisation of Turf 2, returning Hockey NT to full field capacity.
It comes ahead of the Oceania Cup coming to Darwin later this year, with Turf 1 having passed its FIH certification.
Hockey NT chief executive Jason Butcher said restoring the second turf was a welcome milestone for the competition and sporting body as a whole.
“This strengthens our ability to deliver upcoming events, meet the needs of the broader hockey community, and plan for the future with confidence,” he said.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Territory Government for seeing this project through and for their ongoing support and belief in the broader vision we have for our sport and its contribution to the growth of the Northern Territory.”
People, Sport and Culture Minister Jinson Charls said it was great to see the reopening with the turf to be used from Saturday.
“The reopening of the second playing surface at the MWT Hockey Centre is fantastic for Hockey in the Top End,” Mr Charls said.
“The completion of this project restores full playing capacity to the precinct and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality facilities for our athletes and communities.
“With hockey continuing to grow in popularity across the Territory, this upgraded surface ensures that our local clubs and representative teams have the space and standard they need to succeed.”
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Originally published as Hockey NT and Territory government complete Turf 2 revitalisation
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