Sheffield Hockey Club

We attempted to take up the pitch and remove the sand with some new equipment so that it could be relocated elsewhere, however, this was not successful. The pitch would not let go of enough of the sand and the equipment could not cope with the increased weight of the rolls.

As a result the majority of pitch was lifted in smaller pieces of approximately 10 x 4 m with sand still in (they still weighed 1.5 tons each).

Most of the pitch has been sent for

recycling into hanging baskets,   but about 25% , including the rolls with some sand removed of varying lengths from 20 - 40 m, is on its way to create a practice pitch in Bulgaria. About 400 sq m went to create a mugger pitch at a  Dublin school .

Once the pitch was lifted it became clear that the shockpad at the near end was not in a good enough state to lay the new pitch and also the tarmac base had sunk in the right hand side of the D at the same end by as much as 50mm, so that has to be repaired and the damaged shockpad replaced . 

All the required rolls have been relocated from the storage site but 

we have been hampered by the bad weather. We need dry and warm conditions to lay the pitch as it is stuck to the shockpad and the warmth is needed to allow the pitch to relax having been rolled up all winter. Each roll has the seams trimmed off , about 25cms off each edge , and are laid slightly overlapping and then trimmed to give a perfect join. Both edges are then stuck to backing tape which has already been stuck to the shockpad.

About a third of the pitch has been stuck down during the three good days in May.

Most of the remaining rolls have been trimmed and rerolled  ready to be stuck down when the nest window of dry and warm weather arrives.

Some new rolls , with side and back lines tufted in  are due to arrive in the country at the end of May. They have been manufactured in Australia  and have been on a boat for five weeks. They should arrive on site early in June. We then need about two weeks of good weather to finish the job.

By Late June the finishing touches were made ready for the first match, a mixed friendly between SHC members, being played on Sunday 23rd June. For the record, Chris Battison was the first to score on the new pitch.