Blue hockey pitch unveiled at Leeds Met
Published on: 29th September 2011
Leeds Metropolitan University has unveiled a set of new sports pitches, including a revolutionary blue hockey pitch, matching the surface that will be used in next year’s Olympic Games.
The synthetic turf can play host to hockey, tennis, football or even netball matches and its colour is unique to the North of England. Only five pitches in the UK have been coloured blue, including the hockey pitches in the Olympic Park, with the colour change from the traditional green designed to improve viewing for players, officials and spectators.
Speaking about the new facilities, Head of Sport at Leeds Met, Sally Nickson, said: “We chose these pitch types because of the flexibility of the surfaces which allow us to have a very wide variety of sports and activities on them. The unique blue colour of the hockey pitch will benefit both athletes and spectators and we are very proud to own the only facility of its kind in the North of England.”
As well as the hockey pitch a new 3G has been laid, designed to create wider opportunities for recreational and competitive sport, accommodating football, rugby league, rugby union and lacrosse. The surface allows matches to be able to take place as they would on real grass.
The 3G pitch is tested to FIFA 1 Star and 2 star levels, International Rugby Board regulation 22 levels and is also Gaelic Athletic Association approved allowing full-contact rugby and football matches to take place on the surface.