Synthetic pitch ... a must at Pluim .. plus fog dispersers! lol
Hensley Field’s $2.2 million dollar upgrade is new place for Football
20.08.10 10:28
Photos by Gavin Leung
Hensley Field’s new multimillion dollar synthetic field upgrade has been dubbed as the “new place for football in Sydney” by Mayor Ron Hoenig during the official unveiling on Saturday 14th August in Eastgardens.
The facility, which aims to play a role in the 2022 World Cup bid, was funded by the Government's $800 million Community Infrastructure Program and will be the new home ground for Super League outfit, Sydney University.
In what was a perfect day under blue skies, hundreds of kids mixed with parents, coaches, photographers and community officials flocked to the “Jewel of the Crown” to watch the unveiling and the first official match on the new field between Sydney University and Central Coast Lightning (Under 13).
With upgrades to the outside athletic track, jump pits, amenities, drainage, electrical and grandstand, the 10 month project certainly lived up to its expectation.
“This facility is the focal point for Sydney sport,” boasted Mayor Hoenig.
“Millions of dollars have been poured into this facility and when I look around, I still marvel at what has been done.
“This is a very important day for sport in Sydney,” added Hoenig.
Utilizing recycled rubber which would have otherwise ended up in landfills, the state of the art synthetic field provides footballers with a true bounce and an environment players can be excited playing on.
“This is without a doubt the best facility in the Super League,” said Under 13 head coach, George Makridopoulos.
“The players love it because it gives a true bounce while allowing them to play two-touch football without any grass burns.
“It’s also a massive drawcard for Sydney University since we can expect to see many more players coming to trial with us due to this facility,” he added.
The day saw numerous small sided games where players were clearly satisfied with the way the surface held up. Sydney University’s U/15 left midfielder, Nick Hyde, shared his thoughts about the pitch after having trained on it previously.
“The field is very comfortable to play on since it is not hard and makes it easy to play football.
“All the players from our team love it and are very eager to play on it again,” he added.
Since it was founded in 1968, Hensley Field has seen insignificant upgrades until now and with the community crying out for change, modifications couldn’t have come at a better time. Federal Minister for Transport and Local Government, the Hon. Anthony Albanese was recognized for the funding that allowed Council the opportunity to provide this outstanding facility.
Proud parent, Bill Hyde and Under 15 head coach, Theo Fotopoulos, believe its facilities such as Hensley Field which create excitement for young footballers.
“The players were very excited about playing today,” they said.
“At training, they simply went crazy and were training their hearts out. This is an amazing facility and one which allows for good quality football,” they added.
-By Caetano Lima
