New Cardigan 3G pitch 'threatens women's competitive sport'

A hockey club has said plans for a 3G pitch at its training ground will mean competitive team sport for women will no longer be possible in the district.

Ceredigion Council has secured £500,000 in funding to replace the current 2G artificial pitch surface in Cardigan.

Emlyn Hockey Club coach Sarah Brazier said: "There is no other option for outdoor female sport in Cardigan."

The council says more 3G provision is needed locally and the hockey club can use other 2G pitches nearby.

Emlyn Hockey Club, which plays at Teifi Leisure Centre, has over 80 members and a thriving junior and senior section, attracting male and female players from all over south Ceredigion and beyond.

A 3G surface is normally used for football and rugby but cannot be used for hockey.

The pitch is also used by the local secondary school, Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, for sports lessons.

"There is the hockey club, and that is it," Ms Brazier added.

"For many young people, especially post-Covid, it is vital that they are part of a team, and part of a group that is cohesive.

"That they have an outlet for their energy and that needs a team sport."

A crisis meeting was held by members of Emlyn Hockey Club earlier this week, with members vowing to fight plans to remove the current artificial surface in Cardigan.

The club has been told they will now have to use pitches in either Crymych, which is 11 miles (18km) away in Pembrokeshire, in Llandysul, about 20 miles (32km) away, or in Lampeter, which is almost 30 miles (48 km) away.

Ms Brazier said: "Crymych isn't open on a Saturday afternoon.

"Crymych is not an ideal location in terms of where our players travel from. The issue with Llandysul is that it is already a highly utilised facility.

"There is not the capacity in this area to cope with the demand of outdoor sport. For £400,000, you could resurface Cardigan and Lampeter and positively discriminate female sport, which is what is needed in the area."

The work to replace the pitch is due to begin over the summer.

Senior hockey team member Sara Patterson said the decision was a huge blow for female participation in sport.

She said: "The school is dependant on having the [2G] Astroturf in their lessons, and without that, the girls won't be able to participate in hockey.

"They need to be able to provide those opportunities for people to engage in different sports. I don't understand their thought process behind the need for a 3G in the area. We are determined to put up a fight and we'll carry on until we get the answers we're asking for."

Sport Wales is providing £400,000 in funding towards the replacement pitch.

The body said it "fully appreciates and understands the concerns that Clwb Hoci Emlyn have outlined".

It added: "None of the funding can be committed by Ceredigion County Council until appropriate timetabling for all sports and clubs using the pitches has been satisfactorily demonstrated.

"We will continue to liaise with Ceredigion County Council and the three national governing bodies on this."

Ceredigion Council said: "Ceredigion County Council has been successful in their bid to renovate the ATPs (Astroturf pitches) in Cardigan, Synod Inn and Lampeter.

"A 3G ATP will be installed in Cardigan and Synod Inn and we will be renovating the 2G ATP in Lampeter.

"The All Wales Collaborative Fields Group has undertaken significant strategic work on the location of ATPs across Wales, identifying the lack of 3G facility provision in south Ceredigion and north Pembrokeshire/Carmarthenshire.

"The nearest 3G fields are located in Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Aberystwyth. Sport Wales, Hockey Wales, FAW and the WRU (All Wales Collaborative Fields Group), have played a key role in these discussions on the above developments."

The council added that funding was offered on the basis that a 3G pitch was installed in Cardigan and replacing it with a 2G pitch would not attract grant funding.

The council also said it needed to develop and expand its current provision for residents and clubs in Ceredigion and carried out a consultation between August and October 2021.

"It became apparent through the consultation that there was considerable concern about the condition of our facilities, such as the ATPs. Therefore, accepting this offer and improving the facilities will be a positive response to those concerns," the council added.

"By upgrading the ATP carpet we will be able to meet the requirements of all the other clubs who are also regular users of this facility i.e. women's, men's, children's and young people's teams."

The FAW declined to comment.

Hockey Wales have been asked to comment.