HOCKEY players around Port Macquarie will have more room to move within weeks with the second field nearing completion.
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The new field faces east-west on Ocean Drive and will provide a challenge for goalkeepers as the afternoon sun sets.
Association president Simon Thresher believes the second field will help improve the growth of the game in the Hastings.
“We have grown from a small regional association with a few hundred members a few years back to nearly 850 members this current season,” he said.
The completion of the second field will see more training time slots become available to provide further opportunities to not only the higher level athletes but all players across the competition.
Thresher admitted that one of the current limiting factors to their growth and potential future representation is that there is limited training time and space.
“Some of our representative teams are starting training at 7am on Sunday mornings as this is the only time slot left to train,” he said.
“The opening of the second pitch will give us much more scope to increase the training opportunities for all.”
The association will now be able to concentrate most games on Saturday afternoons, bringing back the social aspect of having more players, parents, siblings and spectators at the ground to enjoy the sport.
The regional men’s Premier League has also started with neighbouring Manning Valley Hockey Association on the basis that more field time is now available.
“These games will be played in the premier time slots on Saturday afternoons to showcase the sport to all,” Thresher said.
“This would not have been possible without the construction of the second field.”
The hockey association is expect to take possession of the site from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council on May 19 with the first scheduled matches on the new to occur on May 28.