ULSTER Hockey has written to the Minister of Communities, Gordon Lyons MLA, stating the sport requires £10 million or faces potential existential issues related to facility provision.
Without intervention, the Ulster Hockey Chief Executive Marc Scott says the situation has the potential to see clubs fold and hockey to disappear altogether in some areas.
As a sport, hockey delivers a joint pathway to both Ireland and GB sports with the Paris Olympics seeing both teams’ captains from Northern Ireland.With a total of ten players, it was also the sport with the most athletes from Northern Ireland at the games.
At grass roots level, hockey is currently the largest female participation sport in the country and has also seen the successful delivery of several new programmes aimed at growing participation.
Recent years have seen an upwards trajectory in participation numbers at all levels, the delivery of a successful schools’ outreach programme targeting non-hockey playing schools of all denominations and the delivery of a successful Refugee Engagement programme in partnership with Ethnic Minorities in Sport Organisation (EMSONI)
Despite the positive progress, there has been no substantial public investment into hockey facilities as well as static and limited investment into the development of the sport in the last 20+ years.
With facilities falling into disrepair or worse repurposed, the sport of hockey is faced with challenges around facility provision which at best will limit its ability to continue to grow and reach its potential.
Marc Scott is now asking for the sport to be funded in such a way that brings it in line with the other major sports such as football, rugby and GAA.
Currently in the process of undertaking robust consultation with clubs, schools and local authorities to establish a detailed needs analysis for the sport,
Ulster Hockey estimate £10 million is required to ensure ongoing growth and provide parity with other pre-eminent sports.
In his letter to the Minister, the CEO highlighted several issues regarding facilities as well as highlighting Portrush, Enniskillen and Londonderry as three of the areas in urgent need of support.
In many regions, the sport faces challenges based around the number of pitches available, leading to clubs being unable to access significant pitch time to cater for the numbers wishing to access the sport.
Meanwhile, there are several clubs with significant waiting lists, often on their girls’ side, who are turning potential participants away, risking losing them from hockey, and potentially sport & physicalactivity, altogether.
The final concern is the deteriorating condition of many pitches due toa lack of ongoing investment and maintenance.
With the average life span of an astro turf pitch set at 10 years, many pitches within the province are now approaching or past their life span with clubs unable to fund replacements without intervention and support.
As a governing body, Ulster Hockey acknowledges the financial complications associated with the deliverance of these facilities but are keen to stress the potential impact the continued lack of investment would have on the sport. When Sport Ni’s focus shifted towards performance funding being delivered to Hockey Ireland, Ulster Hockey has seen a significant reduction in core funding over the last 8 years in real terms.
Despite initiatives such as their Club 1896 Business Network being launched in recent years, Ulster Hockey strongly believe that the levels of investment into the game isn’t commensurate with that of other significant sports in the region. As a result, they are seeking this investment to facilitate the continued growth of participation in the sport and to safeguard the fabric of our core activity.
