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After 40 years of playing at Risca Leisure Centre, Risca Hockey Club have been forced off their home pitch as the council replaces the turf with a 3G pitch, unsuitable to play hockey on.
The community club will “reluctantly” relocate to Sue Noake Leisure Centre in Ystrad Mynach, 11 miles away from its current base.
Club captain Sinead Walker told Caerphilly Observer how the move will ‘shut down’ the club’s junior section, as parents aren’t willing or able to make the trip.
She said: “We pushed and pushed to stay here but we hit a massive wall and ultimately this is our last week here before it’s turned into a 3G pitch.
“There’s only one suitable hockey pitch in Caerphilly, but going there means losing 30 juniors aged between six and 13, as well as potentially some more of our senior players.”
Sinead added how the club is hopeful of restarting these age groups in the future, but that it will take time.
She continued: “We’re going to keep driving the Risca name forward and not change anything about the club other than our pitch. But being so far away, we’re going to be Risca in name only.”
To celebrate more than 40 years in Risca, the club invited the community to come along to its final training session and take part in an end of season tournament on Wednesday April 24.
“We always have a tournament where both of our teams swap players and have a bit of fun. This time though we want it to be a real celebration so we got everyone involved.
“It was also important for us to give local people a chance to say bye. We have an umpire here who’s 82, she’s been here for 40 years.”
Although the club currently boasts more than 100 members, Sinead explained how she has concerns over the future of hockey.
“If the facilities aren’t available then you aren’t going to get people playing which will lead to no more hockey at the end of the day.
“I’m worried about what the sport is going to look like in ten to 15 years honestly.”
Despite the ongoing battle with their home ground, the club still had success on the field, with their firsts finishing third in their division.
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