State-of-the-art 3G Pitch, ‘Chapman Fields’ officially opened by, Cllr Mayor Khan.
State-of-the-art 3G Pitch, ‘Chapman Fields’ was officially opened by, Cllr Mayor Khan, for Wales High School, on Friday 18th November.
The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place outside of the new 3G Pitch, where guests from the local and wider community were invited to celebrate.
The new 3G pitch was made possible thanks to investment from the Premier League, The FA and the Football Foundation.
The new facility located on the school’s front playing field will be key in supporting the students at Wales High School, as well as grassroots sports in the local community and beyond.
The new 3G Pitch named ‘Chapman Fields’ is a fitting tribute to the well-known Chapman family of Kiveton Park and the birthplace of legendary football manager, Herbert Chapman.
The new pitch is lined to allow 11, 9, 7 and 5 a-side football along with spectator areas, goal recesses and an access pathway connecting to the artificial grass pitch.
This replaces the traditional grass pitch, which will enable teams to train throughout the winter season without water logging issues and reduced daylight hours.
The site will be used by the school and partner clubs: Kiveton Park Football Club, Killamarsh Dynamos, Sheffield United Foundation, and Rotherham United Community Sports Trust.
As part of the Football Development Plan, the School’s aspiration is to increase participation at an early age and transition players through from mini soccer, especially amongst existing female youth teams to create a suitable player pathway to adult football. This also includes participants with disabilities with sessions that will be delivered as part of the usage plan across the year.
Wales High School has worked in partnership with the Sheffield Hallamshire County FA (SHCFA) to secure the Football Foundation funding.
Pepe Di’Iasio, Headteacher, Wales High School, said: “We are delighted to be opening Chapman Fields today and would like to thank the Premier League, The FA and the Football Foundation for the generous grant which has made the 3G Facility a reality.
We are also immensely proud to be associated with the legacy that the Chapman family left behind in our community and that of Herbert Chapman who still leaves an indelible mark on the game to this day.
The funding from the Football Foundation has been key in supporting the students at Wales High School, as well as grassroots sports in the local community and beyond.
Providing affordable, flexible opportunities for all members of society to take part and use the new facility has been and will continue to be paramount to the school.
Key aspects in this area are the provision of free at-the-point-of-contact sessions, delivered and supported by the partner clubs as well as providing a diverse range of activities for local residents to take part in – particularly those not engaged in activity currently.
Working in partnership with the SHCFA, we also plan to deliver both a veteran’s Flexi-league offer to ensure lifelong participation at the site for players and local residents. In addition to these activities, support for mental health programmes and female-specific activities will link into the Football Development plans of the County FA partner clubs.”
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “We are delighted that Chapman Fields is now open to the public after receiving Football Foundation investment. Good quality facilities support the health of local people and communities, which is why we’re investing in projects like this across the country with funding provided by the Premier League, The FA, Government and Sport England.”
For more information on how to book visit: www.waleshigh.com/chapmanfields
