A HOCKEY club has been forced to close several teams as they prepare to wave goodbye to their home of over 40 years.
Risca Hockey Club are to close their junior’s section and potentially their second senior team after being forced to relocate from Risca Leisure Centre.
A spokesperson for the club told the Argus that losing these teams “will be a big financial hit to their club and a massive loss generally to their teams.”
In July 2023, Risca Hockey Club were told with no prior consultation that their AstroTurf hockey pitch would be replaced by a 4G pitch, unsuitable for hockey.
Currently, there are two hockey pitches recognised by Hockey Wales in Caerphilly County Borough to play at a league standard, one at Sue Noake Leisure Centre in Ystrad Mynach, and the one in Risca.
Describing themselves as “family” the club are to set to move to the Sue Noake Leisure Centre, a nine-mile trip from their current home.
Putting a positive spin on the sad occasion the community were invited to the club’s last training session on Wednesday, April 24.
A spokesperson for Risca Hockey Club said: “The Ystrad Mynach pitch is home to Sue Noake hockey team and although it's not too far out of the way for our senior players who drive, it is a long distance for the majority of our juniors and younger seniors who rely on lifts from parents to come and train and play.
“We have looked into from pitches closer to Risca such as Bassaleg School and Rougemont school, but costing is a big factor and a lot of the school pitches have stated that hockey is a restricted sport which cannot be played outside of school hours on this pitch due to noise pollution of the surrounding houses.
“We've also looked at other pitches, but they do not meet the requirements we need to train and play.
“We are looking at further funding opportunities to help our relocation and support the club to financially keep going.
“We are most certainly losing our juniors section and potentially our second senior team due to this move which will be a big financial hit to our club as well as a massive loss generally to our teams.”
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