Great Britain hockey goalkeeper helps open all-weather pitch

THE goalkeeper of the Great Britain hockey team attended the opening of a new all-weather sports pitch in Henley.

 James Mazarelo joined players at Henley Hockey Club for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 2G artificial pitch in Jubilee Park, off Reading Road.

Henley Town Council contributed the £223,237 replacement pitch, after it had deteriorated.

It had become sunken in places and football lines started to drop, which meant balls would bounce up.

Concerns were raised by users about the surface in April and part of the work included minor repairs to the shockpad under the turf.

The first of these 2G pitches was installed in 1996 and this is the second replacement since then. The surface and pad was replaced in 2011.

The new pitch was installed in the summer and completed in October, during which time the club trained at Shiplake College as well as Reading and Sonning Hockey Clubs.

Deputy Mayor Ian Reissmann cut the ribbon and he and Mazarelo were given gifts from children at the club, which included woolly hats.

The event also coincided with the club marking its 75th anniversary, which it celebrated pitchside, with drinks, music and hot dogs.

The hockey pitch sits next to the new 3G sports pitch, which the council installed this year at a cost of £1 million.

Councillor Reissmann said: “I’d like to pay particular thanks to those who help run the club because clubs wouldn’t exist without volunteers, without parents, as well as the players who often go on to become volunteers.”

Cllr Reissmann admitted that while he played hockey for a few years while at school he prefers cricket, due to the favourable weather, which was met with laughter. Mazarelo, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, spoke with and  signed autographs for some of the young players at the club.

Mazarelo, who lives in Wokingham, said: “It’s great to see the connection between the council and the club to help bring this facility to life.”

His advice to young players  was to keep enjoying their chosen hobbies.

“Just keep enjoying it for as long as possible,” Mazarelo said. “That’s ultimately the most important thing and why we play sport, whatever sport that is. Then, who knows, if you keep working hard, you never know what will happen.” Club chairman Jon Grocock said that the new pitch was a great way to celebrate the club’s 75th anniversary.

Mr Grocock added: “We have a couple of goalkeepers who are down and they have got stars in their eyes seeing Mazarelo.”

Men’s 2nds players Marcus Nicholson and Rob Farina enjoyed a drink together to celebrate the anniversary.

Ali Jean-Jean, who plays with the Women’s 4ths, said: “We have lots of mums playing with their daughters who have come back to hockey, and it’s just a fun, sociable, nice place to be.”