Police Barracks astroturf field to develop next generation of athletes

THE new astroturf, located at the St James Police Barracks, is expected to unearth new talent and help develop not only the next generation of TT hockey players but athletes in other sports.

The opening ceremony, held on Thursday afternoon, was attended by Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith and Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe.

General secretary of the TT Police Service Sports Club Inspector Joshua Pierre and vice-president of the TT Hockey Board Roger St Rose also spoke during the ceremony. Members of the national Under-21 men’s hockey team got the opportunity to be the first team to play on the surface.

The turf took approximately three months to complete at a cost of $100,000 US. The job was done by Superior Landscaping and General Contracting Company Ltd.

The new turf now means there are three quality sporting fields located on the compound. A football field is located to the North of the hockey field and to the East of the football field is a cricket ground.

Cudjoe said, “I want to thank you so much for inviting me and for the outstanding work that you (TT Police Service) are doing to promote sport and utilising sport as a vehicle to transform the lives of our young people, to keep them on the positive path and to strengthen empowerment within our communities.”

The sports minister said the new field can boost the sport of hockey.

“This investment that you have made in providing this turf for hockey players – those who are part of community groups and even the national team – will go a long way in developing hockey in TT.”

Cudjoe thanked the TTPS for their dedication. “I am happy by the work that I am seeing being done by the TT Police from within my village in Bethel in Tobago through the Bethel Police Youth Club.”

Griffith said, “This (turf) is long overdue…this was the home of hockey for decades then it was moved to Tacarigua. The point being we should have never lost this venue for hockey.”

Griffith aims to use sports as an avenue for people to get involved in positive activities.

“The TT Police Service is not just about roadblocks, patrols, arresting persons, hardcore policing. It involves something known as secondary crime prevention and that involves making sure that persons can utilise their energy in the right manner, taking it away from a life of crime.”

The field is not only about hockey as Griffith said, “What we have done now is to allow hockey to be played, football to be played and even wind ball cricket.”

On helping the sport of hockey, Griffith said, “I will give the assurance to the TT Hockey Board that this is at no cost. We are here to help the development of sport, we are here to see how best we can assist you all.”