Rawalpindi to have its own Hockey Stadium soon: Hockey News
A new stadium of international standards is under construction in Rawalpindi at a site opposite to the Municipal Football Stadium.
According to the Olympian, Shahnaz Sheikh the new hockey stadium at Muslim School Ground on Saidpur Road, Rawalpindi is being constructed with a hope to revive hockey in Rawalpindi.
As a matter of fact, Rawalpindi has managed to give Pakistan 27 Olympians until year 1990. But now, the young players are desperately wishing to have another hockey stadium for practicing the sport of hockey. The reason is that they have exclusively relied
on the Army Stadium, existing there for many years now, and is quite worn out and inadequate for new volunteers to learn the game.
The Olympian commented, “This stadium is a gift to Rawalpindi and I believe this stadium would revive hockey plus bring in young players.”
Sheikh informed about the under-construction stadium by saying, “The work of the ground is more than sixty percent complete. The changing rooms in the ground are built and just the boundary wall is under construction which will be complete before March when
it is expected to host its first-ever national hockey tournament”
He added the fact that Pakistan’s Asian Games victory in Hockey has ignited the youth’s interest towards the sport. He was very certain that this facility shall help entertain the young generation that would serve to revive the national game of the country.
Sheikh discussed that an astro-turf is to be lay at this stadium, helping to serve as a multi-purpose complex for a variety of indoor games that could be hosted there.
He said that this stadium will be one of a kind hockey stadium in the middle of the city and comprises of all what is required for hosting international events. This stadium will be supervised by the Rawalpindi District Hockey Association (RDHA).
He described that once this stadium is complete, will have the capability to host international matches as well in the future. Moreover, currently there is a dire need of shining talent for the upcoming huge event, London Olympics 2012, for which skilful
and talented players are to be hunted across the country. For the national squad, this stadium will facilitate a good pool to select from.
Sheikh told that he also had a meeting with the MNA, Haneef Abbasi to discuss about the stadium’s completion and its ground’s status. He requested Haneef to ensure the boundary walls get completed before March because boys need to be trained for the tournament
in March. As soon as the boundary walls are complete, evening training sessions shall be conducted for the players before the tournament.
The MNA has assured to have a talk with the Prime Minister with regards to securing some funds for building the stadium completely along with the astro-turf pitch that is needed to be placed at this facility. Sheikh said that the Punjab Government was also
expected to contribute funds for this stadium.
He also met Zahid Hameed, Commissioner Rawalpindi, concerning the fund-raising matter and received a positive response from Zahid to help complete the stadium by March 2011 before the commencement of the tournament.
Sheikh further agreed the reality that security issues have caused harm to sports because youth hesitated travelling far to take practice lessons. It is much expected that when the stadium gets opened for public, many hockey players will come to play there.
Finally, the matter of being limited to the Army Stadium shall soon come to an end.
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